Chelsea, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Chelsea is a town in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 719 at the 2000 census. The census-designated places of Chelsea
and Whittlesey
are located in the town.
, the town has a total area of 40.9 square miles (105.9 km²), of which, 40.4 square miles (104.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (1.30%) is water.
Most of Chelsea is hilly, with small glacial lakes. It lies within the Perkinstown terminal moraine, which is described under Taylor County.
in 1861 by a crew working for the U.S. government. Then in April of 1862 another crew marked all the section corners
in the township
, walking through the woods and swamps, measuring with chain
and compass
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
In 1933 much of the northwest quarter of Chelsea was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest
of 2000, there were 719 people, 274 households, and 201 families residing in the town. The population density
was 17.8 people per square mile (6.9/km²). There were 310 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.58% White, 0.14% Asian, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 274 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,659, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $26,429 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,798. About 0.9% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Taylor County, Wisconsin
Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 20,689. Its county seat is Medford.-History:The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was part of New France...
, 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 719 at the 2000 census. The census-designated places of Chelsea
Chelsea (CDP), Wisconsin
Chelsea is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the town of Chelsea, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. Chelsea is west-southwest of Rib Lake. As of the 2010 census, its population is 113....
and Whittlesey
Whittlesey, Wisconsin
Whittlesey is a census-designated place in the town of Chelsea, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 105 as of the 2010 census....
are located in the town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 town has a total area of 40.9 square miles (105.9 km²), of which, 40.4 square miles (104.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (1.30%) is water.
Most of Chelsea is hilly, with small glacial lakes. It lies within the Perkinstown terminal moraine, which is described under Taylor County.
History
The six by seven mile square that would become Chelsea was first surveyedSurveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in 1861 by a crew working for the U.S. government. Then in April of 1862 another crew marked all the section corners
Section (United States land surveying)
In U.S. land surveying under the Public Land Survey System , a section is an area nominally one square mile, containing , with 36 sections making up one survey township on a rectangular grid....
in the township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
, walking through the woods and swamps, measuring with chain
Gunter's chain
Gunter's chain is a measuring device used for land survey. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted,...
and compass
Solar compass
The solar compass, an astronomical instrument, was first invented and made by William Austin Burt. He patented it on February 25, 1836, in the United States Patent Office as No 9428X. It received a medal at the Great Exhibition of 1851...
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
The Surface of this Township is generally rolling and considerably Swampy. Timber principally Hemlock mixed with Birch SugarSugar MapleAcer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
SpruceSpruceA spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
(?) Tamarac CedarThuja occidentalisThuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is widely cultivated for use as an ornamental plant known as American Arbor Vitae. The endemic occurrence of this species is a northeastern distribution in North America...
and White PineEastern White PinePinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
. It is watered by numerous Small Streams which unite and form two of considerable size one running in a Southerly direction and and the other running NW and becoming a tributary of Chipewa riverChippewa River (Wisconsin)The Chippewa River in Wisconsin flows approximately 183 miles through west-central and northwestern Wisconsin. It was once navigable for approximately 50 miles of its length, from the Mississippi River, by Durand, northeast to Eau Claire. Its catchment defines a portion of the northern boundary...
. The Township on the whole would not be very well adapted to agricultural purposes.
In 1933 much of the northwest quarter of Chelsea was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is a 1,530,647 acre U.S. National Forest in northern Wisconsin in the United States. Much of the old growth forest in this region was destroyed by logging in the early part of the 20th century...
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 719 people, 274 households, and 201 families residing in the town. 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 17.8 people per square mile (6.9/km²). There were 310 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.58% White, 0.14% Asian, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 274 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% 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 26.6% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,659, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $26,429 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 town was $19,798. About 0.9% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.