Ford, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Ford is a town in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 276 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Polley
is located in the town.
, the town has a total area of 35.1 square miles (90.8 km²), of which, 32.8 square miles (84.8 km²) of it is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) of it (6.59%) is water.
Most of the water area is Chequamegon Waters, also known as Miller Dam, a man-made lake in the northeast corner of the town.
a six mile square which approximates the current boundaries of Ford. Then in October of 1854 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 cut-over east half of Cleveland was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest
of 2000, there were 276 people, 96 households, and 81 families residing in the town. The population density
was 8.4 people per square mile (3.3/km²). There were 103 housing units at an average density of 3.1 per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.64% White and 0.36% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 96 households out of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 12.5% 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 2.88 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,813, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $26,042 versus $21,042 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,624. About 14.1% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 30.4% of those sixty five 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 276 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Polley
Polley, Wisconsin
Polley is an unincorporated community located in the town of Ford, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States....
is 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 35.1 square miles (90.8 km²), of which, 32.8 square miles (84.8 km²) of it is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) of it (6.59%) is water.
Most of the water area is Chequamegon Waters, also known as Miller Dam, a man-made lake in the northeast corner of the town.
History
In mid-summer of 1847 a crew working for the U.S. government 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...
a six mile square which approximates the current boundaries of Ford. Then in October of 1854 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. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
This TownshipSurvey townshipSurvey 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...
contains numerous swamps some of which are of considerable extent they are all unfit for cultivation. The surface is Generally level the low Hemlock lands the soil is 3d rate the uplands 2d. The whole of the Township is covered with Timber and is chiefly composed of Hemlock and Y Birch. The RiverYellow River (Chippewa River)The Yellow River in north central Wisconsin is a tributary of the Chippewa River. For the most part it is a mud and rock-bottomed river flowing through forest and farmland...
Enters the Township Near the NW corner of section 1Section (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....
and flows in a south westerly course with a swift current and has a good motive power for millsWatermillA watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
. There is no improvements on this Township. The Hemlock and Swamps Except AlderAlderAlder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
area covered with mossMossMosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
(?).
In 1933 much of the cut-over east half of Cleveland 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 276 people, 96 households, and 81 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 8.4 people per square mile (3.3/km²). There were 103 housing units at an average density of 3.1 per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.64% White and 0.36% 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...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 96 households out of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% 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, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 12.5% 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 2.88 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,813, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $26,042 versus $21,042 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 $15,624. About 14.1% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 30.4% of those sixty five or over.