La Crosse County, Wisconsin

County in Wisconsin, United States

U.S. county in Wisconsin

La Crosse County

U.S. county

View of the city of La Crosse from Grandad Bluff

Official seal of La Crosse County

Seal

Map of Wisconsin highlighting La Crosse County

Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Wisconsin
Founded| 1851
Seat| La Crosse
Largest city| La Crosse
Area

• Total| 480 sq mi (1,200 km2)
• Land| 452 sq mi (1,170 km2)
• Water| 28 sq mi (70 km2)  5.9%%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 120,784
• Estimate

(2019)

| 118,502
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| www.co.la-crosse.wi.us

La Crosse County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the population was 120,784.[1] Its county seat is La Crosse.[2] La Crosse County is included in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population of 139,627 and is the most populous county on Wisconsin's western border.

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 1.1 Major highways
* 1.2 Railroads
* 1.3 Buses
* 1.4 Airport
* 1.5 Adjacent counties
* 1.6 Climate
* 2 Demographics
* 3 Government
* 4 Politics
* 5 Communities
* 5.1 Cities
* 5.2 Villages
* 5.3 Towns
* 5.4 Census-designated places
* 5.5 Unincorporated communities
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 Further reading
* 9 External links

## Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 480 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 452 square miles (1,170 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (5.9%) is water.[3]

### Major highways

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* Interstate 90
* U.S. Highway 14
* U.S. Highway 53
* U.S. Highway 61
* Highway 16 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 33 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 108 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 162 (Wisconsin)

### Railroads

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* Amtrak
* BNSF
* Canadian Pacific
* La Crosse station

### Buses

[edit | edit source]

* La Crosse MTU
* Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit
* List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

### Airport

[edit | edit source]

* LSE - La Crosse Regional Airport

### Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

* Trempealeau County \- northwest
* Jackson County \- northeast
* Monroe County \- east
* Vernon County \- south
* Houston County, Minnesota \- southwest
* Winona County, Minnesota \- west

### Climate

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La Crosse County's location in the United States' upper midwest gives the area a temperate, continental climate.[4] The warmest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is 84.1 °F (28.9 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 63.2 °F (17.3 °C). January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 25.9 °F (−3.4 °C), with the overnight low temperatures around 8.9 °F (−12.8 °C).[5]

Climate data for La Crosse Regional Airport, Wisconsin (1981–2010 normals,[6] extremes 1872–present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 57
(14)  | 65
(18)  | 84
(29)  | 93
(34)  | 107
(42)  | 102
(39)  | 108
(42)  | 105
(41)  | 101
(38)  | 93
(34)  | 80
(27)  | 67
(19)  | 108
(42)
Mean maximum °F (°C)  | 45.4
(7.4)  | 50.5
(10.3)  | 69.0
(20.6)  | 82.2
(27.9)  | 87.8
(31.0)  | 93.6
(34.2)  | 95.7
(35.4)  | 94.0
(34.4)  | 89.2
(31.8)  | 80.6
(27.0)  | 64.0
(17.8)  | 48.1
(8.9)  | 97.7
(36.5)
Average high °F (°C)  | 25.9
(−3.4)  | 31.4
(−0.3)  | 43.9
(6.6)  | 59.3
(15.2)  | 70.7
(21.5)  | 80.0
(26.7)  | 84.1
(28.9)  | 81.5
(27.5)  | 73.2
(22.9)  | 59.9
(15.5)  | 43.8
(6.6)  | 29.1
(−1.6)  | 57.0
(13.9)
Average low °F (°C)  | 8.9
(−12.8)  | 13.6
(−10.2)  | 25.2
(−3.8)  | 37.9
(3.3)  | 48.7
(9.3)  | 58.5
(14.7)  | 63.2
(17.3)  | 61.3
(16.3)  | 52.4
(11.3)  | 40.4
(4.7)  | 28.1
(−2.2)  | 14.2
(−9.9)  | 37.8
(3.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C)  | −13.8
(−25.4)  | −10.4
(−23.6)  | 3.9
(−15.6)  | 21.7
(−5.7)  | 34.1
(1.2)  | 44.6
(7.0)  | 51.5
(10.8)  | 49.3
(9.6)  | 36.5
(2.5)  | 25.4
(−3.7)  | 12.0
(−11.1)  | −8.7
(−22.6)  | −18.4
(−28.0)
Record low °F (°C)  | −43
(−42)  | −36
(−38)  | −28
(−33)  | 7
(−14)  | 26
(−3)  | 33
(1)  | 44
(7)  | 35
(2)  | 24
(−4)  | 6
(−14)  | −21
(−29)  | −37
(−38)  | −43
(−42)
Average precipitation inches (mm)  | 1.12
(28)  | 1.05
(27)  | 2.04
(52)  | 3.34
(85)  | 3.52
(89)  | 4.34
(110)  | 4.26
(108)  | 4.29
(109)  | 3.56
(90)  | 2.17
(55)  | 2.01
(51)  | 1.36
(35)  | 33.06
(840)
Average snowfall inches (cm)  | 10.7
(27)  | 8.2
(21)  | 7.1
(18)  | 1.7
(4.3)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0.2
(0.51)  | 4.1
(10)  | 11.3
(29)  | 43.3
(110)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.1  | 8.0  | 9.8  | 11.2  | 11.9  | 11.5  | 10.4  | 9.8  | 9.6  | 9.3  | 9.0  | 9.2  | 118.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.8  | 6.4  | 4.3  | 1.2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0.3  | 3.1  | 7.0  | 30.1
Source: NOAA[7][8]

