Plover, Wisconsin

Plover, Wisconsin
Village
The Plover Watertower
Location of Plover, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°27′16″N 89°35′1″W / 44.45444°N 89.58361°W / 44.45444; -89.58361Coordinates: 44°27′16″N 89°35′1″W / 44.45444°N 89.58361°W / 44.45444; -89.58361
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Portage
Settled, platted	1844-45
First incorporation	March 6, 1857
Second incorporation	March 11, 1912
Third incorporation	September 28, 1971
Dissolved (twice)	1870; 1931
Area[1]
• Total	10.79 sq mi (27.95 km2)
• Land	10.35 sq mi (26.81 km2)
• Water	0.44 sq mi (1.14 km2)
Elevation[2]	1,070 ft (326 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	12,123
• Estimate (2012[4])	12,239
• Density	1,171.3/sq mi (452.2/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	715 & 534
FIPS code	55-63550[5]
GNIS feature ID	1583942[2]

Plover is a village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States and is a suburb of Stevens Point. It is included in the Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,123 at the 2010 census.

History

The area which later became Plover was selected as the county seat of Portage in 1844. The election for the county seat only noted the general location of an unsettled area around present-day Plover. Until the area was settled, county business was actually conducted in the community of Rushville. The Plover area was platted in 1845, and received a post office at the same time under the name of "Plover Portage."^[6] The name of the post office was changed to "Plover" in 1850.^[7]

In 1857, State Senator Luther Hanchett of Plover introduced a bill to incorporate the Village of Clayton in the community; he later amended the bill to make the name the Village of Algernon. That bill passed the Wisconsin Legislature, incorporating the Village of Algernon on March 6, 1857.^[8] (Algernon was probably named for Algernon B. Crosby, a postmaster in Portage County.) On May 4, 1858, the name of the village was again changed, this time to the Village of Stanton. And in 1864, the name of the village was finally changed to Plover.^[7]

In 1868, the county seat was moved to Stevens Point, following an energetic battle in newspapers and the state legislature. The Village of Plover was dissolved. Government of the area fell to the Town of Plover.^[9]

Plover was again incorporated as a village on March 8, 1912 by court order, after area residents approved in an election.^[10] This latest incorporation would not be long lived, as Plover was again dissolved on October 7, 1931 after another election.^[11] An attempt at re-incorporation failed in 1965.^[7]

Plover re-incorporated, for the third time, on September 28, 1971. The vote for incorporation was narrow: 311 for and 289 against. The population of the village at that time was 2618.^[12] It incorporated about 6.75 square miles (17 km²) of territory, and increased to about 7.25 square miles (19 km²) in 1981, after annexation. Annexations continued nearly every year until the present.^[13]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 10.79 square miles (27.95 km²), of which, 10.35 square miles (26.81 km²) of it is land and 0.44 square miles (1.14 km²) is water.^[1]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 12,123 people, 4,948 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,171.3 inhabitants per square mile (452.2 /km²). There were 5,188 housing units at an average density of 501.3 per square mile (193.6 /km²). The racial makeup of the village was 92.8% White, 0.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 4,948 households of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the village was 35.9 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 10,520 people, 3,985 households, and 2,845 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,238.2 people per square mile (477.9/km²). There were 4,133 housing units at an average density of 486.5 per square mile (187.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.82% White, 0.43% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 1.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,985 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the village the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $51,238, and the median income for a family was $60,146. Males had a median income of $40,206 versus $26,521 for females. The per capita income for the village was $23,085. About 4.2% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

• James S. Alban, Wisconsin State Senator
• Dennis Hall, world champion wrestler, Olympic medalist, Pan American Games gold medalist
• Alexander S. McDill, U.S. Representative
• Joe Pavelski, NHL player, San Jose Sharks
• Clayton K. Slack, Medal of Honor
• Walt Wilmot, MLB player

Notes

External links

• Plover, Wisconsin
• Plover Area Business Association

v t e Municipalities and communities of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Stevens Point City Stevens Point Villages Almond Amherst Amherst Junction Junction City Milladore‡ Nelsonville Park Ridge Plover Rosholt Whiting Towns Alban Almond Amherst Belmont Buena Vista Carson Dewey Eau Pleine Grant Hull Lanark Linwood New Hope Pine Grove Plover Sharon Stockton CDPs Bancroft Polonia Unincorporated communities Alban Arnott Badger Blaine Casimir Coddington Custer Dopp Ellis Esker Fancher Garfield Heffron Jordan Keene Kellner‡ Little Waupon Meehan Mill Creek Community New Hope North Star Peru Rocky Run Stockton Torun West Almond West Bancroft Ghost town Lake Emily Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties