Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, United States. The population was 584 at the 2020 census. This makes it the city with the smallest population in Wisconsin. In fact, for a new city to be incorporated today, state regulations require a population of at least 1,000 residents, so it would have to be incorporated as a village instead.

Wisconsin Highway 13 State Trunk Highway 13 (often called Highway 13, STH-13 or WIS 13) is a state highway running north–south across northwest and central Wisconsin. WIS 13 serves as a major north–south route connecting the communities of Wisconsin Del ...

serves as a main route in the community. It is a former county seat, lumbering town, and commercial fishing community, which today is a tourist and resort destination. There are many restaurants, hotels, bed & breakfast establishments, specialty shops, and marine services. The local Chamber of Commerce refers to Bayfield as the "Gateway to the

Apostle Islands The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior, off the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin. The majority of the islands are located in Ashland County—only Sand, York, Eagle, and Raspberry Islands are located in Ba ...

History

Bayfield was named in 1856 for

Henry Bayfield Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield (21 January 1795 – 10 February 1885) was a British naval officer and surveyor. Early life and career Bayfield was born in Kingston-upon-Hull, to John Wolsey Bayfield and Eliza Petit. His family was an ancie ...

, a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Royal Topographic Engineer who explored the region in 1822–23. A post office has been in operation at Bayfield since 1856.

Geography

Bayfield is located at (46.8115, -90.8203). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Bayfield is the main gateway to the

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a U.S. national lakeshore consisting of 21 islands (Apostle Islands) and shoreline encompassing on the northern tip of Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Superior. It is known for its collection of historic ...

, a group of 21 islands in

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

Madeline Island ''Madeline'' is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian-American author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series a ...

is the largest of the Apostle Islands and the only one not in the National Lakeshore. A ferry to Madeline Island links Bayfield with

La Pointe, Wisconsin La Pointe is an unincorporated community in the town of La Pointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin, United States. It is on the western shore of Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands. Downtown La Pointe is adjacent to the Madeline I ...

, a community on the island.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 584. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 458 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 80.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 11.0% Native American, 0.7%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 7.5% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.5%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 487 people in 261 households, including 130 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 482 housing units at an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 77.8% White, 0.2% African American, 14.8% Native American, 1.0% Asian, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8%. Of the 261 households, 16.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.2% were non-families. 44.1% of households were one person and 18.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.58. The median age was 53.2 years. 15.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 36% were from 45 to 64; 26.9% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 611 people in 289 households, including 167 families, in the city. The population density was 703.3 people per square mile (271.2/km). There were 403 housing units at an average density of 463.8 per square mile (178.8/km). The

of the city was 76.92% White, 0.65% Black or

, 15.22% Native American, 1.31% from other races, and 5.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49%. 10.5% were of

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 10.1%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 9.4%

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

, 8.1%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 7.4%

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

and 5.4%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

ancestry according to

Census 2000 The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

. Of the 289 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 41.9% were non-families. 35.6% of households were one person and 15.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.64. The age distribution was 20.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The median household income was $32,266 and the median family income was $36,500. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $25,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,377. About 10.5% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

The city of Bayfield is known in the

Anishinaabe language Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian lan ...

as ''Oshki-oodena'' ("New-town"), as opposed to

Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...

, which is known as ''Gete-oodena'' ("Old-town"), in reference to the

Ojibwa The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

migration. The Bayfield Maritime Museum and Bayfield Heritage Museum are the city's two museums. There are several art galleries. Nearby is the 950 seats all-canvas tent theater known as

Big Top Chautauqua The Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua is a 900-seat music venue and performing arts center, located near Bayfield, Wisconsin. It is an all-canvas tent-theater which has operated since 1986, primarily during the summer, and has hosted such enterta ...

which during its summer season has hosted such entertainers as

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

and

Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and relea ...

