Ruby, Wisconsin

Ruby, Wisconsin
Town
Location of Ruby, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 45°14′43″N 90°58′30″W / 45.24528°N 90.97500°W / 45.24528; -90.97500Coordinates: 45°14′43″N 90°58′30″W / 45.24528°N 90.97500°W / 45.24528; -90.97500
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Chippewa
Area
• Total	53.6 sq mi (138.9 km2)
• Land	53.4 sq mi (138.4 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation[1]	1,145 ft (349 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	494
• Density	9/sq mi (3.6/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	715 & 534
FIPS code	55-69975[2]
GNIS feature ID	1584073[1]
PLSS township	T32N R5W and north half of T31N R5W

Ruby is a town in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 494 at the 2010 census.^[3] The unincorporated communities of Arnold and Ruby are located in the town.

Geography

The town of Ruby is 6 miles (10 km) wide and 9 miles (14 km) from north to south. It occupies the northeast corner of Chippewa County and is bordered by Rusk County to the north and Taylor County to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 53.6 square miles (138.9 km²), of which 53.4 square miles (138.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), or 0.34%, is water.^[3]

History

The area that would become Ruby was first surveyed in 1852 by two crews working for the U.S. government. From September into October a crew marked all the section corners in the northern 6 miles (10 km) of the township, walking through the woods and slogging through the swamps on foot, measuring with chain and compass.^[4][5] When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:

This Township contains, but little land fit for cultivation, considerable Tamarac swamp, and but little Grass land(?) in Hay meddow. The surface is level except in a few places, where it is uneven(?) not Hilley. None of it above 3rd rate. Timber Hemlock, Pine, Birch Sugar and Balsom. The Pine on and near Fisher and Jump River is of the best quallity and in Considerable quantity.

Fisher River Enters the Township in section 25 and keeps a westerly direction across the Township, leaving it on section 18. The stream has a rapid current and Rockey bed. Jump River Enter on sec 5 and leaves on section 6. Rapid Rocky Stream. Some good Pine on its Banks.^[6]

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 446 people, 152 households, and 120 families residing in the town. The population density was 8.3 people per square mile (3.2/km²). There were 197 housing units at an average density of 3.7 per square mile (1.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.55% White, 0.22% Native American, 0.22% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.

There were 152 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.4% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the town the population was spread out with 33.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,208, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $27,750 versus $22,813 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,587. About 12.4% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

Municipalities and communities of Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Chippewa Falls Cities Bloomer Chippewa Falls Cornell Eau Claire‡ Stanley‡ Villages Boyd Cadott Lake Hallie New Auburn‡ Towns Anson Arthur Auburn Birch Creek Bloomer Cleveland Colburn Cooks Valley Delmar Eagle Point Edson Estella Goetz Hallie Howard Lafayette Lake Holcombe Ruby Sampson Sigel Tilden Wheaton Woodmohr CDPs Holcombe Jim Falls Lake Wissota Unincorporated communities Albertville Anson Arnold Bateman Brownville Cobban Colburn Crescent Drywood Eagle Point Eagleton Edson Howard Huron Maple Hill Old Albertville Pine Grove Ruby Tilden Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties