Wabeno (community), Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
located within the town of Wabeno
Wabeno, Wisconsin
Wabeno is a town in Forest County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,166 at the 2010 census. The census-designated place of Wabeno and the unincorporated communities of Carter, Padus, and Soperton are located in the town.-Geography:...
, in Forest County
Forest County, Wisconsin
Forest County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,304. Its county seat is Crandon.-Indian Reservations:...
, 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...
. It is located on Wisconsin Highway 32 at the eastern terminus of Wisconsin Highway 52 within the Nicolet National Forest. As of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, its population is 575.
History
The unincorporated community of Wabeno was built in an area where timber had been cleared by a tornado in June 1880. The town's name is derived from "waubeno" a PotawatomiPotawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
word for "coming of the winds". A brief lumber boom occurred when 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...
pushed a line through the tiny town. In 1905, there were five sawmills in operation in Wabeno, producing 35000000 board feet (82,590.8 m³) of lumber per year. The last mill closed in 1936.
Attractions
The unincorporated community of Wabeno is located 4 miles (6 km) from Northern Lights Bingo and Casino, run by the Forest CountyForest County, Wisconsin
Forest County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,304. Its county seat is Crandon.-Indian Reservations:...
Potawatomi. For much of the year, it is possible to travel from Wabeno to Northern Lights by either snowmobile or ATV.
The Wabeno area is home to the Lumberjack Memorial Snowmobile Trails, a system that includes over 100 miles (160.9 km) of groomed and maintained snowmobile trails.
Other attractions in Wabeno include: an old-fashioned band shell located in the downtown green, a logging museum, a rare, and still functional, steam-powered Phoenix log hauler, a 20 feet (6.1 m) fiberglass statue of Larry the Logroller, a World War II–era Sherman tank, and a nineteenth century log cabin still in use as the Wabeno Public Library.
Annual events include: A Memorial Day truck pull, Steam-up Days (a celebration of antique technology) in July; and the Logging Exposition and Harvest Festival on Labor Day weekend. Wabeno is the home of spring and fall dual sport motorcycle events hosted by the Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders.
Wabeno's tap water was selected as the best tasting water in the state in 2003, and this has led to the town bottling the water under the name of "Wabeno Water."