Jefferson, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jefferson, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Jefferson
Nickname(s):  The Gemütlichkeit City
Location of Jefferson in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Jefferson
City	March 19, 1878
Village	March 9, 1857
Government
• Type	Mayor - Council
Area
• Total	6.03 sq mi (15.61 km2)
• Land	5.82 sq mi (15.08 km2)
• Water	0.21 sq mi (0.54 km2)
Elevation	801 ft (244 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,793
• Density	1,338.5/sq mi (516.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code	53549
Area code(s)	920
FIPS code	55-37900
GNIS feature ID	1567111

Jefferson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States, and is its county seat. It is at the confluence of the Rock and Crawfish rivers. The population was 7,793 at the 2020 census. The city is partially bordered by the Town of Jefferson.

History

Jefferson's location was selected to make use of the water power and transportation opportunities offered by the Rock River. It was the furthest point a steamboat could navigate the Rock in 1839. Later bridges built downstream prevented such navigation.

Jefferson's founders were settlers from New England, particularly Connecticut, rural Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well some from upstate New York born to parents who had migrated there from New England shortly after the American Revolution. These people were "Yankees" descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal as well as the end of the Black Hawk War.

When they arrived in what is now Jefferson there was nothing but dense virgin forest and wild prairie, the New Englanders built farms, roads, and government buildings and established post routes. They brought many of their Yankee New England values, such as a passion for education, establishing many schools as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church though some were Episcopalian. Due to the second Great Awakening some had converted to Methodism and others had become Baptists before moving to what is now Jefferson. Jefferson, like much of Wisconsin, would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture for most of its early history.

Jefferson was incorporated as a village by an 1857 act of the Wisconsin Legislature, and was then incorporated as a city in 1878.

During World War II, Camp Jefferson, a prison camp for German POWs, was erected at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds hosted horse buggy racing prior to the renovations to the new fairgrounds.

Gemuetlichkeit Days was started in 1971 to celebrate the German heritage of many of the residents of the Jefferson area. The festival was first held under tents in the downtown area. The festival quickly grew and in 1975 the festival was moved to the Jefferson County Fair grounds and has been held there every year since then.

Geography

Jefferson is located at 43°0′11″N 88°48′28″W / 43.00306°N 88.80778°W / 43.00306; -88.80778 (43.003091, -88.807855).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.93 sq mi (15.36 km²), of which 5.72 sq mi (14.81 km²) is land and 0.21 sq mi (0.54 km²) is water.

Jefferson's elevation is 797 ft (243 m) at the center of downtown.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,973 people, 3,132 households, and 1,989 families living in the city. The population density was 1,393.9 inhabitants per square mile (538.2/km²). There were 3,378 housing units at an average density of 590.6 per square mile (228.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 0.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.8% of the population.

There were 3,132 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 37.5 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 15.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.

Education

In Jefferson there are six schools: two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and two private schools. The names of the schools are East Elementary, West Elementary, Jefferson Middle School, Jefferson High School, St. John's Catholic, and St. John's Lutheran. East Elementary School was built as a public works project in 1939 during the Great Depression. The fight song for Jefferson High School is a version of 'On Wisconsin' music with words dedicated to the students of JHS.

Economy

Valero Renewables is an ethanol plant located in Jefferson. There is also a Purina cat food manufacturing plant and a Generac Power Systems plant.

Notable people

See also

In Spanish: Jefferson (Wisconsin) para niños