Cambridge, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cambridge, Wisconsin
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Village
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Downtown Cambridge in March 2014, looking west on Highway 12
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Location of Cambridge in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Counties | Dane, Jefferson |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village Board of Trustees |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.48 sq mi (3.83 km2) |
| • Land | 1.47 sq mi (3.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 850 ft (260 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,638 |
| • Density | 1,042.80/sq mi (402.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| FIPS code | 55-12225 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1562561 |
Cambridge is a small village located in the state of Wisconsin, USA. Most of the village is in Dane County, with a smaller part in Jefferson County. In 2020, about 1,638 people lived here.
The part of Cambridge in Dane County is close to the bigger city of Madison. The Jefferson County part is near Watertown and Fort Atkinson.
Contents
History of Cambridge
When Was Cambridge First Settled?
Cambridge began as a settlement on October 15, 1847. A farmer named Joseph Keyes officially registered plans for the area. The very first building here was a dam on the northern part of Koshkonong Creek.
By the late 1880s, Cambridge had grown quite a bit. It had about 700 residents, along with shops, hotels, and a post office. A famous inventor, Ole Evinrude, who invented the outboard boat engine, once lived here. In 1890, a big fire destroyed many businesses and parts of Main Street.
How Did Cambridge Grow in the 1900s?
After the big fire, the town was rebuilt by 1910. The invention of cars helped tourism grow. Many travelers from Chicago started visiting nearby Lake Ripley for vacations.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Cambridge became famous for its pottery. It was even called the "salt glaze pottery capital of the world." This was because of the special pottery shops located there.
What Is Cambridge Like Today?
After the pottery businesses became less popular, Cambridge found a new way to attract visitors. The village started to draw mountain bikers from all over southeastern Wisconsin.
Today, CamRock County Park is a popular spot. It has trails for hiking and cross-country skiing. There is also a 16-mile mountain bike track for adventurers.
Geography of Cambridge
Cambridge is located at coordinates 43 degrees North and 89 degrees West. This means it's in a specific spot on the map.
The village covers about 1.44 square miles (3.83 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. Koshkonong Creek flows right through the middle of the village. This creek then goes south into Lake Koshkonong.
Population of Cambridge
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 303 | — | |
| 1890 | 452 | 49.2% | |
| 1910 | 507 | — | |
| 1920 | 490 | −3.4% | |
| 1930 | 500 | 2.0% | |
| 1940 | 577 | 15.4% | |
| 1950 | 552 | −4.3% | |
| 1960 | 605 | 9.6% | |
| 1970 | 689 | 13.9% | |
| 1980 | 844 | 22.5% | |
| 1990 | 963 | 14.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,101 | 14.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,457 | 32.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,638 | 12.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
What Was Cambridge's Population in 2010?
In 2010, there were 1,457 people living in Cambridge. These people made up 615 households. About 397 of these households were families.
The village had about 1,019 people per square mile. Most residents, about 96.8%, were White. A small number of people were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Many households, 32%, had children under 18 living with them. The average age in the village was 41.3 years old. About 24.4% of residents were under 18.
Media and News in Cambridge
Cambridge has its own local newspaper. It's called The Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent. This newspaper covers news for both Cambridge and a nearby community called Deerfield.
The village is also part of the Madison area for radio and TV. This means people in Cambridge can get radio and TV channels from Madison. If you live in the Jefferson County part of Cambridge, you can also get channels from the Milwaukee area.
Famous People from Cambridge
Many interesting people have connections to Cambridge:
- Arthur Davidson – He was one of the four people who started the famous Harley-Davidson motorcycle company.
- Ole Evinrude – He invented the outboard marine engine. He also founded the company Evinrude.
- Matt Kenseth – A well-known NASCAR driver who won the NASCAR Winston Cup in 2003.
- Carolyn Blanchard Allen – She served as a state representative for Wisconsin.
- Christopher Legreid – Another person who served as a Wisconsin State Representative.
- John W. Porter – Also a Wisconsin State Representative.
- Jason Schuler – A former NASCAR driver.
Images for kids
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New Cambridge Water Tower
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Current high school
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Historic Cambridge Public School and High School
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Cambridge Veterans Memorial
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Camrock County Park
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Willerup-United Methodist Church
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Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church
See also
In Spanish: Cambridge (Wisconsin) para niños
