Evansville, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Evansville is a city in Rock County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 4,039 at the 2000 census (2005 estimate: 4,658). According to the 2010 census there are 5,012 people (the most recent census) Since 2000, Evansville's population has increased over 21%. It is currently the fastest growing community in Rock County.
ers who were attracted to the area by its pristine wooded landscape and the placid Allen Creek. By 1855, the city recorded its first plat
and was complete with homes, shops, and churches.
In 1863, the Chicago and North Western Railway
came to Evansville, accelerating growth. At this point, Evansville's economy was based on the surrounding agriculture
, mainly wheat
and tobacco
.
By the turn of the twentieth century Evansville had over 1900 residents, and by the 1920s, most of the buildings in Evansville's future Historic District were completed.
called Evansville home to "the finest collection of 1840s to 1915 architecture of any small town in Wisconsin".
Of particular note is the Eager Free Public Library building at 39 W. Main Street in the historic district. The building was built with the bequest of a leading citizen, Almeron Eager, in 1908. Designed by the architectural firm of Claude and Starck of Madison, WI, in the Prairie style, it features stained glass windows and plaster friezes just below the overhanging roof line. A 1994 addition at the rear of the original building was designed to match the original architecture, while adding much needed space and ADA accessibility. The intersection on which the library stands also contains a Greek Revival home (now a funeral parlor), a High Victorian Gothic brick home (now housing the local Masonic Temple) and a classic Victorian "Painted Lady" home, still a private residence.
The Evansville Seminary was located near College Drive in the district. Its building was designed by architect August Kutzbock.
In 1978, the historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), of which, 2.2 square miles (5.6 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (2.25%) is water.
Evansville is located 23 miles (37 km) south of Madison, Wisconsin
, 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of Janesville, Wisconsin
, and 40 miles (64.4 km) northwest of Beloit, Wisconsin
.
of 2000, there were 4,039 people, 1,563 households, and 1,045 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,863.0 people per square mile (718.6/km2). There were 1,635 housing units at an average density of 754.1 per square mile (290.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.60% White, 0.12% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races
, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.
There were 1,563 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,229, and the median income for a family was $58,451. Males had a median income of $35,614 versus $30,313 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,766. About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Evansville shares a fire department with several surrounding rural towns. A new fire station was built in 2008 on Water Street. The police department then moved into the remodeled former fire department building on Church Street. The Evansville EMS is housed separate from the fire department and is located on Church Street as well.
The community has a large central park, Leonard Park, on the shore of Lake Leota. Amenities include a baseball diamond with night lighting, a softball diamond, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a swimming pool, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. A skateboard facility was installed in 2006. In addition, there are several smaller community parks, Countryside, Franklin, and Brzenski. In 2008, a new large park was opened on Evansville's west side to accommodate the new subdivisions being built there. The development of this park will take place over a number of years, but two full-size soccer fields and an extensive children's playground are in place. Plans include baseball diamonds, basketball courts and picnic shelters.
program honors public and private K-12 schools that are academically superior in their states or that dramatically demonstrate superior gains in students achievements
chassis; Varco-Pruden, which manufactures prefab metal buildings; Baker Manufacturing, a pump and well maker; and Evansville Manor, a nursing home. Evansville has one home-town bank, Union Bank and Trust Company, which has been in business in Evansville for over a hundred years. Originally founded as the Grange Bank in 1897, it began offering trust services in 1940 and was renamed as Union Bank and Trust Company. UB&T was featured on ABC Evening News with Charles Gibson in March 2009 as a flourishing small bank during the era of large-bank failures
.
Rock County, Wisconsin
-Unincorporated communities:-Further reading:* . Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908....
, 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 4,039 at the 2000 census (2005 estimate: 4,658). According to the 2010 census there are 5,012 people (the most recent census) Since 2000, Evansville's population has increased over 21%. It is currently the fastest growing community in Rock County.
History
Evansville was first settled in the 1830s by New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
ers who were attracted to the area by its pristine wooded landscape and the placid Allen Creek. By 1855, the city recorded its first plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
and was complete with homes, shops, and churches.
