Amherst Junction, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Amherst Junction is a village in Portage County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.
Until 1875, the community was referred to as Groversburg, presumably after the Grover family that held considerable property in the area. But when a post office was established in March 1875, it was called Amherst Junction.
It wasn’t until 1911 that the village was incorporated. By 1914, the village had become an important buying and shipping center for Potatoes. many people traveling to the eastern and northeastern part of the county would detrain in Amherst Junction and hire a rig from a livery in the village to take them to their destination.
The village at one time had 36 businesses which included: five taverns, two hotels, two grocery stores, dancehalls, depots, feed stores, four potato warehouses, a blacksmith, a livery stable, a meat market, bank, hardware store, car dealership, a post office, a school, and a turkey processing plant.
The Summit House, a fairly large hotel, was built in the village around 1872 or 1873 by H. N. Livermore. Since the hotel was a popular place to stay, eat and dance, Amherst Junction must have been a gathering center for many of the surrounding communities. The Summit House remained in business until 1939, when it was dismantled and its lumber was used to build a new home for the owner. At one time, the hotel was operated by Zilphia Moyers Een, the county’s first woman hotel keeper.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.65%) is water.
of 2000, there were 305 people, 109 households, and 75 families residing in the village. The population density
was 256.2 people per square mile (99.0/km²). There were 111 housing units at an average density of 93.2 per square mile (36.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 109 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $44,500, and the median income for a family was $50,750. Males had a median income of $36,667 versus $21,563 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,261. None of the families and 1.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 9.5% of those over 64.
Portage County, Wisconsin
Portage County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 67,182. Its county seat is Stevens Point. The United States Census Bureau's Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Portage County.-Geography:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.
History
Amherst Junction was created when the railroad first came through the county. It was a junction between two railroads: the Wisconsin Central and the Green Bay and Lake Pepin railroads.Until 1875, the community was referred to as Groversburg, presumably after the Grover family that held considerable property in the area. But when a post office was established in March 1875, it was called Amherst Junction.
It wasn’t until 1911 that the village was incorporated. By 1914, the village had become an important buying and shipping center for Potatoes. many people traveling to the eastern and northeastern part of the county would detrain in Amherst Junction and hire a rig from a livery in the village to take them to their destination.
The village at one time had 36 businesses which included: five taverns, two hotels, two grocery stores, dancehalls, depots, feed stores, four potato warehouses, a blacksmith, a livery stable, a meat market, bank, hardware store, car dealership, a post office, a school, and a turkey processing plant.
The Summit House, a fairly large hotel, was built in the village around 1872 or 1873 by H. N. Livermore. Since the hotel was a popular place to stay, eat and dance, Amherst Junction must have been a gathering center for many of the surrounding communities. The Summit House remained in business until 1939, when it was dismantled and its lumber was used to build a new home for the owner. At one time, the hotel was operated by Zilphia Moyers Een, the county’s first woman hotel keeper.
Geography
Amherst Junction is located at 44°28′10"N 89°19′1"W (44.469523, -89.316827).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.65%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 305 people, 109 households, and 75 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 256.2 people per square mile (99.0/km²). There were 111 housing units at an average density of 93.2 per square mile (36.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 109 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $44,500, and the median income for a family was $50,750. Males had a median income of $36,667 versus $21,563 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $19,261. None of the families and 1.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 9.5% of those over 64.