## Demographics

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Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1860| 12,186| | —
1870| 20,297| | 66.6%
1880| 27,073| | 33.4%
1890| 38,801| | 43.3%
1900| 42,997| | 10.8%
1910| 43,996| | 2.3%
1920| 44,355| | 0.8%
1930| 54,455| | 22.8%
1940| 59,653| | 9.5%
1950| 67,587| | 13.3%
1960| 72,465| | 7.2%
1970| 80,468| | 11.0%
1980| 91,056| | 13.2%
1990| 97,904| | 7.5%
2000| 107,120| | 9.4%
2010| 114,638| | 7.0%
2020| 120,784| | 5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[13][14]

As of the census of 2020,[15] the population was 120,784. The population density was 267.3 inhabitants per square mile (103.2/km2). There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of 116.8 per square mile (45.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.0% White, 4.6% Asian, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

File:USA La Crosse County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg2000 Census Age Pyramid for La Crosse County

According to 2014–2018 ACS estimates, the median household income was $55,479 and the median family income was $67,388. Males had a median income of $48,675 and females $38,714. The per capita income was $26,065. About 9.1% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.[16]

At the 2010 census,[17] there were 114,638 people, 46,137 households and 27,373 families residing in the county. The population density was 255 per square mile (98/km2). There were 46,137 housing units at an average density of 96 per square mile (37/km2). The racial make up was 92.1% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.9% were of German, 20.3% Norwegian and 7.9% Irish ancestry. In 2017, there were 1,188 births, giving a general fertility rate of 47.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fifth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[18]

## Government

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* Board Chair: Monica Kruse [19]
* District Attorney: Tim Gruenke (D)
* Sheriff: Jeff Wolf (R)
* County Clerk: Ginny Dankmeyer (D)
* County Treasurer: Amy Twitchell (D)[20]
* Register of Deeds: Cheryl McBride (R)
* Board of Supervisors: (29 members)[21]
* County Administrator: Steve O'Malley[22]

## Politics

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La Crosse County has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1988.[23] In 2014, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked La Crosse County as one of Wisconsin's most Democratic counties.[24] As a result of the 2020 presidential election, La Crosse County continued its Democratic trend by about 4%.[25]

