Black Creek, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black Creek, Wisconsin
Village
Village gateway sign (Pre-2017)
Nickname(s):  "Crossroads to the Northwoods" "Birthplace of the First Organized Baseball Team"
Location of Black Creek in Outagamie County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Outagamie
Founded	1862
Incorporated	1904
Government
• Type	President – Trustees
Area
• Total	1.00 sq mi (2.59 km2)
• Land	0.99 sq mi (2.58 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	804 ft (245 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,357
• Density	1,357/sq mi (523.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	54106
Area code(s)	(920)
FIPS code	55-07750
GNIS feature ID	1582819

Black Creek is a village in north-central Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,357 at the 2020 census. The village is located within the Town of Black Creek. Origins of the community trace back to 1862 when it was settled by American Civil War veteran, Thomas J. Burdick and his son, Abraham. Initially, the village had been referred to as Middleburg, due to its geographical proximity to Green Bay, Shawano, and Appleton. However, the name was later changed to reflect the dark-colored creek along the outskirts of the community following village incorporation in 1904. Today, Black Creek hosts a variety of community events including the annual Family Daze celebration.

History

The village of Black Creek was settled by American Civil War veteran, Thomas J. Burdick and his son, Abraham L. Burdick, in 1862. The community had been known as Middleburg, due to its geographical proximity to the larger communities of Green Bay, Shawano, and Appleton, until its incorporation as a village in 1904. This name change was made to reflect the dark-colored creek at the northern edge of the community. Black Creek's first village president was Charles J. Hagen, founder of Chas Hagen Cheese Box Company, now known as Konz Wood Products. In 1962 a centennial celebration was held and a sesquicentennial celebration was held on June 2, 2012.

In 1869, the country's first organized baseball team was formed in Black Creek by L.J. Cook. Thus, the village is known as the birthplace of Wisconsin baseball. At the time, the team played at the village's North Park. It was a part of the Dairyland League along with teams from the communities of Bonduel, Hofa Park, Landstad, Garso, Seymour, Oneida, Shiocton, Kaukauna, Bear Creek, Oconto Falls, Greenville, Ashwaubenon, and Little Chute. Black Creek's major rivalries were with the Navarino Rangers and the Nichols Nitros. The Black Creek team disbanded in the mid-1990s. To commemorate the village's baseball history, a "North vs. South Grudge Match" softball game is played annually.

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Parish c.1910

In 1875, Black Creek published its first newspaper, the Black Creek Journal, which was discontinued in 1880. The Black Creek Times Press was first issued in 1904 and discontinued in 1928.

Main Street looking north c. 1915

Black Creek established its first dairy factory, Black Creek Creamery, in 1901. Since the plant's beginning, numerous changes in ownership have occurred.

The village library formed in 1901. The following year, 1902, a large fire destroyed much of Main Street, leading to the organization of the village fire department in 1904. In 1910 telephone service was made available to local residents, with electricity making its debut in 1911.

The Black Creek area was formerly the nation's leader in sauerkraut production. Thus, the village has supported multiple sauerkraut factories since the late 1880s. One well-known brand was Frank Pure Food Company which purchased an existing kraut plant in Black Creek in 1956. The plant specialized in Frank's Quality Kraut on the village's west side for decades, but later ceased operations in the mid 1990s.

Former Immanuel Lutheran church (1915-1969)

In an effort to promote tourism, the nickname "Crossroads to the Northwoods" was adopted in 2004. Four years later, in 2008, the former Green Bay & Western Railroad corridor was converted into the multi-use Newton Blackmour State Trail.

In the summer of 2010, Black Creek experienced two major flooding events. The first occurred on the morning of July 19 when 4 inches (100 mm) of rain fell and the second on the night of August 20 when the community received another 6 inches (150 mm). Other smaller floods in the past flooded only the Canadian National Railway underpass.

