06/17/2026
📜 Onalaska History Minute 📜
Ever wonder how Onalaska got its name?
The name Onalaska comes from the poem The Pleasures of Hope by Scottish poet Thomas Campbell. When lumberman William Carlisle brought a sawmill to the area in 1904, he chose the name for the town—one of several Onalaskas he helped establish across the country.
Not exactly what you’d expect from a small East Texas town! 🌲😄