United States presidential election results for La Crosse County, Wisconsin[26] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 28,684  | 42.25%  | 37,846  | 55.75% | 1,354  | 1.99%
2016 | 26,378  | 41.43%  | 32,406  | 50.89% | 4,890  | 7.68%
2012 | 25,751  | 40.58%  | 36,693  | 57.82% | 1,018  | 1.60%
2008 | 23,701  | 37.49%  | 38,524  | 60.94% | 993  | 1.57%
2004 | 28,289  | 45.53%  | 33,170  | 53.38% | 677  | 1.09%
2000 | 24,327  | 43.79%  | 28,455  | 51.22% | 2,777  | 5.00%
1996 | 16,482  | 35.83%  | 23,647  | 51.41% | 5,872  | 12.76%
1992 | 18,891  | 36.14%  | 22,838  | 43.69% | 10,544  | 20.17%
1988 | 21,548  | 48.90%  | 22,204  | 50.39% | 314  | 0.71%
1984 | 25,721  | 58.77% | 17,787  | 40.64%  | 261  | 0.60%
1980 | 23,427  | 51.73% | 17,304  | 38.21%  | 4,554  | 10.06%
1976 | 24,188  | 58.06% | 16,674  | 40.02%  | 797  | 1.91%
1972 | 21,992  | 63.29% | 12,152  | 34.97%  | 602  | 1.73%
1968 | 17,433  | 55.76% | 11,570  | 37.00%  | 2,264  | 7.24%
1964 | 13,135  | 44.07%  | 16,625  | 55.78% | 43  | 0.14%
1960 | 18,319  | 56.08% | 14,310  | 43.81%  | 36  | 0.11%
1956 | 18,264  | 61.66% | 11,258  | 38.01%  | 100  | 0.34%
1952 | 19,271  | 61.90% | 11,808  | 37.93%  | 53  | 0.17%
1948 | 10,525  | 45.25%  | 12,345  | 53.07% | 390  | 1.68%
1944 | 12,784  | 50.93% | 12,247  | 48.79%  | 72  | 0.29%
1940 | 13,711  | 50.92% | 13,079  | 48.58%  | 134  | 0.50%
1936 | 7,558  | 33.09%  | 14,455  | 63.29% | 827  | 3.62%
1932 | 7,686  | 36.94%  | 12,919  | 62.10% | 200  | 0.96%
1928 | 11,321  | 55.78% | 8,877  | 43.74%  | 97  | 0.48%
1924 | 5,733  | 32.49%  | 1,252  | 7.09%  | 10,662  | 60.42%
1920 | 10,067  | 73.96% | 2,588  | 19.01%  | 956  | 7.02%
1916 | 3,597  | 44.37%  | 4,123  | 50.86% | 386  | 4.76%
1912 | 2,272  | 28.28%  | 4,263  | 53.07% | 1,498  | 18.65%
1908 | 4,382  | 50.15% | 4,054  | 46.40%  | 301  | 3.45%
1904 | 5,506  | 61.76% | 3,089  | 34.65%  | 320  | 3.59%
1900 | 5,324  | 58.24% | 3,609  | 39.48%  | 208  | 2.28%
1896 | 6,297  | 64.58% | 3,058  | 31.36%  | 396  | 4.06%
1892 | 3,693  | 42.88%  | 3,810  | 44.24% | 1,110  | 12.89%

## Communities

[edit | edit source]

File:La Crosse County median home price.webpLa Crosse County median home price File:La Crosse County rent.webpLa Crosse County rent prices

4 bedroom

3 bedroom

2 bedroom

1 bedroom

Studio apartment

### Cities

[edit | edit source]

File:Downtown LaCrosse aerial.pngDowntown La Crosse

* La Crosse (county seat)
* Onalaska

### Villages

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* Bangor
* Holmen
* Rockland
* West Salem

### Towns

[edit | edit source]

* Bangor
* Barre
* Burns
* Campbell
* Farmington
* Greenfield
* Hamilton
* Holland
* Medary
* Onalaska
* Shelby
* Washington

### Census-designated places

[edit | edit source]

* Brice Prairie, part of the Town of Onalaska and an urban reserve area of the City of Onalaska
* French Island
* St. Joseph

### Unincorporated communities

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* Barre Mills
* Burns
* Burns Corners
* Burr Oak
* Council Bay
* Medary
* Middle Ridge
* Midway
* Mindoro
* New Amsterdam
* Newberg Corners
* Shelby
* Stevenstown
* West La Crosse

## See also

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* National Register of Historic Places listings in La Crosse County, Wisconsin
* Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

## References

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1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: La Crosse County, Wisconsin". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
4. ^ "Wisconsin State Climatology Office". University of Wisconsin. 2006. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
5. ^ "Monthly Averages for La Crosse, WI". The Weather Channel. 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
6. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.
7. ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
8. ^ "Station Name: WI LA CROSSE MUNI AP". National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
11. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
13. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lacrossecountywisconsin,lacrossecitywisconsin,detroitcitymichigan,US/PST045219 [dead link]
14. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
15. ^ "2020 Decennial Census: La Crosse County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
16. ^ "La Crosse County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
18. ^ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
19. ^ Tribune, Olivia Herken La Crosse. "3 longtime supervisors named to lead La Crosse County Board". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
20. ^ "Treasurer".
21. ^ http://www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/CoDirctry/2SupervDist.pdf Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
22. ^ "La Crosse County Administrator". Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
23. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
24. ^ Gilbert, Craig (December 3, 2014). "The reddest and bluest places in Wisconsin". Jsonline.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
25. ^ rvetterkind@madison.com, RILEY VETTERKIND. "Cities propelled Joe Biden to Wisconsin win as rural areas double down on Donald Trump". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
26. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". US Election Atlas. Retrieved August 14, 2018.

## Further reading

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* Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892.
* Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892.
* History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881.
* Bryant, Benjamin F. (ed.). Memoirs of La Crosse County. Madison, Wis.: Western Historical Association, 1907.
* Wisconsin Jubilee: Proceedings of the Celebration by the County and City of La Crosse on Wisconsin having achieved fifty years of statehood. La Crosse, Wis.: Republican and Leader Print, 1898.

