Colby, Wisconsin

Colby, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Colby
Motto: "A Growing Community Proud of Its Heritage" "Home of Colby Cheese"
Location of Colby, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°54′37″N 90°19′1″W / 44.91028°N 90.31694°W / 44.91028; -90.31694Coordinates: 44°54′37″N 90°19′1″W / 44.91028°N 90.31694°W / 44.91028; -90.31694
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Counties	Clark, Marathon
Area[1]
• Total	1.57 sq mi (4.07 km2)
• Land	1.56 sq mi (4.04 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation[2]	1,352 ft (412 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	1,852
• Estimate (2012[4])	1,836
• Density	1,187.2/sq mi (458.4/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	715 & 534
FIPS code	55-16150[5]
GNIS feature ID	1563232[2]
Website	www.ci.colby.wi.us

Colby is a city in Clark and Marathon counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,852 at the 2010 census.^[6] Of this, 1,354 were in Clark County, and 498 were in Marathon County. The city is bordered by the Town of Colby, the Town of Hull, and the City of Abbotsford.

History

Colby took its name from the railway station on the Wisconsin Central Railway, which had been built through that area a short time before. The station had been named for Gardner L. Colby, father of Charles L. Colby, who was long identified with the railway.^{[citation needed]}

Colby is the birthplace of Colby cheese. A historical marker in downtown Colby commemorates the development of Colby cheese by Joseph Steinwand in 1874.^[7] Colby cheese is no longer made in the city of Colby, although a factory east of town cuts and packages it. The former Colby cheese factory west of the city is a dilapitated building. Colby cheese is the only cheese native to Wisconsin.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Colby is located at 44°54′36″N 90°19′1″W / 44.91000°N 90.31694°W / 44.91000; -90.31694 (44.910186, -90.317058).^[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.57 square miles (4.07 km²), of which, 1.56 square miles (4.04 km²) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) is water.^[1]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 1,852 people, 714 households, and 474 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,187.2 inhabitants per square mile (458.4 /km²). There were 757 housing units at an average density of 485.3 per square mile (187.4 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.4% White, 0.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.6% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.9% of the population.

Colby City Hall

There were 714 households of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 36.9 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 20% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 1,616 people, 623 households, and 423 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,090.1 people per square mile (421.6/km²). There were 645 housing units at an average density of 435.1 per square mile (168.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.53% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 1.73% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population.

There were 623 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,318, and the median income for a family was $41,685. Males had a median income of $30,530 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,137. About 3.7% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over. Colby, is split between one of the richest counties, (Marathon) and one of the poorest (Clark) in the state of Wisconsin.

Colby cheese historical marker

Education

Colby is part of the Colby School District. Schools in the district include a preschool, elementary school, middle school and high school. Students attend Colby High School.^[9] Also located within the city is St. Mary's Catholic School, which serves students from 1st through 8th grade. The private and public schools have collaborative sports and band programs.

Events

Since 1961 Colby has put on the Colby Cheese Days festival on the third weekend in July. Events include a softball tournament, tractor pull, carnival rides, bingo, cheese-curd throwing contest, a fun-run, and finally a parade. Free cheese is distributed by vendors and food stands.

Notable people

• Kirk Baumgartner, NAIA college football All-American at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
• George Washington Blanchard, U.S. congressman

Images

• 

  Welcome sign

• 

  Sign

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Colby, Wisconsin.

• City of Colby official website
• Colby School District
• 1884 Sanborn-Perris map of Colby
• 1894 Sanborn-Perris map
• 1900 Sanborn-Perris map
• 1914 Sanborn-Perris map

v t e Municipalities and communities of Clark County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Neillsville Cities Abbotsford‡ Colby‡ Greenwood Loyal Neillsville Owen Stanley‡ Thorp Villages Curtiss Dorchester‡ Granton Unity‡ Withee Towns Beaver Butler Colby Dewhurst Eaton Foster Fremont Grant Green Grove Hendren Hewett Hixon Hoard Levis Longwood Loyal Lynn Mayville Mead Mentor Pine Valley Reseburg Seif Sherman Sherwood Thorp Unity Warner Washburn Weston Withee Worden York CDPs Chili Humbird Unincorporated communities Atwood Bright Christie Clark Columbia Eadsville Eidsvold Globe Hemlock Junction Lombard Longwood Lynn Nevins Reseburg Riplinger Sherwood Shortville Sidney Spokeville Tioga Veefkind Willard Ghost towns Kurth Maple Works Trow Worden Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v t e Municipalities and communities of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Wausau Cities Abbotsford‡ Colby‡ Marshfield‡ Mosinee Schofield Wausau Villages Athens Birnamwood‡ Brokaw Dorchester‡ Edgar Elderon Fenwood Hatley Kronenwetter Marathon City Rothschild Spencer Stratford Unity‡ Weston Towns Bergen Berlin Bern Bevent Brighton Cassel Cleveland Day Easton Eau Pleine Elderon Emmet Frankfort Franzen Green Valley Guenther Halsey Hamburg Harrison Hewitt Holton Hull Johnson Knowlton Maine Marathon McMillan Mosinee Norrie Plover Reid Rib Falls Rib Mountain Rietbrock Ringle Spencer Stettin Texas Wausau Weston Wien CDPs Knowlton Rib Mountain Unincorporated communities Ashley Bevent Bradley Cherokee Corinth Dancy Emmerich Gad‡ Galloway Glandon Granite Heights Halder Hamburg Hogarty Holt Ingersoll Johnson Kalinke Little Chicago Little Eau Claire Little Rose Mann March Rapids McMillan Milan Moon Mount View Naugart Norrie Nutterville Pike Lake Poniatowski Rangeline Rib Falls Ringle Rocky Corners Rozellville Schnappsville Shantytown Snell Sunset Swan Taegesville Weber Wien Wuertsburg Ghost towns Staadts Stettin Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties