York, Jackson County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
York, Wisconsin
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 York, Jackson County, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
York, Jackson County, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Jackson |
| Town | Northfield |
| Elevation | 273 m (896 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 715 & 534 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1577103 |
York is a small, unincorporated community located in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the town of Northfield. You can find York along County Highway G, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east-northeast of Pigeon Falls.
Contents
What is York Like?
York is best known for its yearly rodeo, which happens every second weekend in August. The community has a park and a local bar. However, you won't find any stores or gas stations here. York uses the Zip Code 54758.
York's Location and Elevation
York is in Jackson County, Wisconsin. It sits at a latitude of 44.5 degrees north and a longitude of -91.145 degrees west. The community is about 896 feet (273 meters) above sea level. York is in the Central Time Zone. You can see it on the Pigeon Falls U.S. Geological Survey Map.
York's School History
The first schoolhouse in York was built in 1926. It was located at the corner of Highways 121 and G. Sadly, this brick schoolhouse burned down in 1936.
A new school was built the very next year. A sign that survived the fire was placed above the windows of the new building. Theodore Hanson was a teacher at this school from 1949 to 1965. The school closed after districts were reorganized and schools combined. The old schoolhouse then became a community center until 1990. After that, it was sold and turned into a private home.
Ormond Kinning Memorial Park
York's park is called Ormond Kinning Memorial Park. It is owned by the York-Northfield Recreation Club, Inc. and the Rod and Gun Club. This land used to belong to the York Creamery. It had an old baseball field.
In 1962, the Creamery needed to update its sewage system. They offered more of their land to the community. Ormond "Shot" Kinning and other local people then worked to improve the baseball field. Today, the park has a baseball field, playground equipment, and two stands or sheds. It also has areas for the annual rodeo and gymkhana events.
The park is a popular spot for many events. These include baby showers, family reunions, graduation parties, weddings, and picnics. The park was named after Ormond "Shot" Kinning. He passed away in a farming accident. A sign honoring him was put up at the park's entrance during the 1968 rodeo.
The Exciting York Rodeo
The annual York Rodeo is a big event! It takes place at Ormond Kinning Memorial Park. The rodeo is always held on the second weekend of August. The first rodeo was in 1963. It was the idea of York resident Ormond Kinning.
At first, food and drinks were sold from tents. When a tornado damaged the Kinnings' barn, the first food stand was built using wood from the barn. This stand was used until 1972. Then, committee members decided to build a new one. This new stand was later made stronger with steel sides and used as a shelter.
Rodeo Weekend Activities
Rodeo weekend is full of fun activities!
- On Saturday, a coed softball tournament begins. The championship game is played on Sunday.
- Saturday afternoon features an antique tractor ride. The tractors go from the old schoolhouse to the park.
- After the tractor ride, there's a Gymkhana event.
- Then, a lip-sync singing contest takes place.
- Saturday evening ends with a dance. A local band plays music for everyone.
Sunday starts with a grand parade in the morning. It goes from the schoolhouse to the park. After the parade, there are games for kids and adults. These include bingo and a dunk tank. Then, the rodeo officially begins!
- Rodeo events include sheep and steer riding.
- There are also fun games like egg tosses and sack races.
- Kids can try chicken-catching and pig-catching.
- There's a coin find game too.
- A horseshoe tournament is open to everyone.
The weekend finishes with a raffle for $1,000 and a fireworks show!
The York Bar: A Community Hub
The building that houses The York Bar was built in the early 1900s by Theodore Larson. It first opened as the York Grocery Store. Tom and Bernice Larson bought the store in November 1935. In July 1936, the Larsons began selling beverages.
In 1943, a kitchen was added to the south side of the building. It sold donuts, cakes, and lunches to workers and visitors. Until the 1950s, customers used an outhouse behind the building. Indoor bathrooms and a larger bar room were added in the 1950s.
The York Grocery Store tried to offer many different items. They sold work gloves, women's stockings, and school supplies. You could also find cigarettes, fresh eggs, meat, groceries, and ice cream. In the 1960s, bigger grocery stores opened nearby. This meant fewer shoppers came to York. So, in 1967, the Larsons expanded their drink offerings. This helped their business a lot. The store was open from 7:00 AM to midnight Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, it was open from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
In July 1973, Rodney and Joanne Steig bought the store. They ran it for several years. Then, they sold it to Roger and Sharon Severson. After them, Michael Rogstad and Ronnie Moe owned it. The Moes then sold the store to Lawrence Bloom. Finally, Jamie Pfaff bought it in 2003 and is the current owner.
