Altoona, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Altoona, Wisconsin
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City hall and public library
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Location within Eau Claire County and Wisconsin
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| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Eau Claire |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.98 sq mi (12.90 km2) |
| • Land | 4.73 sq mi (12.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| Elevation | 896 ft (273 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,292 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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8,817 |
| • Density | 1,662.79/sq mi (642.06/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
54720
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| Area codes | 715 & 534 |
| FIPS code | 55-01550 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1560807 |
Altoona is a city in Wisconsin, United States. It's located in Eau Claire County. In 2020, about 8,292 people lived here. The city is an important railroad hub for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Contents
History of Altoona
Altoona started as a settlement in 1881. A railroad company, the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, chose this spot. They needed a new train terminal because their old one in Eau Claire was too crowded.
The railroad first thought about putting the new terminal in Fall Creek. But the city of Eau Claire wanted it closer. So, people from Eau Claire and the railroad walked along the tracks. They were looking for a good place.
They found the perfect spot about three miles east of Eau Claire. This area had flat land and easy access to water from the Eau Claire River. The railroad started building the new terminal there. In October 1881, they named the new community "East Eau Claire."
People began moving to the new community in early 1882. The train terminal started working in May of that year. But soon, there was confusion between the "Eau Claire" and "East Eau Claire" stations.
To fix this, the railroad renamed the new terminal "Altoona" on October 14, 1882. The name "Altoona" came from Altoona, Pennsylvania. That city was named after Allatoona, Georgia. Some people also think the name might have been influenced by immigrants from Altona, Germany. Altoona officially became a city on April 5, 1887.
Over the years, both Altoona and Eau Claire grew a lot. Now, the two cities are right next to each other. Fairfax Street and Bus. 53 generally mark the boundary between them. County Highway AA forms the eastern edge of Altoona. To the north, Altoona is bordered by Lake Altoona and the Eau Claire River. To the south, the city limits generally follow Otter Creek.
Geography of Altoona
Altoona is located at 44°48′15″N 91°26′32″W / 44.80417°N 91.44222°W.
The city covers a total area of about 4.86 square miles (12.6 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 4.65 square miles (12.0 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.21 square miles (0.54 square kilometers), is water.
Altoona is close to Lake Altoona. This is a lake made by people, and it gets its water from the Eau Claire River.
Population and People
Altoona has seen its population grow steadily over the years. This chart shows how many people have lived in Altoona since 1890:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 805 | — | |
| 1900 | 721 | −10.4% | |
| 1910 | 824 | 14.3% | |
| 1920 | 960 | 16.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,044 | 8.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,239 | 18.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,713 | 38.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,114 | 23.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,842 | 34.4% | |
| 1980 | 4,393 | 54.6% | |
| 1990 | 5,889 | 34.1% | |
| 2000 | 6,698 | 13.7% | |
| 2010 | 6,706 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,292 | 23.7% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 8,817 | 31.5% | |
In 2020, the city had 8,293 people. Most people in Altoona are White. The city is also home to people of Asian, Black, and Native American backgrounds. About 3.2% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Many households in Altoona earn a good income. In 2020, the average household income was about $63,556. Most adults in Altoona have finished high school. A good number of them, about 33.8%, have also earned a college degree.
Education in Altoona
Most students in Altoona go to schools in the School District of Altoona. A small part of the city is served by the Eau Claire Area School District.
Altoona High School is where most high school students from the area attend. In 2014, people voted to approve building a new elementary school. This new school was designed to be energy-efficient.
Media and Broadcasting
Altoona is part of the Eau Claire media market. This means it shares news and entertainment with Eau Claire.
Years ago, Altoona had its own free weekly newspaper called the Altoona Star. Altoona is also home to the offices and studios of several radio stations. These stations are part of Mid-West Family Broadcasting. They include WAYY, WEAQ, WECL, WIAL, and WAXX.
Notable People from Altoona
- Leonard Haas – He was the third president and first chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
- Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston – He was a famous offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers football team. He played from 1958 to 1967. He was put into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1975. The football field at Altoona High School is named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Altoona (Wisconsin) para niños
