Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin | |
---|---|
GNIS feature ID | 1576900[6] |
Website | www |
Wisconsin Dells is a city in Wisconsin, straddling four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. A popular Midwestern tourist destination, the city forms an area known as "The Dells" with the nearby village of Lake Delton. The Dells is home to several water parks and tourist attractions.[7] It is about 42 miles (68 km) northwest of Madison, Wisconsin, the state's capital city. Wisconsin Dells has a population of 2,942 people as of the 2020 census.[4]
The city takes its name from the
History
The natural formation of the Dells was named by Early French explorers as dalles, a rapids or narrows on a river in voyageur French.[8] Wisconsin Dells is located on ancestral Ho-Chunk and Menominee land.[9] The Ho-Chunk name for Wisconsin Dells is Nįįš hakiisųc, meaning "rocks close together".[10]
According to Indian agent
The city of Wisconsin Dells was founded in 1856 by the
In 1859, lumbermen destroyed the Wisconsin Hydraulic Company's new dam at Kilbourn City because it blocked the flow of timber rafts down the river. This led the company's main creditor, Byron Kilbourn, to foreclose on its property and take ownership of most of the city's real estate.[19]
Tourism
Kilbourn City quickly became a popular travel destination in the Midwest due to the scenery of the Dells of the Wisconsin River and the ready railroad access. In 1856, entrepreneur Leroy Gates began taking tourists on boat tours of the Wisconsin Dells and promoting the town to railroad travelers. These tours were given using wooden rowboats until 1873 when two excursion steamers, the Modocawanda and the Dell Queen launched.[20] Gates also established a photography studio in the city, which he sold to photographer H. H. Bennett in 1865.[21] Over the following decades, Bennett took many photos of the sandstone formations in the dells, including stereoscopic views, as well as portraits of local Ho-Chunk people in Indian costume. Prints of Bennett's photographs were distributed across the United States and played a large role in promoting Kilbourn City as an exotic destination for sightseers.[22][23] The H. H. Bennett Studio is now a historic site operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society.[24]
In 1909, the Kilbourn Dam was completed across the Wisconsin River to generate hydroelectricity, over the protests of people such as H. H. Bennett,[25] separating the Dells into the Upper and Lower Dells.[26] It is now owned by Alliant Energy.[27]
In 1928 Mr. Clinton Berry established Berry's Dells airport. It occupied sixty acres and was designated on government maps as beacon No. 19. Berry built the airport to carry visitors to the Dells from the surrounding metropolitan areas.[28]
Kilbourn City shortened its name to Kilbourn in 1895 and then changed its name to Wisconsin Dells in 1931, identifying itself with the famous natural landscape of the Dells of the Wisconsin River.[29][30]
In 1952, a new traveling performance from
Soon more attractions followed to serve the ever-increasing tourists, along with many hotels, shops, and restaurants. Today, a large number of
Lake Delton, Wisconsin Dells's sister city to the south, gradually became popular as the Dells attractions spread out. The Wonder Spot was founded in Lake Delton in 1952 and remained open until 2006.[33]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.18 square miles (21.19 km2), of which 7.84 square miles (20.31 km2) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km2) is water.[34] According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration,[35] on January 19, 2004, the city annexed land from the Town of Lyndon in Juneau County, thus expanding the city to include area in four counties. It is mostly located in Columbia County.
Climate
Wisconsin Dells has a humid continental climate.
