Rhinelander is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Oneida 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 8,285 at the 2020 census.

History

The area that eventually became the city of Rhinelander was originally called Pelican Rapids by early settlers, named for the stretch of rapids just above the convergence of the Wisconsin and Pelican Rivers. Around 1870, Anderson W. Brown of

Stevens Point Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. The city was incorporated in 1858. Its 2020 population of 25,666 makes it the largest city in the county. Stevens Point forms the core of the United States Census Bur ...

and Anson P. Vaughn traveled up the

Wisconsin River The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At approximately 430 miles (692 km) long, it is the state's longest river. The river's name, first recorded in 1673 by Jacques Marquette as "Meskousi ...

to cruise timber for Brown's father, E. D. Brown. Upon arriving at the meeting point of the Wisconsin and Pelican Rivers at the site of John Curran's trading post, and seeing the high banks along the rapids and the excellent pine stands, Anderson Brown envisioned a mill town with a lumber mill powered by the waters of the Wisconsin River. Brown's vision did not come to fruition for some years, but after subsequent expeditions with others, including his brother and Rhinelander's first mayor,

Webster Brown Webster Everett Brown (July 16, 1851 – December 14, 1929) was a U.S. representative from Wisconsin. Born near Peterboro, New York, in Madison County, Brown moved with his parents to Wisconsin in 1857. Resided for a time in Newport, Columb ...

, the brothers managed to convince their father and uncle to purchase the land from the federal government and build a town. In its charter, the city was named Rhinelander after Frederic W. Rhinelander of New York, who was president of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad at the time. This was part of a bid by the Brown brothers to induce the railroad to extend a spur to the location to further their lumbering business. Ultimately, after over 10 years of negotiations, the Brown family agreed to convey half their land holdings in the area to the railroad in exchange for a rail line to their future city. In 1882, the railroad line from present-day Monico to Rhinelander was completed, jump starting the development of Rhinelander as the commercial hub of the region.

Geography

Rhinelander is located at (45.639515, −89.412086). 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, are land and is covered by water.

Climate

Rhinelander has a

warm-summer humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

: ''Dfb''). Because of its location, it is prone to Arctic cold snaps, and without the western Föhn winds its winter average is lower than other places in the US at 45 °N even at high elevations. Summers tend to be cooler with some degree of

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 ...

and

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...

influence. Precipitation is still relatively distributed but not as much as other humid climates in the country.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 8,285. 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 4,123 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.8%

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 ...

, 1.6% Native American, 1.2%

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 ...

, 0.8%

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 ...

, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.8% 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 4.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.5%

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

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, 7,798 people, 3,545 households, and 1,876 families resided in the city. The

was . The 3,981 housing units averaged . 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 95.2% White, 1.0% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.3% of the population. Of the 3,545 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.1% were not families. About 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age in the city was 40 years; 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, 7,735 people, 3,214 households, and 1,860 families resided in the city. The

was 1,002.5 people per square mile (386.9/km²). The 3,430 housing units averaged 444.5 per square mile (171.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.83% White, 0.39% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.72% of the population. Of the 3,214 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were not families. About 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was distributed as 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,622, and for a family was $37,629. Males had a median income of $29,750 versus $22,157 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,047. About 9.4% of families and 12.2% 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 11.1% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Rhinelander is the county seat for Oneida County. Kristopher Hanus is the current mayor.

Education

* The Rhinelander School District serves the area. * Zion Lutheran School is a Christian Pre-K-8 school of the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee ...

in Rhinelander. * The Lake Julia campus of

Nicolet Area Technical College Nicolet College is a public 2-year technical school, technical college whose main campus is in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It has outreach centers in Carter, Forest County, Wisconsin, Carter, Crandon, Wisconsin, Crandon, Eagle River, Wisconsin, Eag ...

is located just outside Rhinelander. * A University of Wisconsin program, School of the Arts at Rhinelander, took place every summer for 52 years, ending in 2015.

Economy

Rhinelander is a commercial, industrial, and recreation hub for the Northwoods area of Wisconsin. Because of the forests, lakes, and trails in the area, it is both a summer and winter vacation destination. It has a paper mill and a hospital.

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (KRHI) serves Rhinelander and the surrounding Oneida county communities with both scheduled commercial jet service and general aviation services. Located 2 mi southwest of the city, the airport handles about 24,958 operations per year, with around 88% general aviation, 6% scheduled commercial air service and 6% air taxi. The airport has a 6,799-ft concrete primary runway with approved ILS, GPS and VOR/DME approaches (runway 9-27) and a 5,201-ft asphalt crosswind runway with approved GPS approaches (runway 15-33). In addition, the Rhinelander VORTAC (RHI) navigational facility is located at the field.

