Ripon, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ripon, Wisconsin
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Downtown Ripon
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Location of Ripon in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
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 Ripon, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Fond du Lac |
| settled | 1849 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.03 sq mi (13.02 km2) |
| • Land | 4.97 sq mi (12.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,863 |
| • Density | 1,581/sq mi (610.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 920 |
| FIPS code | 55-68175 |
| Website | cityofripon.com |
Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. In 2020, about 7,863 people lived there. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon.
Ripon is famous for being home to the Little White Schoolhouse. This place is widely known as where the Republican Party began.
Contents
History of Ripon
How Ripon Was Founded
Ripon was started in 1849 by David P. Mapes. He used to be a steamboat captain from New York. Just two years later, Ripon grew to include a nearby community called Ceresco.
Ceresco was set up in 1844 by a group called the Wisconsin Phalanx. These settlers were inspired by the idea of communal living, where people share resources and work together. Mapes also helped start Ripon College, which was first called Brockway College in 1851.
The city got its name from a city in England called Ripon, North Yorkshire. John S. Horner, one of the first settlers, named it after his ancestors' hometown. He also named most of the streets in Ripon. His original house is still standing today.
Birthplace of the Republican Party
On March 20, 1854, about 30 people met at a school house in Ripon. They were against the Kansas–Nebraska Act. This act allowed new territories to decide if they would allow slavery, which many people thought was wrong.
At this meeting, they decided to form a new political party. They wanted to connect their ideas with the Declaration of Independence. This group played a big part in creating the Republican Party in many northern states that summer.
While some people just wanted to bring back the Missouri Compromise (which limited slavery) or stop slavery from spreading, the Ripon group felt that no more compromises with slavery were possible. The meeting in February 1854 was the very first political gathering of the group that would become the Republican Party.
The modern Ripon Society, a group that studies Republican ideas, is named after Ripon, Wisconsin. It's worth noting that Jackson, Michigan, also claims to be the true birthplace of the Republican Party.
Geography of Ripon
Ripon is located in the northwest part of Fond du Lac County. The city covers about 5.02 square miles (13.02 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Ripon is in an area called the Sinnipee Group. This means the ground is mostly made of a rock called dolomite, with some limestone. The limestone shows that Ripon was once covered by a shallow sea long ago. Because of this rock type, Ripon is a Karst environment, which can have features like sinkholes.
The area around Ripon was also shaped by several ice ages. The land is fairly flat and is part of the Fox River (Wisconsin) watershed, meaning water flows towards the Fox River.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,025 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,976 | 47.0% | |
| 1880 | 3,117 | 4.7% | |
| 1890 | 3,358 | 7.7% | |
| 1900 | 3,818 | 13.7% | |
| 1910 | 3,739 | −2.1% | |
| 1920 | 3,929 | 5.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,984 | 1.4% | |
| 1940 | 4,566 | 14.6% | |
| 1950 | 5,619 | 23.1% | |
| 1960 | 6,163 | 9.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,053 | 14.4% | |
| 1980 | 7,111 | 0.8% | |
| 1990 | 7,241 | 1.8% | |
| 2000 | 6,828 | −5.7% | |
| 2010 | 7,733 | 13.3% | |
| 2020 | 7,863 | 1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Ripon's Population in 2010
In 2010, the city of Ripon had 7,733 people living there. There were 3,053 households. About 94.7% of the people were White. Other groups included African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 5.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 27.8% of households had children under 18. The average age in the city was 37.2 years.
Economy
Ripon is home to some important businesses and organizations:
- Alliance Laundry Systems (known for its Speed Queen commercial laundry machines)
- National Forensic League (an organization for speech and debate students)
Education
Ripon has good educational options:
- Ripon College is a liberal arts college located in the city.
- Ripon High School serves younger students.
Transportation
Several state highways serve Ripon, making it easy to travel to and from the city:
- Wisconsin 23
- Wisconsin 44
- Wisconsin 49
These highways connect Ripon to nearby towns like Green Lake, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh. Ripon is also the starting point for a special flight path called the Fisk VFR arrival, used by planes heading to the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow.
Notable People from Ripon
- Frank L. Anders, a Medal of Honor winner, lived and died in Ripon.
- Ezekiel Babcock, a farmer and politician.
- Jeanne Bice, a businesswoman and TV personality who started Quacker Factory clothing.
- Sarah Powers Bradish, a writer and activist for the WCTU.
- Carrie Chapman Catt, a leader who fought for women's right to vote.
- Arthur F. Hinz, a politician.
- John S. Horner, a former acting Governor of Michigan Territory.
- Bruno E. Jacob, founder of the National Forensic League, lived most of his life in Ripon.
- Lewis G. Kellogg, a politician.
- Asa Kinney, an early settler and politician.
- Oscar Hugh La Grange, a general in the Union Army.
- Alonzo A. Loper, a politician.
- Richard Maltby, Jr., a theater director, lyricist, and writer.
- Gard Miller, a Wisconsin State Representative.
- George Mitchell, a politician.
- Roy E. Reed, a politician and lawyer.
- H. Gordon Selfridge, who founded the Selfridges department store in London, was born in Ripon.
- Fred E. Soper, a Wisconsin State Representative.
- William Starr, a Wisconsin State Representative.
- Lyman Wellington Thayer, a politician.
- Clarissa Tucker Tracy, a botanist who taught at Ripon College.
- William D. Turner, a politician.
- Otto Julius Zobel, an inventor, was born and grew up in Ripon.
Images for kids
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Ripon City Hall and police department
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Ripon sign looking east on WIS 23
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Ripon College
See also
In Spanish: Ripon (Wisconsin) para niños