On July 13, 1936, the temperature in Wisconsin Dells reached 114 °F (46 °C), the highest ever recorded in the state of Wisconsin.[36]
Climate data for Wisconsin Dells, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1922–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 63 (17) |
67 (19) |
84 (29) |
91 (33) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
114 (46) |
104 (40) |
101 (38) |
90 (32) |
81 (27) |
67 (19) |
114 (46) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 46.0 (7.8) |
52.0 (11.1) |
66.6 (19.2) |
78.7 (25.9) |
86.4 (30.2) |
91.5 (33.1) |
92.7 (33.7) |
91.1 (32.8) |
88.3 (31.3) |
80.3 (26.8) |
64.5 (18.1) |
50.9 (10.5) |
94.9 (34.9) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.4 (−3.1) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
56.8 (13.8) |
69.4 (20.8) |
78.9 (26.1) |
82.5 (28.1) |
80.5 (26.9) |
73.1 (22.8) |
59.6 (15.3) |
44.3 (6.8) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
56.5 (13.6) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.2 (−8.2) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
32.5 (0.3) |
45.0 (7.2) |
57.3 (14.1) |
67.2 (19.6) |
71.0 (21.7) |
68.9 (20.5) |
60.9 (16.1) |
48.2 (9.0) |
35.1 (1.7) |
23.5 (−4.7) |
45.7 (7.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 8.0 (−13.3) |
10.9 (−11.7) |
21.8 (−5.7) |
33.2 (0.7) |
45.2 (7.3) |
55.6 (13.1) |
59.6 (15.3) |
57.2 (14.0) |
48.6 (9.2) |
36.8 (2.7) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
15.2 (−9.3) |
34.8 (1.6) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −16.2 (−26.8) |
−11.4 (−24.1) |
−1.9 (−18.8) |
18.1 (−7.7) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
40.1 (4.5) |
47.1 (8.4) |
44.5 (6.9) |
33.1 (0.6) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
8.2 (−13.2) |
−7.4 (−21.9) |
−20.5 (−29.2) |
Record low °F (°C) | −43 (−42) |
−38 (−39) |
−29 (−34) |
0 (−18) |
21 (−6) |
31 (−1) |
41 (5) |
32 (0) |
24 (−4) |
−2 (−19) |
−11 (−24) |
−27 (−33) |
−43 (−42) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.32 (34) |
1.38 (35) |
2.28 (58) |
4.08 (104) |
4.38 (111) |
5.11 (130) |
4.04 (103) |
4.22 (107) |
3.84 (98) |
2.82 (72) |
2.23 (57) |
1.77 (45) |
37.47 (954) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.5 (29) |
10.2 (26) |
5.9 (15) |
2.0 (5.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
2.0 (5.1) |
8.7 (22) |
40.7 (103.2) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.3 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 12.0 | 11.2 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.8 | 8.1 | 9.0 | 111.2 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 6.6 | 5.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 24.4 |
Source 1: NOAA[37] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: National Weather Service[38] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 1,114 | — | |
1880 | 945 | −15.2% | |
1890 | 961 | 1.7% | |
1900 | 1,134 | 18.0% | |
1910 | 1,170 | 3.2% | |
1920 | 1,206 | 3.1% | |
1930 | 1,489 | 23.5% | |
1940 | 1,762 | 18.3% | |
1950 | 1,957 | 11.1% | |
1960 | 2,105 | 7.6% | |
1970 | 2,401 | 14.1% | |
1980 | 2,521 | 5.0% | |
1990 | 2,393 | −5.1% | |
2000 | 2,418 | 1.0% | |
2010 | 2,678 | 10.8% | |
2020 | 2,942 | 9.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[39] |
Because it straddles multiple counties, Wisconsin Dells is part of several
2020 census
As of the
Of the 2020 total population of 2,942, the population by county was:
- Adams County: 105
- Columbia County: 2449
- Juneau County: 4
- Sauk County: 384
2010 census
As of the
There were 1,148 households, of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.6% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age in the city was 40.3 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.
Of the 2010 total population of 2,678, the population by county was:
- Adams County: 61
- Columbia County: 2,440
- Juneau County: 2
- Sauk County: 175
2000 census
As of the
There were 1,019 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,699, and the median income for a family was $46,304. Males had a median income of $29,830 versus $22,553 for females. The
Economy
Tourism is the major contributor to the economy of Wisconsin Dells. The Dells area has many
Amphibious DUKW vehicles called "ducks" began offering duck tours to tourists in Wisconsin Dells in 1946. The tours visit wilderness trails and enter nearby Lake Delton and the Wisconsin River. One company, Original Wisconsin Ducks, has more than 90 vehicles and is the largest operator of duck tours in the United States. Mayor Brian Landers stated, "Many of our own residents take duck rides. I've taken duck rides myself".[43][44]
Since the late 1970s, the Dells area (Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton) has become a water park mecca.