Geography

Location

An aerial photo of Black Creek looking south down WIS 47

Black Creek is located at 44°28′28″N 88°27′0″W / 44.47444°N 88.45000°W / 44.47444; -88.45000 (44.474517, −88.450125). in northeastern Wisconsin at the intersection of WIS-47 and WIS-54, about 20 miles (40 km) west of Green Bay and 15 miles (24 km) north of the Fox Cities. It is in the Central Plains and Eastern Ridges and Lowlands regions of Wisconsin. The community is considered part of the Fox Valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.04 square miles (2.69 km²), of which, 1.03 square miles (2.67 km²) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) is water.

Climate

Black Creek has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb),. Like other cities with this type of climate, there are four distinct seasons, often with severe or extreme variation between them in terms of temperature and precipitation. The village experiences warm, humid, frequently hot summers and long, cold and snowy winters. The variance in temperature and precipitation between months is severe and often extreme.

Temperature

Monthly mean temperatures range from 15 °F (−9.4 °C) in January to 70 °F (21.1 °C) in July. In July, the warmest month, the average high temperature is 81 °F (27.2 °C). There are 8 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 163 days where the high remains at or below freezing annually. From December to February, even during thaws, the temperature rarely reaches 50 °F (10 °C). Extremes have ranged from −31 °F (−35 °C) to 99 °F (37 °C).

Precipitation

The wettest month in Black Creek is August, when 4 inches (101.6 mm) of precipitation falls, mostly in the form of rainfall from thunderstorms. The driest month in Black Creek is February, when the majority of precipitation falls as low moisture-content snow due to cold, dry air. On average, 1 inch (25.4 mm) of precipitation falls in February.

Severe weather

There have been five tornadoes in the Black Creek area, ranging in intensity from F0 to F3. An F3 tornado touched down four miles from the WIS 54/WIS 47 intersection on June 26, 1969 and traveled northeast past Seymour, causing one injury. On December 1, 1970 an F3 tornado touched down in Hortonville, traveled northeast and stopped 2.5 miles from the center of Black Creek. On May 30, 1980, a category 1 tornado touched down 1.5 miles from the center of the village and traveled eastward across the village. A category 2 tornado touched down in Stephensville on May 6, 1982, 10 miles from the center of Black Creek, and traveled northeast, stopping just outside the village limits. The most recent tornado, rated F0, touched down briefly just north of Black Creek on June 13, 2005.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 1,357 people residing in the village. The population density was 1,357 inhabitants per square mile (523.9/km²) with 545 housing units. The racial makeup of the village was 92% White, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,316 people, 513 households, and 354 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,277.7 inhabitants per square mile (493.3/km²). There were 540 housing units at an average density of 524.3 per square mile (202.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.0% White, 1.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 513 households, of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the village was 32.2 years. 29.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

Arts and culture

Major events

• Annual 5K Run for the Timbers
• Annual Altrusa Club Polkafest
• Annual Village-Wide Rummage Sale
• Annual Black Creek Community Christmas Festival
• Annual Family Daze Parade and Festival - formerly known as "Homecoming"

(Festivities held at South Park after parade):

• • Antique Car, Tractor, & Motorcycle Show
  • Craft Fair
  • Softball Grudge Match

Citizen of the Year Award has been held by the Black Creek Advancement Association since 1990. The award recognizes individuals actively involved in the community who are nominated by other residents.

Points of interest

• Black Creek Sportsman's Club
• Black Creek Swimming Lake
• Black Creek Downtown Shoppes
• The Meadows

Veteran's memorial

In May 2013, Black Creek Advancement Association and Duhm-Masch American Legion Post 332 announced they would create a veteran's memorial in Black Creek.

Recreation

The village of Black Creek has three parks and one trail. There are also two environmental nature preserves in the vicinity. Parks are officially open from April 1 to October 15 (weather permitting).

