Lodi, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Lodi is a city in Columbia County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. As of the census of 2000, the population was 2,882. The city's estimated 2005 population was 2,929. Lodi is part of the Madison
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.7 km²), all land.
Spring Creek, which runs from the Lodi marsh through downtown Lodi and empties into Lake Wisconsin, is a local spring-fed brown trout stream. Portions of the creek do not freeze over the winter and thus serve as host to brown trout and waterfowl, particularly mallards. Lodi has adopted this Spring Creek resident, which the residents have named "Susie the Duck", as a mascot.
of 2000, there were 2,882 people, 1,141 households, and 745 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,008.6 people per square mile (778.1/km²). There were 1,199 housing units at an average density of 835.7 per square mile (323.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American
, 0.28% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.01% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,141 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,357, and the median income for a family was $57,763. Males had a median income of $37,049 versus $27,063 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $23,546. About 1.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
. Palmer chose this glaciated valley as the location for the Village of Lodi because of its water power potential. Spring Creek powered a sawmill that year and a grist mill followed in 1850.
s to feed the often present wild ducks. In this area is a small stone basket, inscribed with the name of former Lodi resident Engle Knerzer, and every year, invariably, a duck builds a nest there. This duck was nicknamed "Susie" by the granddaughter of a former police chief.
Every year there is a "Susie the Duck Day" celebration, the highlight of which is the rubber duck race. Participants pay $5 for a small rubber duck. The thousands of ducks are then dumped into the creek where they "race" toward a finish line and prizes are awarded based on order of finish. This day is also an important parade day with many activities in Goeres Park, brat stands on Main Street and in Goeres Park, and a beer garden
in the park.
, follows along the terminal moraine
formed in the last ice age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. A portion of this trail runs through Lodi. The trail begins in Potawatomi State Park
in Door County
. It then winds south through the state to Janesville
, then back north through Lodi, ending at the Dalles of the St. Croix River in Polk County. Geologic features along the route include drumlins, kame
s, lakes, ice-walled lake plains, tunnel channels, outwash plains
and eskers.
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is administered by the National Park Service
, with assistance from non-profit volunteer organizations. Lodi's chapter of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation maintains an office in downtown Lodi, with access to the trail several hundred yards away. The longest section of the trail in the area is about 6.2 miles. It begins at the Robertson Trailhead, south of Lodi on Lodi-Springfield Road off of Hwy. 60 West.
Several other segments of the trail are located in or near Lodi, including a 1.3-mile segment on the corner of Lovering and Highway J and a 21-mile section north of the Colsac III Ferry
on Lake Wisconsin
.
Columbia County, Wisconsin
-Unincorporated communities:*Anacker*Belle Fountain*Durwards Glen*East Friesland*Harmony Grove*Ingle*Keyeser*Lake Wisconsin*Leeds*Lowville*Marcellon*North Leeds*Okee*Otsego-External links:***...
, 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...
. As of the census of 2000, the population was 2,882. The city's estimated 2005 population was 2,929. Lodi is part of the Madison
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....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Madison metropolitan area
The Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Wisconsin, anchored by the city of Madison. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 568,593.-Definitions:...
.
Geography
Lodi, is located at 43°18′51"N 89°31′51"W (43.314296, -89.530994).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 1.4 square miles (3.7 km²), all land.
Spring Creek, which runs from the Lodi marsh through downtown Lodi and empties into Lake Wisconsin, is a local spring-fed brown trout stream. Portions of the creek do not freeze over the winter and thus serve as host to brown trout and waterfowl, particularly mallards. Lodi has adopted this Spring Creek resident, which the residents have named "Susie the Duck", as a mascot.
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 2,882 people, 1,141 households, and 745 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 2,008.6 people per square mile (778.1/km²). There were 1,199 housing units at an average density of 835.7 per square mile (323.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American
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...
, 0.28% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% 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 0.69% from two or more races. 1.01% 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 1,141 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% 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, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,357, and the median income for a family was $57,763. Males had a median income of $37,049 versus $27,063 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 $23,546. About 1.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Isaac Palmer founded the village of Lodi in 1846 in what was then the Pleasant Valley Precinct of the Wisconsin TerritoryWisconsin Territory
The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin...
. Palmer chose this glaciated valley as the location for the Village of Lodi because of its water power potential. Spring Creek powered a sawmill that year and a grist mill followed in 1850.