The Polynesian Resort Hotel opened the United States' and the Dells area's first indoor waterpark in 1994. Since then, the number of combination resort/indoor waterparks in the Wisconsin Dells area has swelled, with each new indoor waterpark trying to have the latest innovations in waterslides and to be able to claim the title of America's largest park.
The Big 5 Dells resorts with large indoor waterparks are the
In 2005, Big Chief Karts and Coasters merged with the former Family Land Waterpark and Treasure Island Hotel to create a large theme park on the border of Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells, with a resort called Hotel Rome, an indoor waterpark, outdoor waterpark, theme park, and the area's first indoor theme park. The park, which has roller coasters, go-karts, and water slides, is called Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park.
The
Media
Wisconsin Dells is served by a local newspaper, Wisconsin Dells Events, and 2 local radio stations, WNNO and WDLS.[45] The Wisconsin Dells Events is published by Capital Newspapers, which publishes multiple newspapers in south central Wisconsin.[46] WNNO-FM broadcasts at 106.9 MHz and covers an area 20 miles in radius centered on Wisconsin Dells.[47] WDLS broadcasts on 900 AM.
Infrastructure
Buildings
Transportation
Bus
Greyhound Lines provides intrastate and interstate bus service to Wisconsin Dells[48] on its Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison - Minneapolis route.[49]
Rail
The
Utilities
- Frontier Communications
Education
It is in the
Notable people
- Belle Boyd, Confederate spy[52]
- Lynn N. Coapman, Wisconsin state representative[53]
- Jack Flannery, CORR and SODA driver
- Thomas Gillespie, Wisconsin state representative
- Michael Griffin, U.S. representative
- Alanson Holly, Wisconsin state representative and newspaper editor
- Frank Kreyer, NASCAR driver
- G. M. Marshall, Wisconsin state representative
- lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, businessman, and U.S. diplomat
- James H. Quinn, Minnesota Supreme Court justice[54]
- Robert Schulz, jazz cornetist
- Yellow Thunder, Ho-Chunk chief[55]
Gallery
-
Lower Dells intersection between downtown and "The Strip"
-
Pirate's Cove, a miniature golf business
-
Hades Rollercoaster at Mt. Olympus
-
Trojan Horse go-kart track at Mt. Olympus
-
Poseidons Rage surf pool at Mt. Olympus
-
"Top Secret", an upside-down White House
-
Municipal Building
-
Wizard Quest Lobby, 2022
Sister city
Wisconsin Dells has one
- Iwaizumi-Cho (Japan) since 1990[56]
See also
Notes
- ^ "How did Wisconsin Dells become 'the waterpark capital of the world'?". January 19, 2022.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "Wisconsin Dells". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census: Wisconsin Dells city, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b "Wisconsin Dells Area Information". Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ Goc (1999), p. 5
- ^ ISBN 0-299-15940-X.
- ISBN 978-1-4384-3339-4.
- ^ Lawson, Publius V. (1907). "The Winnebago Tribe". The Wisconsin Archeologist. 6 (3): 112.
- ^ "Early Tourism and Wisconsin Dells". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- JSTOR 4636124. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ Hoelscher 2008, p. 94.
- ^ Hoelscher 2008, pp. 58–61.
- ^ Butterfield 1880, p. 809.
- ^ Jones 1914, p. 396.
- ^ Jones 1914, p. 264,396-397.
- ^ Butterfield 1880, pp. 809, 814.
- ^ Hoelscher 1997, pp. 428–429.
- ^ Hoelscher 2008, p. 36.
- ^ Temmer 2002, p. 15.
