Delavan, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Delavan is a city in Walworth County
, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 8,463 at the 2010 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Delavan
.
.
The first humans known to inhabit the Delavan area were Native Americans around the era of 1000 BC. Later, between 500-1000 AD, Mound Builders lived in what is now the Delavan Lake area. Mound Builders were of the Woodland culture. The effigy mounds they erected along the shores of Delavan Lake numbered well over 200, according to an archeological survey done in the late 19th century by Beloit College. Many were along the north shore of the lake where Lake Lawn Resort now stands. The Potawotomi Indians also settled around the lake in the late 18th century, although there were only an estimated 240 in the county. Some of their burial mounds are preserved in what is now Assembly Park.
From the mid-17th century through the mid-18th century, this area was known as "New France" and was under the French flag. It came under British rule and a part of the Province of Quebec following the French-Indian War. In accordance with the Treaty of 1783 it was turned over to the United States and a part of the newly established Northwest Territory.
Between the years of 1800 and 1836 the Delavan area was part of the Indiana Territory, followed by the Illinois Territory, finally becoming part of the Wisconsin Territory in 1836. Statehood was granted in 1848.
Delavan's first white settlers arrived in 1836, finding the area to be dense forests with prairies on both the east and west sides with plenty of game available for hunting.
It was named after Edward C. Delevan
, temperance
leader in Albany, New York
.
Between 1847 and 1894, Delavan was home to 26 circus companies. The Mabie Brothers U.S. Olympic Circus, then the largest in America, arrived in 1847, to become the first circus to quarter in the territory of Wisconsin. Its famous rogue elephant, "Romeo", stood 19½ feet high, and weighed 10,500 pounds. The original P.T. Barnum Circus was organized here in 1871 by William C. Coup and Dan Costello. Over 130 members of Delavan's 19th century circus colony are buried in Spring Grove and St. Andrew cemeteries.
On July 21, 1948, Delavan was the site of Wisconsin’s Circus Centennial as part of the state's celebration of 100 years of statehood. On May 2, 1966, Delavan was selected by the U.S. Post Office to issue on a first day cover basis, the five-cent American Circus commemorative postage stamp.
Delavan has gained the title of "Circus Capital of the World".
Delavan has seen extensive growth since the 2000 census, including the addition of a number of stores in a new strip mall area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.7 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (6.15%) is water.
of 2010, there were 8,463 people, 3,189 households, and 1,987 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,241.7 people per square mile (479.2/km²). There were 3,500 housing units at an average density of 501.8 per square mile (193.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.2% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 12.7% from other races
, and 2.6% from two or more races. 29.4% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,931 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,551, and the median income for a family was $49,929. Males had a median income of $31,296 versus $23,311 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,624. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 102,228. Its county seat is Elkhorn.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 8,463 at the 2010 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Delavan
Delavan (town), Wisconsin
Delavan is a town in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The City of Delavan is located partially within the town.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.1 square miles , of which, 25.3 square miles of it is land and...
.
Economy
Delavan is home to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, and Andes CandiesTootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll Industries is a manufacturer of confectionery in the United States. Its best-known products have been Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops....
.
History
Delavan sits in the middle of what was at one time an inland sea. During the Ice Age, many glaciers, the last of which was known as the Michigan tongue, covered this area. The Michigan tongue descended down what is now known as Lake Michigan. A large section of this glacier broke off, pushing southwest into the area now known as Walworth County. Geologists have called this section of the glacier "the Delavan lobe".The first humans known to inhabit the Delavan area were Native Americans around the era of 1000 BC. Later, between 500-1000 AD, Mound Builders lived in what is now the Delavan Lake area. Mound Builders were of the Woodland culture. The effigy mounds they erected along the shores of Delavan Lake numbered well over 200, according to an archeological survey done in the late 19th century by Beloit College. Many were along the north shore of the lake where Lake Lawn Resort now stands. The Potawotomi Indians also settled around the lake in the late 18th century, although there were only an estimated 240 in the county. Some of their burial mounds are preserved in what is now Assembly Park.
From the mid-17th century through the mid-18th century, this area was known as "New France" and was under the French flag. It came under British rule and a part of the Province of Quebec following the French-Indian War. In accordance with the Treaty of 1783 it was turned over to the United States and a part of the newly established Northwest Territory.
Between the years of 1800 and 1836 the Delavan area was part of the Indiana Territory, followed by the Illinois Territory, finally becoming part of the Wisconsin Territory in 1836. Statehood was granted in 1848.