Susie the Duck
Lodi's nickname is Home of Susie the Duck, and Susie has been the town's official mascot since 1948. Where Spring Creek crosses Main Street (Wis. Hwy 113) in downtown Lodi, there is a small creekside park where visitors can buy dried corn from vending machineVending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s to feed the often present wild ducks. In this area is a small stone basket, inscribed with the name of former Lodi resident Engle Knerzer, and every year, invariably, a duck builds a nest there. This duck was nicknamed "Susie" by the granddaughter of a former police chief.
Every year there is a "Susie the Duck Day" celebration, the highlight of which is the rubber duck race. Participants pay $5 for a small rubber duck. The thousands of ducks are then dumped into the creek where they "race" toward a finish line and prizes are awarded based on order of finish. This day is also an important parade day with many activities in Goeres Park, brat stands on Main Street and in Goeres Park, and a beer garden
Beer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
in the park.
Lodi Agricultural Fair
Lodi is one of three cities in the state of Wisconsin to have its own fair. This free fair, which has been running for 142 years, begins on the first Thursday of July and runs through Sunday. Exhibits include livestock judging, school artwork, baking contests, and local organization display booths. There are carnival rides and games. Attractions include tractor pulls and the hugely popular demolition derby. There is also a live music beer garden.Ice Age Trail
A 1,000 mile plus hiking trail, the Ice Age National Scenic TrailIce Age Trail
The Ice Age Trail is a designated National Scenic Trail in the United States that will run some through the state of Wisconsin once completed. The trail is administered by the National Park Service, and is constructed and maintained by numerous private and public agencies including, most notably,...
, follows along the terminal moraine
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a moraine that forms at the end of the glacier called the snout.Terminal moraines mark the maximum advance of the glacier. An end moraine is at the present boundary of the glacier....
formed in the last ice age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. A portion of this trail runs through Lodi. The trail begins in Potawatomi State Park
Potawatomi State Park
Potawatomi State Park is a Wisconsin state park northwest of the city of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. It is located on Sturgeon Bay, a bay of the Bay of Green Bay in Door County. Potawatomi State Park was established in 1928.-External links:*...
in Door County
Door County, Wisconsin
Door County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 27,961. Its county seat is Sturgeon Bay. Door County is a popular vacation and tourist destination, especially for residents of Wisconsin and Illinois....
. It then winds south through the state to Janesville
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:...
, then back north through Lodi, ending at the Dalles of the St. Croix River in Polk County. Geologic features along the route include drumlins, kame
Kame
A kame is a geological feature, an irregularly shaped hill or mound composed of sand, gravel and till that accumulates in a depression on a retreating glacier, and is then deposited on the land surface with further melting of the glacier...
s, lakes, ice-walled lake plains, tunnel channels, outwash plains
Sandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
and eskers.
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is administered by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, with assistance from non-profit volunteer organizations. Lodi's chapter of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation maintains an office in downtown Lodi, with access to the trail several hundred yards away. The longest section of the trail in the area is about 6.2 miles. It begins at the Robertson Trailhead, south of Lodi on Lodi-Springfield Road off of Hwy. 60 West.
Several other segments of the trail are located in or near Lodi, including a 1.3-mile segment on the corner of Lovering and Highway J and a 21-mile section north of the Colsac III Ferry
Merrimac Ferry
The Merrimac Ferry is a ferry that crosses the Wisconsin River between Columbia and Sauk Counties in Wisconsin. Its western point is located near the village of Merrimac on State Highway 113. The eastern point is located in Okee, Wisconsin....
on Lake Wisconsin
Lake Wisconsin
Lake Wisconsin is a reservoir on the Wisconsin River in southern Wisconsin in the United States. It is located in Columbia and Sauk counties, approximately 5 mi southeast of Baraboo and 25 mi NNW of Madison...
.
Notable residents
- Scott McCallumScott McCallumScott McCallum is a member of the Republican Party who served as the 43rd Governor of Wisconsin, from 2001 to 2003. Prior to assuming the role of governor upon the appointment of Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services, McCallum served as a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and...
, Governor of WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin 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...
, lives in Lodi. - Albert O'ConnorAlbert O'ConnorAlbert O'Connor served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor.O'Connor was born on July 15, 1843, in Herford, Germany, and later immigrated to Canada...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient, lived in Lodi. - Tracy SachtjenTracy SachtjenTracy Sachtjen is an American curler from Lodi, Wisconsin.Tracy Sachtjen started curling in 1982 and by 1987 had made her first US Junior National Championships. Her first appearance at the United States National Championships came in 1993 and in 1997 she won her first gold medal at the event with...
, OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
athlete, world champion curler, lives in Lodi. - Tom WopatTom WopatTom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
, actor from The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
, was born in Lodi.