## External links

[edit | edit source]

* La Crosse County
* La Crosse County Health and Demographic Data
* La Crosse County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Places adjacent to La Crosse County, Wisconsin

| Trempealeau County |  | Jackson County

|
|

|  |
Winona County, Minnesota |

La Crosse County, Wisconsin

| Monroe County
|  |
Houston County, Minnesota | Vernon County |

* v
* t
* e

La Crosse–Onalaska (WI–MN)

Core cities|

* La Crosse°
* Onalaska°

Surrounding
communities|

| (over 5,000)|

* Holmen‡
* La Crescent, MN°
* Onalaska*

|

(under 5,000)|

* Brice Prairie§
* French Island§
* Holland*
* Medary*
* Midway†
* New Amsterdam†
* Shelby*
* Shelby†
* West La Crosse†

Counties|

* Houston
* La Crosse

*town ‡village °city §CDP †unincorporated community

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States

County seat: La Crosse

Cities|

* La Crosse
* Onalaska

File:Map of Wisconsin highlighting La Crosse County.svg

Villages|

* Bangor
* Holmen
* Rockland
* West Salem

Towns|

* Bangor
* Barre
* Burns
* Campbell
* Farmington
* Greenfield
* Hamilton
* Holland
* Medary
* Onalaska
* Shelby
* Washington

CDPs|

* Brice Prairie
* French Island
* Mindoro
* St. Joseph

Other
communities|

* Barre Mills
* Burns
* Burns Corners
* Burr Oak
* Council Bay
* Medary
* Middle Ridge
* Midway
* New Amsterdam
* Newberg Corners
* Shelby
* Stevenstown
* West La Crosse

Indian
reservation|

* Ho-Chunk Indian Reservation‡

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Wisconsin

Madison (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Agriculture
* Dairy industry
* Geography
* Islands
* Lakes
* Governors
* Delegations
* History
* People
* Sports
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions

Society|

* Administrative divisions
* Crime
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Politics

Regions|

* Apostle Islands
* Central Plain
* Chippewa Valley
* Door Peninsula
* Driftless Area
* Eastern Ridges and Lowlands
* Fox River Valley
* Great River Road
* Lake Superior Lowland
* Northern Highland
* Western Upland

Major metropolitan areas
(pop. over 500,000)|

* Chicago metropolitan area
* Madison metropolitan area
* Milwaukee metropolitan area
* Twin Cities metropolitan area

Largest cities
(pop. over 50,000)|

* Appleton
* Eau Claire
* Green Bay
* Janesville
* Kenosha
* La Crosse
* Madison
* Milwaukee
* Oshkosh
* Racine
* Waukesha
* West Allis

Smaller cities
(pop. 15,000 to 50,000)|

* Beaver Dam
* Beloit
* Brookfield
* Cudahy
* De Pere
* Fitchburg
* Fond du Lac
* Franklin
* Greenfield
* Hartford
* Hudson
* Kaukauna
* Manitowoc
* Marshfield
* Menasha
* Menomonie
* Mequon
* Middleton
* Muskego
* Neenah
* New Berlin
* Oak Creek
* Oconomowoc
* Onalaska
* River Falls
* Sheboygan
* South Milwaukee
* Stevens Point
* Sun Prairie
* Superior
* Watertown
* Wausau
* Wauwatosa
* West Bend
* Wisconsin Rapids

Largest villages
(pop. over 15,000)|

* Ashwaubenon
* Bellevue
* Caledonia
* Fox Crossing
* Germantown
* Howard
* Menomonee Falls
* Mount Pleasant
* Pleasant Prairie

Counties|

* Adams
* Ashland
* Barron
* Bayfield
* Brown
* Buffalo
* Burnett
* Calumet
* Chippewa
* Clark
* Columbia
* Crawford
* Dane
* Dodge
* Door
* Douglas
* Dunn
* Eau Claire
* Florence
* Fond du Lac
* Forest
* Grant
* Green
* Green Lake
* Iowa
* Iron
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Juneau
* Kenosha
* Kewaunee
* La Crosse
* Lafayette
* Langlade
* Lincoln
* Manitowoc
* Marathon
* Marinette
* Marquette
* Menominee
* Milwaukee
* Monroe
* Oconto
* Oneida
* Outagamie
* Ozaukee
* Pepin
* Pierce
* Polk
* Portage
* Price
* Racine
* Richland
* Rock
* Rusk
* Sauk
* Sawyer
* Shawano
* Sheboygan
* St. Croix
* Taylor
* Trempealeau
* Vernon
* Vilas
* Walworth
* Washburn
* Washington
* Waukesha
* Waupaca
* Waushara
* Winnebago
* Wood

Coordinates: 43°55′N 91°07′W﻿ / ﻿43.91°N 91.11°W﻿ / 43.91; -91.11
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