Delavan's first white settlers arrived in 1836, finding the area to be dense forests with prairies on both the east and west sides with plenty of game available for hunting.
It was named after Edward C. Delevan
Edward C. Delevan
Edward Cornelius Delavan was a wealthy businessman who devoted much of his fortune to promoting the temperance movement. He helped establish the American Temperance Union; attacked the use of wine in Christian communion; established a temperance hotel in Albany, New York; traveled to Europe to...
, temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
leader in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
Between 1847 and 1894, Delavan was home to 26 circus companies. The Mabie Brothers U.S. Olympic Circus, then the largest in America, arrived in 1847, to become the first circus to quarter in the territory of Wisconsin. Its famous rogue elephant, "Romeo", stood 19½ feet high, and weighed 10,500 pounds. The original P.T. Barnum Circus was organized here in 1871 by William C. Coup and Dan Costello. Over 130 members of Delavan's 19th century circus colony are buried in Spring Grove and St. Andrew cemeteries.
On July 21, 1948, Delavan was the site of Wisconsin’s Circus Centennial as part of the state's celebration of 100 years of statehood. On May 2, 1966, Delavan was selected by the U.S. Post Office to issue on a first day cover basis, the five-cent American Circus commemorative postage stamp.
Delavan has gained the title of "Circus Capital of the World".
Delavan has seen extensive growth since the 2000 census, including the addition of a number of stores in a new strip mall area.
Geography
Delavan is located at 42°37′50"N 88°38′17"W (42.630689, -88.638108).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 city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.7 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (6.15%) 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 2010, there were 8,463 people, 3,189 households, and 1,987 families residing in the city. 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 1,241.7 people per square mile (479.2/km²). There were 3,500 housing units at an average density of 501.8 per square mile (193.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.2% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 12.7% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.6% from two or more races. 29.4% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 2,931 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,551, and the median income for a family was $49,929. Males had a median income of $31,296 versus $23,311 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 city was $17,624. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Gary Burghoff, actor
- Willard DillenbeckWillard DillenbeckWillard Dillenbeck served in the United States Army during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Battle of Soissons.His award citation reads:Dillenbeck was born in Delavan, Wisconsin....
, Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United States)The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
recipient - Frank V. DudleyFrank V. DudleyFrank V. Dudley was an American landscape painter, known especially for his paintings of scenes in the Indiana Dunes....
, landscape artist - Ned HollisterNed HollisterNed Hollister was an American biologist primarily known for studying mammals. From 1916 until his death he was Superintendent of the National Zoological Park...
, zoologist - Frank B. JamesFrank B. JamesFrank B. James was a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force-Biography:James was born on March 21, 1912 in Delavan, Wisconsin. In 1937 James graduated with a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. James died on December 9, 2004...
, U.S. Air Force general - William MoxleyWilliam MoxleyWilliam James Moxley of Chicago, Illinois was born in County Cork, Ireland. He was a representative from Illinois' 6th congressional district, 1909-1911.-External links:...
, U.S. Representative from IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... - Richard QuinneyRichard QuinneyRichard Quinney is an American sociologist, writer, and photographer known for his philosophical and critical approach to crime and social justice. After earning his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin, he taught at several universities on the East Coast and in the Midwest...
, sociologist - Ora R. RiceOra R. Rice-Biography:Rice was born on September 16, 1885 in Boscobel, Wisconsin. He graduated from Northwestern University Dental School and became a practicing dentist.-Political career:...
, Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly - Webb SchultzWebb SchultzWilbert Carl "Webb" Schultz was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Schultz played for the Chicago White Sox in . In 1 career game, he had a 0-0 record, going one inning, and giving up one run and one hit. He batted and threw left-handed.Schultz was born in Wautoma, Wisconsin and died in Delavan,...
, MLB player - Alfred Delavan ThomasAlfred Delavan ThomasAlfred Delavan Thomas was a United States federal judge.Born in Delavan, Wisconsin, Thomas read law and graduated from Brown University in 1861. He was a district attorney of Walworth County, Wisconsin, from about 1861 to 1867, and had a private practice in Delavan from 1864 to 1877, and in Fargo,...
, United States District Court judge, North Dakota - Evan S. TylerEvan S. Tyler-Biography:Tyler was born on March 22, 1843 in Damascus, Pennsylvania. Eventually he moved to Owatonna, Minnesota and later to Fargo, North Dakota. He married Clara Estella Barnes...
, North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
State Representative - Scott WalkerScott Walker (politician)Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election...
, politician