Withee, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Withee is a village in Clark County in the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
. As of the 2000 census
, the village population was 508. There is also the Town of Withee, which is also in Clark County several miles west of the village. The village is located mostly within the Town of Hixon, while a small portion extends south into the Town of Longwood.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.2 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
of 2000, there were 507 people, 213 households, and 142 families residing in the village. The population density
was 606.2 people per square mile (233.5/km²). There were 228 housing units at an average density of 272.1 per square mile (104.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.43% White, 0.39% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% from other races
, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.39% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 213 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,625, and the median income for a family was $38,542. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $18,874. About 3.8% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
.
In 1893 a Danish
Lutheran minister from Chicago, a follower of Grundtvig, moved with a few families into the town of Hixon north of Withee to form a Danish community and church. Other Danes joined them from around the state and by 1896 the congregation included thirty families. The Danish language was spoken and in 1913 the community even hired a teacher of Danish folk-dancing and gymnastics. Gradually the Danish community blended with the surrounding English speakers, but Nazareth Lutheran church remains.
Today Withee is largely a farming community located one mile from the town of Owen
. Although the Village of Withee and the City of Owen are separate municipalities
, they operate and communicate as one large community, even sharing the same elementary and high school, the Owen-Withee school district.
An interesting point about Withee being such a large farming community is that many Mennonites
have settled here, and now make up a large portion of the population. They have many farms, and run several greenhouses
and stores. The best known store in the area is Hene Supply, located on the corner of X and Frenchtown Road.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the village population was 508. There is also the Town of Withee, which is also in Clark County several miles west of the village. The village is located mostly within the Town of Hixon, while a small portion extends south into the Town of Longwood.
Geography
Withee is located at 44°57′18"N 90°35′56"W (44.955168, -90.598908).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 village has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.2 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
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 507 people, 213 households, and 142 families residing in the village. 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 606.2 people per square mile (233.5/km²). There were 228 housing units at an average density of 272.1 per square mile (104.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.43% White, 0.39% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% 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 0.79% from two or more races. 0.39% 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 213 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% 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, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,625, and the median income for a family was $38,542. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,250 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 village was $18,874. About 3.8% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Withee was founded in 1870, named after a Maine schoolteacher. It became an incorporated village in 1901, and was the principle shipping point for D.J. Shipping Mills through the Soo Line RailroadSoo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
.
In 1893 a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Lutheran minister from Chicago, a follower of Grundtvig, moved with a few families into the town of Hixon north of Withee to form a Danish community and church. Other Danes joined them from around the state and by 1896 the congregation included thirty families. The Danish language was spoken and in 1913 the community even hired a teacher of Danish folk-dancing and gymnastics. Gradually the Danish community blended with the surrounding English speakers, but Nazareth Lutheran church remains.
Today Withee is largely a farming community located one mile from the town of Owen
Owen
Owen may also refer to:-Places:Australia* Owen, South Australia, a small townUnited States* Owen, Indiana* Owen, Wisconsin* Owen County, Indiana* Owen County, KentuckyGermany* Owen, Germany, a town in Baden-Württemberg-Vessels:...
. Although the Village of Withee and the City of Owen are separate municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, they operate and communicate as one large community, even sharing the same elementary and high school, the Owen-Withee school district.
An interesting point about Withee being such a large farming community is that many Mennonites
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
have settled here, and now make up a large portion of the population. They have many farms, and run several greenhouses
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
and stores. The best known store in the area is Hene Supply, located on the corner of X and Frenchtown Road.