Polonia, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Polonia, Wisconsin
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Sacred Heart Catholic Church
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 Polonia, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Polonia, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Portage |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.371 sq mi (8.73 km2) |
| • Land | 3.341 sq mi (8.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.030 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,211 ft (369 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Zip code |
54423
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| Area code(s) | 715 & 534 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1571745 |
Polonia is a small community in Portage County, Wisconsin, in the United States. It's called a "census-designated place," which means it's a special area the government keeps track of for population numbers. Polonia is located in the town of Sharon.
You can find Polonia on Wisconsin Highway 66. It's about two miles east of Ellis and about eight miles southwest of Rosholt. The total area of Polonia is about 3.371 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Contents
History of Polonia
Early Polish Settlers
In 1858, five families from Poland moved to this area. They joined a German farming community in a place called Ellis, which was two miles west of where Polonia is now. These families were likely the first Polish farmers to settle in Wisconsin.
Building a Community
At first, the new Polish families went to church with their German neighbors at St. Martin's Catholic church in Ellis. But as more Polish families arrived, their group grew to twenty or thirty families. Because of this, they decided to start their own Polish-speaking Catholic church in Ellis in 1865.
However, there were three saloons nearby. The noise and fights from these saloons often interrupted church services. So, in 1871, the Polish Catholic church building was moved. It was taken to a hill two miles to the east. Father Dabrowski, a priest, named this new spot Polonia.
Growth and Education
In 1874, a church school was started in Polonia. Five Felician Sisters came from Kraków, Poland, to teach there as missionaries. By 1907, the church community had grown quite a lot, with 320 families. The school was teaching 200 students. The church area also included an orphanage that cared for 46 boys.
See also
In Spanish: Polonia (Wisconsin) para niños
