Goodrich, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Goodrich is a town in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 487 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Goodrich
is located in the town.
, the town has a total area of 36.3 square miles (94.0 km²), all of it land.
in 1851 by crews working for the U.S. government. In December of 1861 a different crew of surveyors 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:
The dells of the Big Rib River
in Goodrich are probably the rapids where Father René Menard
disappeared in 1661, while attempting to reach a band of Huron Indians at Lake Chelsea. He left his partner at the rapids to carry some supplies and was never seen again.
of 2000, there were 487 people, 164 households, and 136 families residing in the town. The population density
was 13.4 people per square mile (5.2/km²). There were 203 housing units at an average density of 5.6 per square mile (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.79% White, and 0.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 164 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 111.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $27,788 versus $20,278 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,724. About 8.8% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 18.7% 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 487 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Goodrich
Goodrich (community), Wisconsin
Goodrich is an unincorporated community located in the town of Goodrich, 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 36.3 square miles (94.0 km²), all of it land.
History
The south and east edges of the six by six mile square that would become Goodrich were 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 1851 by crews working for the U.S. government. In December of 1861 a different crew of surveyors 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 mostly gently rolling and the Soil is principally 2nd Rate being well adapted to agricultural purposes. The Timber is a mixture of Hemlock 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...
(?) Fir and MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
. There is but little Swamp land in the Township but it is well watered by numerous small streams of pure water which are tributaries of the Rib RiverBig Rib RiverThe Big Rib River is a river in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It originates in northeastern Taylor County at Rib Lake and flows into Marathon County where it joins the Wisconsin River....
which (?) through the Township in a South Easterly direction. It is a Stream that does not overflow having but few tributaries(?) to affect its rise and fall. There are no settlers in this Township.
The dells of the Big Rib River
Big Rib River
The Big Rib River is a river in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It originates in northeastern Taylor County at Rib Lake and flows into Marathon County where it joins the Wisconsin River....
in Goodrich are probably the rapids where Father René Menard
René Menard
René Menard was a French Jesuit missionary explorer who traveled to Canada in 1641, learned the language of the Wyandot, and was soon in charge of many of the satellite missions around Sainte-Marie among the Hurons...
disappeared in 1661, while attempting to reach a band of Huron Indians at Lake Chelsea. He left his partner at the rapids to carry some supplies and was never seen again.
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 487 people, 164 households, and 136 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 13.4 people per square mile (5.2/km²). There were 203 housing units at an average density of 5.6 per square mile (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.79% White, and 0.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 164 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% 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, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 111.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $27,788 versus $20,278 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 $16,724. About 8.8% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.