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Dale (CDP), Wisconsin facts for kids

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Dale
Downtown Dale
Downtown Dale
Country United States
State Wisconsin
County Outagamie
Area
 • Total 1.492 sq mi (3.86 km2)
 • Land 1.492 sq mi (3.86 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation
814 ft (248 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 528
 • Density 353.9/sq mi (136.64/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
54931
Area code(s) 920
FIPS code Class Code U6
GNIS feature ID 1563669

Dale is a small community in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. It is not an official city or town, but a "census-designated place." This means it's an area that the government counts as a separate community for population surveys. Dale is located where Wisconsin Highway 96 and County T meet. In 2010, about 528 people lived there.

History of Dale

People started settling in the area that would become Dale between 1851 and 1853. By the middle of 1854, about twenty families had moved there, creating a growing community. Dale was planned around a new railroad line, the Manitowoc and Mississippi Railroad. This railroad later joined with the Wisconsin Central Railroad in 1871. The train tracks reached Dale in 1872, helping the community grow.

For a while, the community was also known as Poker Flat. No one really knows why it had this second name, according to an old newspaper article from 1923.

Dale in the 20th Century

In 1915, Dale became part of the original Yellowstone Trail. This was a very early highway that crossed the entire country. The highway through Dale was first called State Trunk Highway 18 in 1917. Later, in 1926, its name was changed to U.S. Route 10.

Dale used to have a three-room school that taught students from kindergarten to third grade. This school was part of the New London school district. It closed down by the fall of 1969. After the school closed, students from Dale were taken by bus to the nearby Readfield School. The old school building was sold in November 1969 to the Zion United Church of Christ.

On September 3, 1974, an accident happened while workers were installing new curbs and gutters. A gas line under the Appleton State Bank in Dale was accidentally broken. Natural gas filled the bank's basement, causing an explosion around 12:50 pm. The explosion badly damaged the bank building and the post office next door.

After the accident, the post office temporarily operated out of Dale's town hall. The Appleton State Bank used a trailer to serve its customers. Both new buildings were constructed later.

Dale in the 21st Century

On December 5, 2003, the main road through Dale changed its name. It used to be U.S. Route 10, but it became Wisconsin Highway 96. This change happened because a new, divided highway for US 10 was finished between Greenville and Fremont.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dale (Wisconsin) para niños

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