Newton Blackmour State Trail Head

• Fallen Timbers Environmental Center is a 456-acre (1,845,366 m²) environmental nature lab with woodlands, meadows, ponds, and prairies. There is also 8.2 miles (13.197 km) of hiking and cross country skiing trails
• Lake Park is 11 acres (40,468 m²) and includes a swimming hole, playground, pavilions, restrooms, disc golf course, and a horseshoe toss.
• Mack State Wildlife Area is a 1,350-acre (5,463,256.17 m²) wildlife preserve with woodlands, marsh, meadows, and swampland.
• North Park is 6 acres (20,234 m²) and includes a baseball diamond, a batting cage, and restrooms.
• South Park is 9 acres (28,327 m²) and includes a two baseball diamonds, batting cage, playground, pavilion, restrooms, firefighter's water fight barrel, and (during winter) an ice skating rink.

Newton-Blackmour State Trail

The Newton Blackmour State Trail, part of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, extends 24 miles from Seymour to New London. The trail is used for snowmobiles, snowshoing, and cross country skiing in winter and hiking, biking and horse back riding in summer. The name "Newton-Blackmour" is made up from the four incorporated communities along the trail.

Sports

Black Creek Youth Sports Organization (BCYS) is the area's only sports league. The organization plays tee ball (ages 5–6); machine pitch (ages 7–8); Little League (ages 9–12); and softball (ages 9–12). Teams are sponsored by local businesses. Softball and Little League teams play against other area communities, while tee ball and machine pitch teams play against other Black Creek teams. Each year Black Creek Youth Sports has three tournaments, either tee ball or machine pitch tournaments, and also sponsors the annual North/South Grudge Match softball tournament.

Snowmobiling is a major winter activity in the Black Creek area. The village is within county snowmobile trail zones one, two, and seven and is criss-crossed by numerous trail routes.

National Register of Historic Places

George Peters residence

The George Peters House, located at 305 North Maple Street in Black Creek, 44°28′37″N 88°26′59″W / 44.47694°N 88.44972°W / 44.47694; -88.44972 (Peters, George, House), is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. It is in an area of Black Creek where buildings range from 100 to 180 years old. Historic Hotel Arlington is located just down the street from this residence, located across the street is the Black Creek Founders Memorial next to the Newton Blackmour State Trail. Also located in this area is the historic Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church (named Evangelische Lutheran Immanuel's Kirche) and the downtown business district.

Religion

St. Johns United Church of Christ

The village of Black Creek currently supports four active houses of worship including the Community Bible Church (1999), of the Southern Baptist Convention, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) (1901), Saint John's United Church of Christ (1877), and Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church (1873).

Gallery

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  Looking south at the intersection of WIS 47 and WIS 54 in Black Creek

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  Black Creek Fire & Rescue Dept

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  Looking north at downtown Black Creek

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  United States Post Office

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  Looking north at WIS DOT sign on WIS 47

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  Village Hall / Police Dept

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  The Black Creek

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  Former Black Creek United Methodist Church

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  Current Worship Center for Immanuel Lutheran & Grow With Us Child Center

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  Community Bible Church on the village's west side

• Burdick, A. E. Black Creek: History From the Early Days. 19--.
• Omni Associates. Black Creek 2025: A Multi-jurisdictional Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan for the Town and Village of Black Creek, Outagamie County, WI. Appleton, WI: Omni, 2005.
• Koenigs, Lynn E. (comp.). Life in Rural Black Creek through the Eyes of Mabel (Kluge) Zuleger: Thoughts and Pictures. 2007.

Economy

As of 2010, the largest private-sector employers in the village were:

Downtown Christmas lighting

Main Street business league signage

Gateway signage installed in 2017

Main Street revitalization efforts

In the summer of 2011, the "Open for Business" Campaign was begun by the village and area business association in an effort to attract new businesses. The goal is to revitalize the community and the downtown area. The campaign is encouraging structural face-lifts and the growth of new specialty shops to help attract tourists traveling through to the Northwoods.

Capstone project

Towards the end of 2013, the Black Creek Business Association partnered with a UW–Madison student to conduct a community needs assessment. A survey of residents showed that what most wanted was a sense of community, with an atmosphere of a small town and an emphasis on "mom & pop shops." Residents expressed an interest in an increase in food choices, the addition of flower planters and trees, making village streets more biker friendly, more parking areas, and slowing traffic on Main Street.

