Little Black, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Little Black is a town located in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,148. The unincorporated community of Little Black
is located in the town.
, the town has a total area of 35.0 square miles (90.7 km²), of which, 35.0 square miles (90.7 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.
in 1847 by a crew working for the U.S. government. That west edge of the town is on the Fourth Principal Meridian
, the first north-south line surveyed up through the forests of Wisconsin, from which towns, sections and forties were later measured. In October 1854 a different crew of surveyors marked all the section corners
in the township
, walking through the woods and swamps, measuring with chain
and compass
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
of 2000, there were 1,148 people, 403 households, and 321 families residing in the town. The population density
was 32.8 people per square mile (12.7/km²). There were 414 housing units at an average density of 11.8 per square mile (4.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.04% White, 0.35% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 403 households out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 111.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,000, and the median income for a family was $48,167. Males had a median income of $31,645 versus $23,281 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,633. 8.1% of the population and 5.2% of families were below the poverty line. 9.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Taylor County, Wisconsin
Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 20,689. Its county seat is Medford.-History:The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was part of New France...
, 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...
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,148. The unincorporated community of Little Black
Little Black (community), Wisconsin
Little Black is an unincorporated community located in the town of Little Black, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. Little Black is located along Wisconsin Highway 13 and the Canadian National Railway south of Medford....
is located in the town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 town has a total area of 35.0 square miles (90.7 km²), of which, 35.0 square miles (90.7 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.
History
The western edge of the six by six mile square that would become Little Black was first surveyedSurveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in 1847 by a crew working for the U.S. government. That west edge of the town is on the Fourth Principal Meridian
Principal meridian
A meridian is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole that connects all locations with a given longitude. Each is half of a great circle on the Earth's surface...
, the first north-south line surveyed up through the forests of Wisconsin, from which towns, sections and forties were later measured. In October 1854 a different crew of surveyors marked all the section corners
Section (United States land surveying)
In U.S. land surveying under the Public Land Survey System , a section is an area nominally one square mile, containing , with 36 sections making up one survey township on a rectangular grid....
in the township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
, walking through the woods and swamps, measuring with chain
Gunter's chain
Gunter's chain is a measuring device used for land survey. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted,...
and compass
Solar compass
The solar compass, an astronomical instrument, was first invented and made by William Austin Burt. He patented it on February 25, 1836, in the United States Patent Office as No 9428X. It received a medal at the Great Exhibition of 1851...
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
This Township contains some Swamps, all of which are unfit for cultivation. The North West portion is mostly worthless, being almost all Swamp. The Land is generally of poor quality, and not good farming land, the soil being poor and the rocks coming to the surface in many places. Most of the Timber is Hemlock but where there is Hardwood the land is fair(?) farming land. There is no PineEastern White PinePinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
of any consequence. The Township is well watered with small streams and in the North part of the Township there is a large Stream of sufficient size for millingWatermillA watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
purposes, with high banks, rocky bottom and rapid current. There are no improvements in the Township.
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 1,148 people, 403 households, and 321 families residing in the town. 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 32.8 people per square mile (12.7/km²). There were 414 housing units at an average density of 11.8 per square mile (4.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.04% White, 0.35% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 403 households out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% 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, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 111.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,000, and the median income for a family was $48,167. Males had a median income of $31,645 versus $23,281 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 town was $17,633. 8.1% of the population and 5.2% of families were below the poverty line. 9.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.