- ^ Hoelscher 2008, pp. 3–7, 63–108.
- ^ "About Us". H.H. Bennett Studio. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Hoelscher 2008, pp. 136, 176.
- ^ Hoelscher 1997, p. 444.
- ^ Newman, Judy (July 29, 2009). "AN OLD DAM STILL CHURNIAn Old Dam Still Churning And The 100-Year-Old Kilbourn Dam Does More Than Just Provide Electricity". madison.com. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Airport at dells. (1928, May 26). The Daily Northwestern, p. 13.
- ^ "Wisconsin Dells History". Wisconsin Dells. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "Kilbourn City, Wis". Wisconsin Historical Society. December 1, 2003. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Sarah Hauer and Joe Taschler. "Tommy Bartlett Show in Wisconsin Dells is closing permanently because of business losses". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, September 16, 2020.
- ^ Mentzer, Robert (August 18, 2020). "Wisconsin Vacation Area Struggles To Survive During Pandemic". NPR's Morning Edition. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ George Hesselberg. "The Wonder Spot’ to disappear: Old-school Dells tourist attraction closing for good". La Crosse Tribune. January 12, 2007. Retrieved on June 5, 2009.
- ^ "2020 Gazetteer Files". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 31, 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2005.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Climatological Extremes for Wisconsin - Highest Temperature by Month". Wisconsin State Climatology Office. April 8, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Wisconsin Dells, WI". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Milwaukee". National Weather Service. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ Gittings, John (February 4, 2022). "Evers presents $3.5 million Elm Street grant in Wisconsin Dells". WISC News. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
- ^ "Wisconsin Dells Attractions". Wisconsin Dells Tourism Authority. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ Severson, Gordon (October 12, 2015). "City Leaders Confident in Safety of Wisconsin Dells "Duck Rides" After Fatal Accident in Seattle". WKOW Television. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ "Original Wisconsin Ducks Celebrates 70 Years of Operation". Amusement Today. May 8, 2015.
- ^ "Wisconsin Dells Media". Wisconsin Dells Tourism Authority. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "About Capital Newspapers". Capital Newspapers. November 5, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Mix 106.9 WNNO-FM - Station Info". Mix 106.9 WNNO-FM. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ^ "Greyhound - Wisconsin Dells, WI". Greyhound Lines, Inc. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison - Minneapolis: Table 304" (PDF). Greyhound Lines, Inc. June 19, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Amtrak - Empire Builder Train". National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Amtrak - Stations - Wisconsin Dells, WI (WDL)". National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Belle Boyd". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ 'Coapman Services,' Wisconsin State Journal, March 9, 1943, pg. 14
- ^ Minnesota State Law Library-James H. Quinn Archived 2014-01-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Joan Jensen, Calling this Place Home: Women on the Wisconsin Frontier, 1850-1925 p. 33
- ^ Krejci, Anna (October 22, 2010). "Dells-Iwaizumi mark 20 years of sister city relations". Wisconsin Dells Events. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
References
- Butterfield, Consul Willshire (1880). The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement... Chicago: Western Historical Company.
- Goc, Michael J. (1999). The Dells: An Illustrated History of Wisconsin Dells. Dells County Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-938627-45-6.
- Hoelscher, Steven (1997). "A Pretty Strange Place: Nineteenth-Century Scenic Tourism in the Dells". In Robert Clifford Ostergren; Thomas R. Vale (eds.). Wisconsin Land and Life. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 424–449. ISBN 978-0-585-08113-7.
- Hoelscher, Steven (2008). Picturing Indians : photographic encounters and tourist fantasies in H. H. Bennett's Wisconsin Dells. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-22600-8.
- Jones, James Edwin (1914). A history of Columbia County, Wisconsin : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co.
- Temmer, Jim (2002). "A Compelling Vision: H. H. Bennett and the Wisconsin Dells". Wisconsin Magazine of History. 85 (4): 12–19.
External links
- Official website
- Sanborn fire insurance maps: 1885 1892 1902 1909