In 1863, the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
came to Evansville, accelerating growth. At this point, Evansville's economy was based on the surrounding agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, mainly wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
.
By the turn of the twentieth century Evansville had over 1900 residents, and by the 1920s, most of the buildings in Evansville's future Historic District were completed.
Historic District
The Evansville Historic District, which surrounds Main Street and stretches to the side streets of Garfield Avenue and Liberty Street, includes dozens of historic homes and other structures. The Wisconsin Historical SocietyWisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
called Evansville home to "the finest collection of 1840s to 1915 architecture of any small town in Wisconsin".
Of particular note is the Eager Free Public Library building at 39 W. Main Street in the historic district. The building was built with the bequest of a leading citizen, Almeron Eager, in 1908. Designed by the architectural firm of Claude and Starck of Madison, WI, in the Prairie style, it features stained glass windows and plaster friezes just below the overhanging roof line. A 1994 addition at the rear of the original building was designed to match the original architecture, while adding much needed space and ADA accessibility. The intersection on which the library stands also contains a Greek Revival home (now a funeral parlor), a High Victorian Gothic brick home (now housing the local Masonic Temple) and a classic Victorian "Painted Lady" home, still a private residence.
The Evansville Seminary was located near College Drive in the district. Its building was designed by architect August Kutzbock.
In 1978, the historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
Evansville is located at 42.779917°N 89.300378°W (42.779917, -89.300378).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 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), of which, 2.2 square miles (5.6 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (2.25%) is water.
Evansville is located 23 miles (37 km) south of Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of Janesville, Wisconsin
Janesville, Wisconsin
Janesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Rock County and the principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 62,998.-History:...
, and 40 miles (64.4 km) northwest of Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
.
Lake Leota
This 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) lake was formed by damming Allen Creek in the 1840s as a mill pond. Because of erosion into Allen Creek from upstream farm fields and the resulting silt deposits that accumulated, Lake Leota had become shallower over the years, reaching an average depth of only one and a half feet by 2000. One major issue that faced the city in the last 30 years was how to restore the lake to its original depth. The dam was opened in September 2005 to allow the lake to drain and its bottom to dry out. There was some controversy in Evansville over the cost of dredging, so a referendum was put to the city's voters in November 2008. It passed by almost two to one, and dredging to a maximum of ten-foot depth was completed in February 2009. The dam was closed shortly thereafter, and Lake Leota was refilled slowly. A ceremony to mark the renaissance of the lake was held on July 4, 2009. Citizens can now enjoy the natural beauty of the lake, boating in non-powered craft, and fishing. Since refilling, the lake has been stocked with panfish and bass, and "fish-cribs" sunk below the lake surface to provide breeding areas and cover for small fry.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 4,039 people, 1,563 households, and 1,045 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 1,863.0 people per square mile (718.6/km2). There were 1,635 housing units at an average density of 754.1 per square mile (290.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.60% White, 0.12% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.64% 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 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.
There were 1,563 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,229, and the median income for a family was $58,451. Males had a median income of $35,614 versus $30,313 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 $20,766. About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Community
Evansville has four gas stations, several banks, a full-sized grocery store, and several specialty shops and restaurants. Over the last two decades, many of the downtown buildings have been renovated in the style in which they were originally built. In addition, in 2008, three blocks of Main Street that had been covered with asphalt in the 1960s were re-paved with 1900-era paving bricks, adding to the "old time" feel of Main Street. The re-paving took place when major utility improvements were made to the city's downtown infrastructure.Evansville shares a fire department with several surrounding rural towns. A new fire station was built in 2008 on Water Street. The police department then moved into the remodeled former fire department building on Church Street. The Evansville EMS is housed separate from the fire department and is located on Church Street as well.
The community has a large central park, Leonard Park, on the shore of Lake Leota. Amenities include a baseball diamond with night lighting, a softball diamond, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a swimming pool, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. A skateboard facility was installed in 2006. In addition, there are several smaller community parks, Countryside, Franklin, and Brzenski. In 2008, a new large park was opened on Evansville's west side to accommodate the new subdivisions being built there. The development of this park will take place over a number of years, but two full-size soccer fields and an extensive children's playground are in place. Plans include baseball diamonds, basketball courts and picnic shelters.
