Hartford (town), Wisconsin facts for kids
Hartford is a small town in Washington County, Wisconsin, United States. It's close to the city of Hartford, but they are separate places with their own governments. In the year 2000, about 4,031 people lived in the town. You can also find the small communities of Pike Lake and Saint Lawrence within the town.
Contents
A Look Back: Hartford's History
Early Days and Native American People
Long ago, in the early 1800s, the Hartford area was home to the Potawatomi and Menominee Native American tribes. They had a trading post by the Rubicon River. They also had a village near Pike Lake.
In the 1830s, these tribes signed agreements with the U.S. government. These agreements meant they had to give up their land. Many Native Americans were asked to leave the area. However, some Potawatomi people stayed, living on their old lands. They were sometimes called "strolling Potawatomi." Later, many Native Americans who avoided being moved gathered in northern Wisconsin. They formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community.
First Settlers and Town Growth
In 1843, Timothy Hall was the first white person to buy land in the Hartford area. Soon after, German settlers John Theil and Nicolaus Simon arrived. They saw that the Rubicon River would be perfect for a mill. A mill uses water power to grind grain or cut wood.
In 1844, they built a dam and a sawmill. This mill used the river's power to cut down trees from the large, old forests. In 1846, another settler, Charles Rossman, built a gristmill. This mill processed grain grown by the farmers.
On January 31, 1846, the area officially became the Town of Wright. But in February 1847, its name was changed to the Town of Hartford. It was named after Hartford, Connecticut. The early settlers worked hard. They cleared land for farms and built roads. They also set up a post office and built churches. The first church was the First Congregational Church, built in 1847. Many businesses also started to help the farmers.
Railroads and Local Challenges
A railroad line, the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad, came through Hartford in 1855. This was important for the town's growth. But the railroad company had problems in 1861. Many local landowners had borrowed money for the railroad. When the company failed, these families had to pay back the loans. Some even lost their farms. A local newspaper, the Hartford Home League, started to help these farmers.
A Misunderstanding: The Horicon Marsh Incident
In 1861, there was a big misunderstanding. A group of Native Americans lived near Horicon Marsh, not far from Hartford. Their horse got loose and went into a settler's cornfield. The settler shot the horse. The Native Americans were upset and said they would get revenge.
This story quickly spread and became much bigger. By the time it reached Hartford, people thought 5,000 warriors were coming to attack. Many men in Hartford grabbed their weapons. They formed a group to fight the Native Americans. But when they arrived at Horicon Marsh, they found no army. The threat was not real. This event caused fear for both the Native Americans and the settlers.
Hartford's Industrial Shift
In 1883, the City of Hartford was officially formed from part of the town's land. The city began to change from a farming market town to an industrial center. Many factories opened. These included the Kissel Motor Car Company, which made cars. The International Stamping Company made car parts. The Hartford Canning Company processed crops like peas from local farms. There were also knitting mills, a glove factory, tanneries (which process animal hides), and a brewery.
World War II and Prisoners of War
During World War II, Hartford's farmers faced a shortage of workers. In the summer of 1944, the U.S. military helped. They sent German prisoners of war to work on pea farms. At first, these prisoners came from a hotel in Waukesha County.
In October 1944, the military set up a prisoner of war camp in the City of Hartford. It was in the Schwartz Ballroom and held 600 German prisoners. These prisoners worked on farms, in canneries, and in other factories. The camp closed in January 1946. The prisoners were then sent back to Germany.
Where is Hartford?
The Town of Hartford covers about 30.9 square miles (80.1 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 30.2 square miles (78.2 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.7 square miles (1.9 square kilometers), is water. This means about 2.36% of the town is water.
People of Hartford
In the year 2000, there were 4,031 people living in the Town of Hartford. There were 1,397 households, and 1,152 of these were families. On average, about 133.6 people lived in each square mile.
Most of the people in Hartford were White (98.88%). A small number were African American (0.20%), Native American (0.10%), or Asian (0.37%). About 0.55% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (40.6%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (74.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.88 people. The average family had 3.19 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 28.0% were under 18 years old. About 8.4% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 38 years.
The typical income for a household in the town was $69,896. For families, it was $73,576. Only a small number of families (1.1%) and people (1.9%) lived below the poverty line.
See also
In Spanish: Hartford (condado de Washington, Wisconsin) para niños
