Gays Mills, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Gays Mills is a village in Crawford County, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 625 at the 2000 census.
, which proved to be a flourishing success. When his health started to fail, James convinced his brothers John and Thomas to move to the area. In 1865 John Gay built the first flour mill south of the saw mill. In 1872 Thomas Gay and family organized the First Congregational Church, the first church in Gays Mills and in 1898 the church building itself was finished. In the years between 1848 and 1865, many families moved into the community, which came to be known as Gays Mills in honor of the founder and his brothers.
Gays Mills was also the home of the Twining apple-growing family. One of the Twinings took his apples to the World's Fair, where they were a great success, generating mild fame for Gays Mills. Twining and he companions are honored with a historical marker on a hill overlooking the village. Consequently, apples are grown heavily in Crawford County, with numerous commercial orchards surrounding the village.
(FEMA) released a 72-page report asking residents and businesses to relocate from the Kickapoo River flood plain. Relocation is estimated to cost $1.7 million to purchase 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the existing location. About 150 of the village's 230 houses lie in the flood plain. As of October 2008, village leaders were considering what course to take.
In March of 2010, a grant of $4.31 million was awarded by the Economic Development Administration
to the Village of Gays Mills and the Redevelopment Authority of Gays Mills to develop a strategy for relocating the Village’s commercial district outside of the floodplain.http://www.eda.gov/NewsEvents/PressReleases/WIcombo032610
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12.0 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.65%) is water.
of 2000, there were 625 people, 261 households, and 169 families residing in the village. The population density
was 136.0 people per square mile (52.5/km²). There were 289 housing units at an average density of 62.9 per square mile (24.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.68% White, 0.16% African American and 0.16% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 261 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,250, and the median income for a family was $36,607. Males had a median income of $32,875 versus $18,295 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $17,786. About 11.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 625 at the 2000 census.
History
In 1847 James B. Gay, a native of Indiana, built a dam and a sawmill on the Kickapoo RiverKickapoo River
The Kickapoo River is a tributary of the Wisconsin River in the state of Wisconsin, United States. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in the early 19th century.-Watershed:...
, which proved to be a flourishing success. When his health started to fail, James convinced his brothers John and Thomas to move to the area. In 1865 John Gay built the first flour mill south of the saw mill. In 1872 Thomas Gay and family organized the First Congregational Church, the first church in Gays Mills and in 1898 the church building itself was finished. In the years between 1848 and 1865, many families moved into the community, which came to be known as Gays Mills in honor of the founder and his brothers.
Gays Mills was also the home of the Twining apple-growing family. One of the Twinings took his apples to the World's Fair, where they were a great success, generating mild fame for Gays Mills. Twining and he companions are honored with a historical marker on a hill overlooking the village. Consequently, apples are grown heavily in Crawford County, with numerous commercial orchards surrounding the village.
Flooding
Almost 60 homes were substantially damaged by flooding on the Kickapoo River in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, a meeting was held to discuss moving the village to higher ground because of repeated flooding, which damaged the local economy. In October 2008, the Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) released a 72-page report asking residents and businesses to relocate from the Kickapoo River flood plain. Relocation is estimated to cost $1.7 million to purchase 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the existing location. About 150 of the village's 230 houses lie in the flood plain. As of October 2008, village leaders were considering what course to take.
In March of 2010, a grant of $4.31 million was awarded by the Economic Development Administration
Economic Development Administration
The Economic Development Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides grants to economically distressed communities to generate new employment, help retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial and commercial growth.-History:The EDA was established under...
to the Village of Gays Mills and the Redevelopment Authority of Gays Mills to develop a strategy for relocating the Village’s commercial district outside of the floodplain.http://www.eda.gov/NewsEvents/PressReleases/WIcombo032610
Geography
Gays Mills is located at 43°19′6"N 90°50′48"W (43.318241, -90.846554).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12.0 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.65%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 625 people, 261 households, and 169 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 136.0 people per square mile (52.5/km²). There were 289 housing units at an average density of 62.9 per square mile (24.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.68% White, 0.16% African American and 0.16% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 261 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,250, and the median income for a family was $36,607. Males had a median income of $32,875 versus $18,295 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $17,786. About 11.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.