Independence, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Independence is a city in Trempealeau County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 1,336 at the 2010 census. It is located at the confluence of Elk Creek and the Trempealeau River
.
Independence is in the Town of Burnside, which corresponds with one of the townships created under the Land Ordinance of 1785
. Shortly after the naming of Burnside in 1863, settlers from Europe
and the eastern U.S. began arriving in significant numbers.
The city of Independence owes its existence to a railroad and a man named David M. Kelly. Running almost parallel to the Trempealeau River is the Green Bay and Western Railroad
, which is part of a line originally intended to run from Green Bay, Wisconsin
to Wabasha, Minnesota
. Kelly was an enthusiastic promoter of building a depot for the new line in Burnside.
After much disagreement and dispute over its location, Green Bay and Lake Pepin (as the company was then known) agreed to build a depot if $5,000 could be raised by the residents to finance construction. The money was raised, and Kelly bought the land for the depot in 1876. He founded a village on the land and named it Independence in honor of the nation’s centennial of independence. The village was incorporated in 1885 and became a city in 1942.
Independence has outlived the depot that was once at its heart. The line began at Green Bay but eventually reached Winona, Minnesota
instead of Wabasha. Passenger service was never very profitable. Under the inexorable pressure of the automobile, passenger service ended in 1949, but freight trains still use the line today.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (3.05%) is water. It is within the Driftless Zone of the Midwest.
Just upstream from the intersection between Elk Creek and the Trempealeau is the dam impounding Bugle Lake. The present dam was built in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration
. It replaced an earlier dam that had been built by a resident named W.S. Newton (Gamroth 1976, p. 35). It later broke and flooded all of Arcadia, Wisconsin in 2011. Bugle Lake has peaceful canoeing, and a small park covers the island in the lake.
of 2000, there were 1,244 people, 581 households, and 317 families residing in the city. The population density
was 978.8 people per square mile (378.2/km²). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 487.0 per square mile (188.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.47% White, 0.16% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.88% from other races
, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.
There were 581 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,389, and the median income for a family was $41,691. Males had a median income of $26,389 versus $21,065 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,977. About 6.2% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Trempealeau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 27,754. Its county seat is Whitehall.-History:Patches of woodland are all that remain of the brush and light forest that once covered the county...
, Wisconsin
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 1,336 at the 2010 census. It is located at the confluence of Elk Creek and the Trempealeau River
Trempealeau River
The Trempealeau River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, 55 mi long, in the Driftless Area of western Wisconsin in the United States.-Course:...
.
History
Unless otherwise noted, the history below is taken from Gamroth (1976).Independence is in the Town of Burnside, which corresponds with one of the townships created under the Land Ordinance of 1785
Land Ordinance of 1785
The Land Ordinance of 1785 was adopted by the United States Congress on May 20, 1785. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation of the inhabitants of the United States...
. Shortly after the naming of Burnside in 1863, settlers from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the eastern U.S. began arriving in significant numbers.
The city of Independence owes its existence to a railroad and a man named David M. Kelly. Running almost parallel to the Trempealeau River is the Green Bay and Western Railroad
Green Bay and Western Railroad
The Green Bay and Western Railroad served the transportation and freight haulage needs of northern Wisconsin for almost 100 years before it was absorbed into the Wisconsin Central in 1993...
, which is part of a line originally intended to run from Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
to Wabasha, Minnesota
Wabasha, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,599 people, 1,062 households, and 665 families residing in the city. The population density was 318.4 people per square mile . There were 1,166 housing units at an average density of 142.9 per square mile...
. Kelly was an enthusiastic promoter of building a depot for the new line in Burnside.
After much disagreement and dispute over its location, Green Bay and Lake Pepin (as the company was then known) agreed to build a depot if $5,000 could be raised by the residents to finance construction. The money was raised, and Kelly bought the land for the depot in 1876. He founded a village on the land and named it Independence in honor of the nation’s centennial of independence. The village was incorporated in 1885 and became a city in 1942.
Independence has outlived the depot that was once at its heart. The line began at Green Bay but eventually reached Winona, Minnesota
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....
instead of Wabasha. Passenger service was never very profitable. Under the inexorable pressure of the automobile, passenger service ended in 1949, but freight trains still use the line today.
Geography
Independence is located at 44°21′30"N 91°25′20"W (44.358425, -91.422217).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 city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (3.05%) is water. It is within the Driftless Zone of the Midwest.
Just upstream from the intersection between Elk Creek and the Trempealeau is the dam impounding Bugle Lake. The present dam was built in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. It replaced an earlier dam that had been built by a resident named W.S. Newton (Gamroth 1976, p. 35). It later broke and flooded all of Arcadia, Wisconsin in 2011. Bugle Lake has peaceful canoeing, and a small park covers the island in the lake.
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 1,244 people, 581 households, and 317 families residing in the city. 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 978.8 people per square mile (378.2/km²). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 487.0 per square mile (188.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.47% White, 0.16% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.88% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.
There were 581 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% 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, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,389, and the median income for a family was $41,691. Males had a median income of $26,389 versus $21,065 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 city was $15,977. About 6.2% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Grover L. BroadfootGrover L. BroadfootGrover Lee Broadfoot was the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.Born in Independence, Wisconsin, Broadfoot moved with his family to Mondovi, Wisconsin, where he graduated from high school. Broadfoot served in World War I, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, where he got his...
, chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme CourtWisconsin Supreme CourtThe Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin.-Location:... - Leo Ferdinand DworschakLeo Ferdinand DworschakLeo Ferdinand Dworschak was the fourth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo, in Fargo, North Dakota....
, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of FargoRoman Catholic Diocese of FargoThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...