Tourism

The Rhinelander area has numerous vacation destinations, offering fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, ATVing, mountain biking and hiking, hunting, golfing, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and bird watching. It also serves as a main shopping and lodging area for the Northwoods. A popular summer tourist destination is the Pioneer Park Historical Complex, which is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and features many interactive displays and spaces to explore Rhinelander's rich history, including the infamous hodag.

Media

Rhinelander is home to

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

affiliate

WJFW-TV WJFW-TV (channel 12) is an television station licensed to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, United States, serving the Wausau area as an affiliate of NBC. Owned by Rockfleet Broadcasting, the station maintains studios on County Road G (along WIS 17) in ...

. In addition to serving Rhinelander, WJFW-TV also serves the Wausau area. Conversely, Wausau's area stations, including

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

affiliate

WSAW-TV WSAW-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Wausau, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with CBS, MyNetworkTV, and The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power Fox affiliate WZAW-LD (channel 33). Both stations share stu ...

and

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

affiliate

WAOW WAOW (channel 9) is a television station in Wausau, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Allen Media Broadcasting. The station's studios are located on Grand Avenue/US 51 in Wausau, and its transmitter is located on Rib Mo ...

, also serve Rhinelander.

WXPR WXPR (91.7 FM) is a community-licensed public radio station serving north central Wisconsin and adjacent areas of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Licensed to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, United States, the station is owned by White Pine Community Broadc ...

, a public radio station at 91.7 FM, is based in Rhinelander.

Culture

Rhinelander is the home of the

hodag In American folklore, the hodag is a fearsome critter resembling a large bull-horned carnivore with a row of thick curved spines down its back. The hodag was said to be born from the ashes of cremated oxen, as the incarnation of the accumulati ...

, a folkloric green and white creature said to stalk the local woods. The hodag serves as mascot for the city and for

Rhinelander High School Rhinelander High School (RHS) is a high school in Rhinelander, Oneida County, Wisconsin United States. History The first Rhinelander High School was built in 1889. It was named Rhinelander Union High School (RUHS) and the building was commonly kn ...

and Northwoods Community Secondary School. *The Rhinelander Flea Market is held every Wednesday between Labor Day and Memorial Day by the ice arena. *An arts and cultural center is in the former Federal Building downtown. *Rhinelander is home to the

Hodag Country Festival The Hodag Country Festival, founded in 1978, is an outdoor music festival held each summer in Rhinelander, in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. When the first festival was held August 4–6, 1978, it featured Freddy Fender and Jana Jae an ...

, a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

festival. *Northwoods Pride Festival *Oneida County Fair *Oktoberfest

Museums

*ArtStart Art Museum *CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) Museum *Logging Museum *Rhinelander Historical Society Museum *Rhinelander School Museum

Recreation

Parks

* Pioneer Park *Hodag Park *Shepard Park *West Side Park

Golf

*Northwood Golf Course *Rhinelander Country Club

Notable people

Deming Bronson Deming Bronson (July 8, 1894 – May 29, 1957) was a United States Army officer who received the United States military's highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. Bronson was born on July 8, 1894, in Rhinelander, Wiscons ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient *

Webster E. Brown Webster Everett Brown (July 16, 1851 – December 14, 1929) was a U.S. representative from Wisconsin. Born near Peterboro, New York, in Madison County, Brown moved with his parents to Wisconsin in 1857. Resided for a time in Newport, Colum ...

, U.S. Representative *

Elizabeth Burmaster Elizabeth Burmaster (born July 26, 1954) is an American educator who was the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Wisconsin from 2001–09. After 45 years working in public education, Burmaster retired in July 2021. Life and c ...

, Wisconsin Superintendeant of Public Instruction and former president of Nicolet Area Technical College * Jason Doering, former professional football player for the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

and the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

* Darrell Einertson,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player *

Dan Forsman Daniel Bruce Forsman (born July 15, 1958) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and who now plays on the Champions Tour. Early years Forsman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. however his family relocated to Mountain View ...

, professional golfer, winner of five PGA Tour events * Clarence W. Gilley, Wisconsin State Representative *

Rita Gross Rita M. Gross (July 6, 1943 – November 11, 2015) was an American Buddhist feminist scholar of religions and author. Before retiring, she was Professor of Comparative Studies in Religion at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. In 1974 G ...

, theologian, educator, and writer, grew up on a dairy farm in the Rhinelander area. *

John Heisman John William Heisman (October 23, 1869 – October 3, 1936) was a player and coach of American football, baseball, and basketball, as well as a sportswriter and actor. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College, Buchtel College ...

