Ellsworth, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellsworth, Wisconsin
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Downtown Ellsworth
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Location of Ellsworth
in Pierce County, Wisconsin |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Pierce |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.80 sq mi (9.84 km2) |
| • Land | 3.80 sq mi (9.83 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,226 ft (315 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,348 |
| • Density | 881.7/sq mi (340.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Zipcode |
54011, 54010
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| Area code(s) | 715 & 534 |
| FIPS code | 55-23525 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1564550 |
Ellsworth is a village in Wisconsin, United States. It is the "county seat" of Pierce County, Wisconsin, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2020, about 3,348 people lived there.
Ellsworth is close to the Town of Ellsworth. It also includes a part that used to be separate, called East Ellsworth. The village and its surrounding areas are slowly becoming part of the larger Twin Cities Metro Area.
Contents
History of Ellsworth
People started settling in the area that is now Ellsworth in 1857. The village was officially planned out in 1862. It became an official village in 1887.
How Ellsworth Got Its Name
The village was first called Perry. This name honored Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero from the War of 1812. But in 1866, the name was changed to Ellsworth.
It was renamed after Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth. He was the first officer from the Union to die in the American Civil War. Colonel Ellsworth was a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln. He died while taking down a large Confederate flag from a hotel roof in Alexandria, Virginia. This event was very famous at the time. Another town, Ellsworth, Michigan, was also named after him.
Choosing the County Seat
The main part of Ellsworth is on top of a steep hill. This location was chosen because of an argument in 1861. Two other towns, Prescott and River Falls, both wanted to be the county seat.
To solve the problem, they decided to pick a neutral spot. They drew lines connecting the corners of the county on a map. The place where these lines crossed was a heavily forested area on top of a ridge. This spot became the new town.
A simple log building was quickly built to be the courthouse. About two years later, a wooden building replaced it. The current Pierce County Courthouse was built in 1905. It was designed by a famous firm from St. Paul. The building has a mix of neoclassical and Beaux-Arts styles. It has a large dome over a five-story, six-sided rotunda.
Geography and Location
Ellsworth covers about 3.75 square miles (9.71 square kilometers) of land. It is located at coordinates 44.73261 degrees North and -92.480177 degrees West.
The village is on several important roads. These include U.S. Highway 10, U.S. Highway 63, Wisconsin Highway 65, and Wisconsin Highway 72.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 432 | — | |
| 1890 | 670 | 55.1% | |
| 1900 | 1,052 | 57.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,005 | −4.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,043 | 3.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,124 | 7.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,340 | 19.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,475 | 10.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,701 | 15.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,983 | 16.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,143 | 8.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,706 | 26.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,909 | 7.5% | |
| 2010 | 3,284 | 12.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,348 | 1.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 | |||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, Ellsworth had 3,348 people. The village had about 881.7 people per square mile. There were 1,467 homes.
Most of the people in Ellsworth were White (93.2%). A small number were Black or African American (0.7%), Native American (0.4%), or Asian (0.1%). About 4.5% of people were from two or more races. About 3.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 3,284 people living in Ellsworth. There were 1,331 households, which are groups of people living together in a home. About 827 of these were families.
The average age in the village was 35.7 years old. About 26.2% of the people were under 18. About 14.5% were 65 or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.0%) and females (51.0%).
East Ellsworth Village
It was hard to build a railroad up the steep hill to Ellsworth. So, when the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway planned a train line in 1885, they built the station about a mile away at the bottom of the hill.
Businesses grew up around this train station. This area became its own village called East Ellsworth. Even though Ellsworth and East Ellsworth are now managed as one town, they still have separate ZIP codes. The Isabelle River flows through East Ellsworth.
Economy and Industry
Ellsworth is home to the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery. This creamery is very important to the local economy.
Cheese Curd Festival
Ellsworth is famous for its cheese curds! It's even known as the "cheese curd capital of Wisconsin." This is because of the delicious cheese curds made by the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery.
Every year, on the last weekend in June, the town holds a special festival. This festival celebrates the cheese curd with lots of fun activities.
Notable People from Ellsworth
Many interesting people have connections to Ellsworth:
- Leon D. Case was born here. He later became the Michigan Secretary of State.
- William Walter Clark went to school in Ellsworth. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate.
- Charles H. Crownhart practiced law in Ellsworth. He later became a Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
- Franklin L. Gilson practiced law in Ellsworth. He was also a Wisconsin State Assembly member and a judge.
- George Thompson was born in Ellsworth. He became the Attorney General of Wisconsin.
- Hans Warner lived in Ellsworth. He was the Wisconsin Secretary of State and a Wisconsin State Senator.
- Dempster Woodworth lived in Ellsworth. He was a Wisconsin State Senator and a doctor.
Images for kids
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Ellsworth, Wisconsin skyline
See also
In Spanish: Ellsworth (Wisconsin) para niños