Education
The city has four schools: Levi Leonard Elementary, Theodore Robinson Intermediate School, J.C. McKenna Middle School, and Evansville High School. In 2005, Evansville High School earned a Blue Ribbon award from the United States Department of Education. The Blue Ribbons SchoolsBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
program honors public and private K-12 schools that are academically superior in their states or that dramatically demonstrate superior gains in students achievements
Business and industry
Major employers in Evansville include Stoughton Trailers, which builds semi-trailerSemi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
chassis; Varco-Pruden, which manufactures prefab metal buildings; Baker Manufacturing, a pump and well maker; and Evansville Manor, a nursing home. Evansville has one home-town bank, Union Bank and Trust Company, which has been in business in Evansville for over a hundred years. Originally founded as the Grange Bank in 1897, it began offering trust services in 1940 and was renamed as Union Bank and Trust Company. UB&T was featured on ABC Evening News with Charles Gibson in March 2009 as a flourishing small bank during the era of large-bank failures
Politics
On April 4, 2006, Evansville voters participated in two referenda, one to urge a pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq, and the second to gauge whether town residents supported "our honorable President's leadership" against "the unfathomable wickedness of the forces of terror". The first was approved but the second was rejected. While other Wisconsin communities were noted for holding referendums on the Iraq War, Evansville was the only one with two opposing referenda. Evansville received international attention with reporters from National Public Radio, USA Today, and the Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
Evansville people
- Merton W. BakerMerton W. BakerMerton W. Baker was a Major General in the United States Air Force.-Biography:Baker was born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin in 1924. He would graduate from high school in Evansville, Wisconsin and attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Creighton University...
, U.S. Air Force Major General - Cal BroughtonCal BroughtonCecil Calvert Broughton was a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1883-1888.-Sources:*...
, MLB player - Rev. Henry Colman, the son of Rev. Henry R. ColmanHenry R. ColmanHenry R. Colman was a Wisconsin pioneer and co-founder of Lawrence University, in Appleton, Wisconsin.-Family:He was the father of four children: Charles, born 1826, Henry, born 1834, Elihu, born 1841, and Julia....
, was principal at the Evansville Seminary - Kenneth O. GoehringKenneth O. GoehringKenneth O. Goehring was an abstract expressionist painter, who was born in Evansville, WI and lived most of his life in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He signed his artwork Ken Goehring...
, abstract expressionist artist - Kelly HoganKelly HoganKelly Hogan is an American singer-songwriter born in Atlanta, Georgia.In the 1990s, Hogan sang with The Jody Grind , singing on their full-lengths One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure and Lefty's Deceiver . The group disbanded after two of its members were killed in a car crash...
, singer/songwriter - Burr W. JonesBurr W. JonesBurr W. Jones was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin from 1883 - 1885...
, Congressman, born in Evansville - Ora McMurryOra McMurryOra McMurry was an officer in the United States Army Air Service during World War I. He was twice awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross.His first award citation reads:His second award citation reads:...
, 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 - Justus Henry NelsonJustus Henry NelsonThe Revd Justus Henry Nelson established the first Protestant church in the Amazon basin and was a self-supporting Methodist missionary in Belém, Pará, Brazil for 45 years.-Early years:...
, attended Evansville Seminary - Theodore RobinsonTheodore RobinsonTheodore Robinson was an American painter best known for his impressionist landscapes. He was one of the first American artists to take up impressionism in the late 1880s, visiting Giverny and developing a close friendship with Claude Monet...
, impressionist painter, Intermediate School named in his honor - Robert D. SundbyRobert D. Sundby-Biography:A native of Dunkirk, Wisconsin, Sundby graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he was later a member of the faculty, and served in World War II. Sundby was married to Analee Grove-Sundby, with whom he had four children and two stepchildren...
, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals - John WildeJohn WildeJohn Wilde was a painter, draughtsman and printmaker of fantastic imagery. Born near Milwaukee, Wilde lived most of his life in Wisconsin, save for service in the U.S. Army during World War II. He received bachelor and master degrees in art from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he taught...
, painter