, college football's

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

namesake, is buried in Rhinelander. A wooden statue honors Heisman at the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport. * Walt Kichefski,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

player * John Kotz, 1941 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player *

Craig Ludwig Craig Lee Ludwig (born March 15, 1961) is an American former professional hockey player. He played as a defenceman in the National Hockey League from 1982 to 1999 and was renowned for his shot-blocking ability. Ludwig was the color analyst for th ...

, former professional hockey player *

Ashlee Martinson Ashlee Anne Rose Martinson (born March 6, 1998) is an American woman convicted of the 2015 murders of her mother and stepfather, which she committed the day after her 17th birthday. Martinson's case received international attention. Martinson late ...

was convicted of murdering her mother and stepfather in 2015. *

Neil McEachin Neil McEachin (January 28, 1900 – November 8, 1957) was an American lawyer, judge, and politician. Born in Cavour, Forest County, Wisconsin, McEachin served in the United States Army briefly during World War I. He went to Marquette Univers ...

, Wisconsin State Representative and judge * Bernard N. Moran, Wisconsin State Senator *

T. V. Olsen Theodore Victor Olsen (April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin – July 13, 1993 in Rhinelander) was an American western fiction author. The films ''The Stalking Moon'' and ''Soldier Blue'' were based on his works. Biography Olsen's family ...

, author * Alvin E. O'Konski, U.S. Representative *

Parker Retzlaff Parker Retzlaff (born May 21, 2003) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro for Jordan Anderson Racing. He also competes full-time in the eNASCAR ...

, NASCAR Driver * Arthur M. Rogers, Wisconsin State Representative *

Richard J. Saykally Richard James Saykally (born September 10, 1947) is an American chemist. He is currently the Class of 1932 Endowed Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. He has received numerous awards for his research on the molecu ...

, professor of chemistry,

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

, was born in Rhinelander *

Vanessa Semrow Vanessa Marie Semrow (born November 13, 1984) is an American beauty queen who won Miss Teen USA 2002. Personal life Semrow was born as Vanessa Marie Semrow in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and she is of both American and Thai descent; her mother is Tha ...

Miss Wisconsin Teen USA The Miss Wisconsin Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Wisconsin in the Miss Teen USA pageant. Wisconsin has placed at Miss Teen-USA on six occasions. The first placement was in 1984, when Adriann ...

2002,

Miss Teen USA 2002 Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant formerly run, since 1983, by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on Fox and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the M ...

Joan Valerie Joan Valerie (born Helen Vlahakis; July 15, 1911 – January 30, 1983) was an American actress, who appeared mainly in B movies in the late 1930s and 1940s. Early years Born in Sparta, Wisconsin, Valerie was the daughter of Michael Vlahakis. ...

, film actress * John C. Van Hollen, Wisconsin politician and realtor * Robert Vito, television journalist *

Dale Wasserman Dale Wasserman (November 2, 1914 – December 21, 2008) was an American playwright, perhaps best known for his book for Man of La Mancha. Early life Dale Wasserman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, the child of Russian immigrants Samuel W ...

, playwright *

Mike Webster Michael Lewis Webster (March 18, 1952September 24, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a membe ...

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...

member * Jean M. Wilkowski, United States diplomat *

Kathryn Givney Kathryn Givney (October 27, 1896 – March 16, 1978) was an American actress on stage and in films. Biography In 1928, Givney was a member of the S. E. Cochran Repertory Company. In 1930, she appeared in ''Stepping Sisters'' at the Hollywood Pl ...

, Actress on stage and in films

Images

File:Rhineland Wisconsin Sign US8 Looking East.jpg, Looking east at the sign for Rhinelander on

US 8 U.S. Highway 8 (US 8) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs primarily east–west for , mostly within the state of Wisconsin. It connects Interstate 35 (I-35) in Forest Lake, Minnesota, to US 2 at Norway in the Upper Peninsul ...

File:Rhinelander Wisconsin City Hall.jpg, City hall File:Rhinelander Wisconsin Federal Building.jpg, former Federal Building now ArtStart Gallery File:Rhinelander Wisconsin Fire Department.jpg, Fire department File:Rhinelander Wisconsin Post Office.jpg, Post office File:Rhinelander Wisconsin Public Library.jpg, Public library File:Oneida County Courthouse August 2015.jpg, Oneida County Courthouse

References

External links

City of Rhinelander

Downtown Rhinelander

Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce
* Sanborn fire insurance maps
18891894190019081920
{{Authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Oneida County, Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin