Common Council resolutions and reports began to be organized by a numbering system in Dec. 1932. Before that time the resolutions were kept folded up in chronological order, roughly by subject or Council committee (such as Parks, Judiciary, Fire, Police, etc.).

This set of pre-1932 resolutions represents those labeled as Wharves, and date from 1860-1932. Some of the resolutions after about 1920 are stamped “Public Utilities,” but the archivist opted to keep these water related resolutions together.

The original order of these reports was not maintained. Rather, the resolutions were categorized by subject into subseries; therein, chronologically. Undated resolutions are filed at the front of each category.

Most resolutions deal with the Mississippi River and many are concerned with the economic aspects of transportation. The subseries here are: general issues, Barge terminal (proposed), 1914-1926; Docks/Wharves (specifically King St., 1870-1871; Main St., 1860-1870; the Public Landing (State St. with later became Spence Park), 1874-1907); Dredge, 1919-1932; Ferry service, 1874-1890; Mississippi River (specifically Dams & dykes, 1894; 1921-1922; Inland Waterways Act/Upper Mississippi River Valley Conference, 1928-1929; and the Proposed 9-foot channel project, 1929-1932 [opposition to two proposed dams in the Winneshiek Refuge, part of the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge]).

Two other bodies of water dealt with in the resolutions are La Crosse River, 1883; 1891; and the Black River and the damaging effects of a dam, 1912-1927.