Sheldon, Rusk County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheldon, Wisconsin
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Village
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On main street, facing east
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Location of Sheldon in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Rusk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.66 sq mi (1.72 km2) |
| • Land | 0.66 sq mi (1.72 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,122 ft (342 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 237 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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214 |
| • Density | 323.26/sq mi (124.77/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 715 & 534 |
| FIPS code | 55-73175 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1574003 |
Sheldon is a small village in Rusk County, Wisconsin, in the United States. In 2010, about 237 people lived there.
Contents
Sheldon's Early Days
Around 1885, some families like the Marshals and Carmans settled near where Sheldon is now. They called their small community "Fern." Anton Corbine delivered mail to them from a town called Flambeau. In 1903, Woodlawn Cemetery was started. A small log school was also built nearby. A reverend would sometimes visit to hold church services in the school.
In 1905, Max Dietze opened a general store. He brought supplies by wagon from other towns. The next year, D. L. Pickering built a sawmill by the Little Jump River.
How Sheldon Grew
Sheldon really started to grow in 1906. This was when the Wisconsin Central Railroad built its tracks through the area. The railroad built a station, a section house, and a water tank. They named the station "Sheldon" after one of their officials. This railway line is still used today by the Canadian National company.
That same year, Ed Lacy opened a general store near the train station. Over time, other businesses and schools moved from Fern to Sheldon. Now, only farms, homes, and the cemetery remain in the old Fern area.
Life in Early Sheldon
In 1908, Sheldon was officially planned out. A land office opened, and by 1910, a new school was built. The town had a barber shop and two saloons, one with a dance hall. There were also two hotels, mainly for lumber workers.
Logging was a very important business. Several mills cut wood, including the Jump River Lumber Company's mill. This mill employed over forty men until it burned down in 1912. Trains stopped daily, carrying people and goods, as the roads were very bad. In 1910, the first telephones were installed. The first car, a 1909 Ford, arrived in town that same year. In 1917, Sheldon officially became a village, with 123 people living there.
Changes and Challenges
By 1923, Sheldon had a factory that made hoops for butter tubs from local wood. It also had a creamery that used milk from nearby farms. Sidewalks were built along Main Street. Electricity came to Sheldon in 1930. In 1938, the WPA helped build more sidewalks.
Sheldon faced some tough times too. Logging became less important, but dairy farming grew. In 1920, a pool hall and other buildings burned. The school burned down in 1923, but classes continued in other buildings. A new school was ready in 1925. A library started in 1933, but it also burned down in the 1940s. It was later rebuilt.
In 1941, a big flood damaged the road bridge and railroad bridge. It also destroyed some buildings. The bridges were rebuilt, but not all the buildings. Pickering's lath mill burned in 1947, but it was rebuilt for sawing wood.
Sheldon Today
By 1959, the Soo Line trains stopped in Sheldon twice a day. They carried passengers, freight, and mail. Sheldon's population was about 300 people. The town had grocery stores, garages, the creamery, and other businesses. Sheldon had changed from a logging town to a place that provided services for the dairy farms around it.
Sheldon's Location
Sheldon is located at 45°18′37″N 90°57′32″W / 45.31028°N 90.95889°W.
The village covers about 0.66 square miles (1.72 square kilometers) of land. It is located on the north side of the Jump River.
Sheldon's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 123 | — | |
| 1930 | 161 | 30.9% | |
| 1940 | 199 | 23.6% | |
| 1950 | 271 | 36.2% | |
| 1960 | 240 | −11.4% | |
| 1970 | 218 | −9.2% | |
| 1980 | 292 | 33.9% | |
| 1990 | 268 | −8.2% | |
| 2000 | 256 | −4.5% | |
| 2010 | 237 | −7.4% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 214 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, there were 237 people living in Sheldon. There were 116 households and 67 families. The village had about 359 people per square mile. Most residents (96.2%) were White. Some were Native American or from other backgrounds. About 5.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 17.2% of households had children under 18. Many households (45.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.04 people. The average family had 2.64 people.
The average age in the village was 48.4 years old. About 18.1% of residents were under 18. About 20.3% were 65 years or older. The village had slightly more females (51.1%) than males (48.9%).
See also
In Spanish: Sheldon (Wisconsin) para niños
