Goodrich, Wisconsin

Goodrich, Wisconsin
—  Town  —
Location of Goodrich, Wisconsin
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Wisconsin
County Taylor
Area
 • Total 36.3 sq mi (94.0 km2)
 • Land 36.3 sq mi (94.0 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation[1] 1,453 ft (443 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 487
 • Density 13.4/sq mi (5.2/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code 55-29837[2]
GNIS feature ID 1583290[1]
PLSS township T31N R3E

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.

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, 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 surveyed 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.[3][4] 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 Sugar (?) Fir and Maple. 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 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.[5]

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.[6]

Demographics

As of the census[2] 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.

References

  1. ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ "Land Survey Information". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SurveyNotes/SurveyInfo.html. Retrieved 31 May 2011. 
  4. ^ "Field Notes for T31N R3E". Original Field Notes and Plat Maps, 1833-1866. Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/SurveyNotes/SurveyNotes-idx?type=PLSS&twp=T031NR003E. Retrieved 31 May 2011. 
  5. ^ Daugherty, William E. "Interior Field Notes (Dec. 1861)". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/SurveyNotes/SurveyNotes-idx?type=article&byte=2148552&isize=L&twp=T031NR003E. Retrieved 6 June 2011. 
  6. ^ Schmirler, A. A. A., "Wisconsin's Lost Missionary: The Mystery of Father Rene Menard", The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Volume 45, number 2, winter, 1961-1962.