Reedsburg, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reedsburg
City
Downtown Reedsburg
Location of Reedsburg in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
Reedsburg Location in Wisconsin
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Sauk
Named for	David C. Reed
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
Area
• Total	6.04 sq mi (15.65 km2)
• Land	5.93 sq mi (15.36 km2)
• Water	0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,984
• Density	1,605.56/sq mi (619.87/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Codes	53958, 53959
Area code(s)	608
FIPS code	55-66800
Website	www.reedsburgwi.gov

Reedsburg is a city in Sauk County, Wisconsin, along the Baraboo River. It was founded in 1868, and was named for early settler David C. Reed. The city is surrounded by the Town of Reedsburg. It is part of the Baraboo Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

James W. Babb and his wife Rebecca Scarff Babb brought their family to Wisconsin from Ohio in the mid 1840s. At a place 55 miles northeast of Mineral Point (the capital of Wisconsin Territory), long identified by the Winnebago who inhabited these lands as a convenient place to cross the Baraboo River, Babb left a flat-bottomed boat to help move supplies. At "Babb's Ford," in 1847 David C. Reed built a dam and a shanty to house the workers who constructed it. In June 1848 a sawmill followed. By 1850, "Shanty Row" comprised five tamarack shanties. Reedsburg was platted in 1852, and four years later the community had grown to 50 buildings housing 27 families and 122 people. The community continued under town government until 1868, when Reedsburg was incorporated as a village; it became a city in May 1887.

In the 1860s, a hop boom temporarily brought wealth into the area. The Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) arrived in 1872. In 1880, the Reedsburg Brewing Company was formed. Other industries followed. Among the most important was the Reedsburg Woolen Mill. Construction was completed in 1882, and by 1899, 32 broad looms produced mainly "fancy cassimeres" for Chicago markets. In 1902 the facility was purchased by Appleton Woolen Mills, and began producing clothing for east coast outlets. Sears and Montgomery Wards became two major clients. In 1954, when Appleton Woolen Mills shifted focus to felts, the business in Reedsburg reorganized to emphasize novelty fabrics. The Reedsburg Woolen Mill, long one of the area’s largest employers, endured until 1967; most of the mill complex burned in April 1968, leaving only the mill office. Also important has been the Hankscraft Company. Incorporated in Madison in 1920, Hankscraft—makers of baby bottle warmers, sterilizers and other products—thrived during the post-war baby boom, and in 1949 opened a plant in Reedsburg. In 1961, Hankscraft purchased Nursmatic Corporation, expanding their line include to bassinets, safety harnesses, baby toiletries and other products; a year later, the acquisition of Ruzicka Laboratories allowed the firm to expand once more, adding vaporizer fluids, baby oil, shampoo and lotions. In 1970, Hankscraft was purchased by Gerber Products Company, and began producing baby food. It was the town's second largest employer, exceeded only by the Reedsburg Woolen Mill. In 1996, Gerber Products Company sold Hankscraft Motors, which continues to operate in Reedsburg. Other important industries have included Grede Foundry, Seats, Inc., and the Columbia Par Car Corporation.

In 1984, the Main Street Commercial Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1993, 22 miles of the C&NW rail line between Reedsburg and Elroy became the Wisconsin 400 State Trail, a hiking/biking trail named for the passenger rail line that was said to travel the 400 miles between Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul in 400 minutes. In 2011, Reedsburg became home of the annual “Fermentation Fest: A Live Culture Convergence,” a ten-day celebration of agriculture, food and farming that attracts over 10,000 participants. An initiative of the Worm Farm Institute, a Reedsburg-based nonprofit that celebrates and strengthens links between rural and urban communities with sustainable agriculture and the arts, the festival includes classes, performances, and the Farm/Art DTour, a juried show of temporary art installations and produce stands that unfolds along fifty miles of local roads.

Geography

Reedsburg is located at 43°32′1″N 90°0′10″W / 43.53361°N 90.00278°W / 43.53361; -90.00278 (43.533854, -90.002902).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.93 square miles (15.36 km²), of which 5.83 square miles (15.10 km²) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km²) is water. The Baraboo River flows through the city.

Reedsburg is 12 miles southwest of the Wisconsin Dells along the Baraboo River, with scenic views of the Baraboo Range to the south. Reedsburg is located directly on the 90th meridian west. A pink quartzite marker on Main Street reads 325 feet east of this point lies the 90th meridian. The marker was dedicated on October 14, 1963, to designate Reedsburg's unique location. It was donated by Whitney Memorials and erected by the Kiwanis Club.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,200 people, 3,795 households, and 2,357 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,578.0 inhabitants per square mile (609.3/km²). There were 4,103 housing units at an average density of 703.8 per square mile (271.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.3% White, 0.6% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 3,795 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 22.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Infrastructure

The city includes the Main Street Commercial Historic District and the Park Street Historic District, which contain commercial and residential buildings built from 1873 to 1920. The Chicago and North Western Depot was built in 1906 which connected Reedsburg to the Twin Cities 400 line. Currently, it serves as the headquarters for the 400 State Trail, a biking and hiking trail that starts in Reedsburg and ends in Elroy, Wisconsin, following the old Twin Cities 400 track. Sound Devices is headquartered in Reedsburg.

Webb Park

Parks

Reedsburg has 18 parks within the city. City Park is the oldest, being donated by the city's founder David C. Reed in 1848. Webb Park is another large park, being dedicated to Herbert H. Webb, a generous benefactor to Reedsburg. Webb Park includes the city's swimming pool, and is adjacent to Webb Middle School. The woods behind Webb Park is called the Roger Popple Nature Area, which includes several trails, and the Half-Moon Lagoon Disc Golf Course.

Transportation

State Highways 33 and 23 run along Main Street. State Highway 136 terminates in Reedsburg. There is access to Interstate 90/94 nearby, and the city is served by the Reedsburg Municipal Airport (C35). Several city roads include bicycle lanes. The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad operates on the old C&NW track.

Education

The School District of Reedsburg has four elementary schools serving students in kindergarten through grade 3, one intermediate school serving students in grade 3 through grade 5, one middle school, and one high school. There is a Madison Area Technical College regional campus on the west side of Reedsburg.

Notable people

• Clare Briggs, comic strip artist
• Edward Dithmar, lieutenant governor of Wisconsin
• Alexander Preston Ellinwood, Wisconsin politician, businessman, and educator, lived in Reedsburg.
• John Harrington, professional football player
• Charlie Kavanagh, MLB player
• Timothy Mahr, composer and conductor, professor of music at St. Olaf College
• Agnes Moorehead, actress
• Saul Phillips, head coach of the North Dakota State Bison men's basketball team
• Albert O. Sorge, Wisconsin State Representative
• Henry W. Sorge, Wisconsin State Representative
• Warren Weaver, scientist

Images for kids

• 

  Reedsburg Woolen Mill in 1921.

See also

In Spanish: Reedsburg (Wisconsin) para niños