Additionally, a desire from residents to restore and preserve historic buildings is present throughout the study. It was suggested that the community utilize an empty lot adjacent to the state trail for a new community center that would host indoor and outdoor events. In addition to this, a new Veterans park, extended trail systems, and the addition of decorative lighting would be added to the downtown area. Together, with a UW-Extension consultant, the board devised an eight-step plan for recruiting new businesses.

Education

The village has one public school, Black Creek Elementary & Middle School, which has been a part of the Seymour Community School District since 1963. The village school serves grades pre-K through 8th.

Black Creek's original schoolhouse was constructed in 1874 and condemned in 1900. A replacement two-story school, built along present-day State Street (WIS 54), was used until 1954. Because of lack of space, the school system also rented the former community auditorium, along Maple Street, for various school functions from 1937 to 1957.

Today's village school was constructed in 1954. After a major building expansion in 1957, the one-room schoolhouses in the surrounding vicinity closed, and the students transferred to the grade school, doubling the enrollment. Kindergarten, art, music, and physical education programs were also added that year. Since then, the school has expanded in 1969, 1987, and 2008.

Seymour Community High School serves as the village and surrounding area high school.

The Black Creek Village Public Library is a member of the Outagamie Waupaca Library System (OWLS).

Early childhood education services are also provided by Grow With Us Child Center at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

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  Four classroom public school along WIS 54 c.1909

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  Former auditorium used for school & community functions c.1917

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  Black Creek Grade School

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  Village Library & Community Center

Infrastructure

Highways and Rail

Black Creek has an average of 10,100 vehicles passing through daily, and 3.7 million per year. Approximately 8,200 vehicles pass through Black Creek's downtown area on average, and about 6,100 vehicles drive through the Wisconsin Highway 47 / Wisconsin Highway 54 intersection throughout the day. Burdick Street has about 740 vehicles traveling on it daily.

CN Railway underpass along Wisconsin Highway 54.

	Wisconsin Highway 47, also marked as Main Street, northbound, intersects Wisconsin Highway 29 in Shawano. Southbound, Highway 47 connects to Interstate 41 in Appleton.
	Wisconsin Highway 54, also marked State Street, Westward routes to Shiocton and Waupaca. Eastward Highway 54 routes to Seymour and intersects Interstate 41 and Interstate 43 in Green Bay.
	County Trunk Highway B terminates in the west on the village's south side at Wisconsin Highway 47. Its eastern terminus is County Trunk Highway PP.
	The Canadian National Railway, going northbound routes to and terminates in Shawano. Going southbound it routes to Appleton and the Chicago area.

Airports near Black Creek

Major airports near Black Creek include Austin Straubel International Airport in the village of Ashwaubenon and Appleton International Airport, in the town of Greenville. The privately owned Shiocton Airport is also located nearby.

Black Creek water tower

Utilities

Water services are provided by the village. Electricity and natural gas lines for the community are maintained by WE Energies. Biweekly recycling pickup is performed by Outagamie County Solid Waste Department while the village provides weekly garbage collection.

Notable people

• John Miller Baer, U.S. Congressman for North Dakota
• Charles J. Hagen, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and businessman
• Kenneth E. Priebe, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• W. C. Zumach, Wisconsin State Senator and American Socialist

Images for kids

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  Main Street looking south c.1907

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  Main Street looking north c.1917

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  Black Creek along the village's northern edge

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  July 2010 flooding (Main Street)

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  Duhm-Masch American Legion Memorial

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  Fallen Timbers Environmental Center signage

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  Mack State Wildlife Area observation deck

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  Original Green Bay & Western Railyards along Railroad Street c.1909

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  Brandt Bros. Hardware & Auto Co. from Oak Street c.1917

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  Hotel Arlington, Community Auditorium, and Village Hall c.1917

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  Former SOO Line train depot c.1970

See also

In Spanish: Black Creek (Wisconsin) para niños