. Bayfield's annual Apple Fest draws about 60,000 visitors during the first weekend in October. Popular summertime events include the Bayfield Race Week regatta, held during the week of the 4th of July, and the Festival of Arts and Gallery Tour, which takes place the third weekend of July. It features artists from across the midwest, along with tours and demos at a diverse array of local galleries.

Recreation

The

Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is a dogsled race held in Bayfield, Wisconsin, during the first weekend of February. It is the largest Mid-Distance dogsled race in the Midwestern United States, only Kalkaskam Mi sprint races has more entries a ...

takes place the first weekend of February. It is the largest sled dog race in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

, with between 50 and 75 teams competing annually.

Transportation

Bus service to the community is provided by

Bay Area Rural Transit Bay Area Rural Transit is a public transportation system in Ashland County, Bayfield County and Price County, Wisconsin. History In 1980 a group of individuals determined to find a solution to the transportation needs of area residents, resear ...

Local media

Bayfield receives three radio stations from Ashland;

WATW WATW (1400 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic country music format under the branding "Bay Country 101.3," formerly broadcasting a conservative news and talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical i ...

WBSZ WBSZ (93.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a " "New Country" format, licensed to Ashland, Wisconsin, United States. The station is currently owned by Heartland Communications Group, LLC, and features programming from ABC Radio and Westwoo ...

and

WJJH WJJH (96.7 FM) is an American radio station broadcasting a classic rock format as "Real Rock J96." Licensed to Ashland, Wisconsin, United States, the station is currently owned by Heartland Communications Group, LLC, and features programming fro ...

. Television stations come from the Duluth–Superior market;

KDLH KDLH (channel 3) is a television station in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, affiliated with The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Superior, Wisconsin–licensed dual NBC/CBS affiliate KBJR-TV, channel 6 (and its Chisholm, Min ...

KBJR KBJR-TV (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Superior, Wisconsin, United States, serving the Duluth, Minnesota, area as an affiliate of NBC and CBS. It is owned by Gray Television alongside CW+ affiliate KDLH (channel 3). Both statio ...

WDSE WDSE may refer to: * WDSE (TV), a PBS member station in Duluth, Minnesota, United States * WDSE-FM, an adult album alternative radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, United States {{call sign disambiguation ...

and

WDIO WDIO-DT (channel 10) is a television station in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The station's studios and transmitter are located on Observation Road in Duluth. WIRT-DT (channel 13) in ...

Gallery

Image:ApostleIslandNationalLakeshoreWI-040-050507.jpg, The headquarters of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, in Bayfield, is actually made out of rock quarried from the islands before they were made a park File:Bayfield Historic District Downtown WIS13.jpg, Downtown Bayfield Image:Rittenhouse Inn Bayfield Wisconsin Historic District.jpg, Rittenhouse Inn File:Bayfield Wisconsin City Hall.jpg, City hall File:Bayfield Wisconsin Marina.jpg, Bayfield Marina File:Bayfield Wisconsin Sign WIS13.jpg, Bayfield sign File:Bayfield Wisconsin.jpg, Bayfield, Wisconsin seen from the harbor

Notable people

* Laurie E. Carlson, Wisconsin State Representative, 1937–42, born in Bayfield * Norris J. Nelson, Los Angeles City Council member, 1939–43, born in Bayfield * Nathan Van Cleave, Composer for Television, including "The Twilight Zone," born in Bayfield *

Lou Alta Melton Lou Alta Melton (8 February 1895 – 26 July 1974) was an American civil engineer and bridge engineer. Biography Melton was born in Texas, on 8 February 1895 to Sherd Melton and Hesta Long. She grew up in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Melton taught in a p ...

(1895 – 1974), an American civil engineer and bridge engineer

References

External links

City of BayfieldBayfield Chamber of Commerce
*Sanborn fire insurance maps
18861892189819041911
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Bayfield County, Wisconsin Piers in Wisconsin 1856 establishments in Wisconsin Former county seats in Wisconsin Wisconsin populated places on Lake Superior