Big Flats, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Big Flats, Wisconsin
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Location in Adams County and the state of Wisconsin.
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 Big Flats, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Big Flats, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Adams |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Board |
| Area | |
| • Total | 48.1 sq mi (124.5 km2) |
| • Land | 47.9 sq mi (124.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,001 ft (305 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 948 |
| • Density | 19.8/sq mi (7.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
54613
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| Area code(s) | 608 |
| FIPS code | 55-07300 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1582809 |
Big Flats is a small town in Adams County, Wisconsin, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 948 people lived there.
The area known as Big Flats is also an unincorporated community within the town. It is found where Wisconsin Highway 13 and County Highway C meet. This spot is about 10 miles (16 km) north of a village called Friendship.
Contents
History of Big Flats
The town of Big Flats was officially created on November 15, 1861. Before that, it was known as Brownsville. The community of Big Flats once had its own post office, which opened in August 1862. John W. Potter was the first person in charge of the post office. It is thought that the community got its name from a place called Big Flats, New York.
The Big Flats Tornado
On August 27, 1994, a very strong tornado hit the town of Big Flats. This tornado was rated an F3, which means it caused serious damage. It touched down at 8:41 P.M. CDT and stayed on the ground for 16 minutes.
The tornado traveled about 10.5 miles (16.9 km) and was 850 yards (777 m) wide. Sadly, two people died and 22 others were hurt. The tornado destroyed 24 homes and badly damaged 8 more. About 160 other homes had lighter damage. The Big Flats Fire Department, the Town Hall, and a thrift store were all destroyed. Seventy cows were also crushed when a barn roof collapsed. The tornado caused about $1 million in damage.
The Cottonville Forest Fire
Big Flats was also the site of a very large wildfire called the Cottonville Forest Fire. This fire happened on May 5, 2005. It started when a man tried to burn dead grass in a fire pit. The fire quickly spread out of the pit and into the surrounding area. Smoke from the fire was seen by a fire tower in Rome's Dyracuse Park.
The fire moved north-northeast, following Roche A Cri Creek. Smoke from the fire could be seen from as far as 60 miles (97 km) away. Many firefighters came to help, with about 177 firefighters from 20 different fire departments. Firefighters from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) came from places like Hayward. Two DNR planes from Minnesota also helped by dropping foam on the fire.
It took 11 hours to get the fire under control. By then, the flames had spread about 10 miles (16 km) north. The fire burned about 3,410 acres (13.8 km2) of land. It destroyed 30 homes and about 60 other buildings. This was the biggest forest fire in Wisconsin since 1980. The person who started the fire faced consequences for causing the wildfire.
Geography of Big Flats
Big Flats covers a total area of about 124.5 square kilometers (48.1 sq mi). Most of this area, about 124.1 square kilometers (47.9 sq mi), is land. A small part, about 0.4 square kilometers (0.15 sq mi), is water.
People of Big Flats
In 2000, there were 946 people living in Big Flats. There were 402 households, and 270 of these were families. The town had about 19.7 people per square mile (7.6/km2).
The average household had 2.35 people, and the average family had 2.77 people. About 21.5% of the people were under 18 years old. About 20.4% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 45 years.
See also
In Spanish: Big Flats (Wisconsin) para niños
