New Richmond is a city in

St. Croix County St. Croix County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 93,536. Its county seat is Hudson. The county was created in 1840 (then in the Wisconsin Territory) and organized in 1849. St. Croix Co ...

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. Its population was 10,079 as of the 2020 census.

History

New Richmond was founded in 1857. The first permanent settlement was established by Hiram Foster, who had led a group of settlers from

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the ...

into the area in search of virgin

timber for harvesting. Foster built and operated a sawmill on the banks of the Willow River, which gradually drew more settlers from New England into the area. For the first few years the settlement was called Foster's Crossing, and was later renamed after Richmond Day, the land surveyor who plotted the town. Because another town in Wisconsin had already taken the name Richmond, it was decided to call the town New Richmond. In 1871, New Richmond was made a station on the southwestern branch of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, St. Paul,

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with list of lakes in Minneapolis, thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. ...

& Omaha Railroad's 'Omaha X' network, initially working northwards from Hudson to New Richmond and providing a direct connection to St. Paul. Construction on the line continued northeast of New Richmond, reaching

Spooner, Wisconsin Spooner is a city in Washburn County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,573 at the 2020 census. The city is located mostly within the southwest corner of the Town of Spooner, with a small portion extending into the Town of Beaver ...

in 1879. In addition to a steady stream of newcomers from New England, New Richmond saw an influx of Irish immigrants throughout the 1870s and early 1880s, later followed by large numbers of

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

Norwegians Norwegians ( no, nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegians are descended from the ...

and a few Swedes throughout the 1880s and 1890s. In 1885, the Wisconsin Central Railroad built a line into the north side of town westward from Chippewa Falls, from where it later continued towards Stillwater and on to St. Paul. On the early evening of June 12, 1899, a deadly tornado tore through St. Croix,

Polk Polk may refer to: People * James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States * Polk (name), other people with the name Places *Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois * Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Polk, Missouri ...

and Barron counties along a 46-mile path. While most of the F5-strength storm's path was confined to rural areas, New Richmond suffered a direct hit, with half the town's residences leveled as well as the entire business district. In all, the tornado killed 117 people, 111 at New Richmond alone, injured more than 125, left over 1,500 people homeless and caused an estimated $18 million in damage. Due to state and federal aid and a large amount of donations, most of the homes and all but two of the businesses destroyed in the storm were able to rebuild by the following winter. Today, the tornado ranks as the deadliest ever recorded in Wisconsin and the ninth deadliest tornado in American history. Most of Main Street (Knowles Avenue) was rebuilt within five months.

Geography

New Richmond is located at (45.119856, −92.539142). 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 An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. A major source of

hydrological Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is calle ...

water is from the Willow River, which is dammed near the center of town.

Demographics

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 in ...

of 2010, there were 8,375 people, 3,421 households, and 2,094 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was . There were 3,684 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.5%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. There were 3,421 households, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age in the city was 33.9 years. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 6,310 people, 2,561 households, and 1,546 families residing in the city. The

was 1,237.2 people per square mile (477.7/km²). There were 2,657 housing units at an average density of 521.0 per square mile (201.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.15%

, 0.22%

, 0.24% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population. There were 2,561 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were

living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $43,475, and the median income for a family was $52,422. Males had a median income of $37,306 versus $27,153 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 $19,840. About 4.2% of families and 6.8% 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 ...

, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The New Richmond School district consists of three elementary schools, Starr, Hillside, and Paperjack; New Richmond Middle School; and New Richmond High School.

Northwood Technical College Northwood Technical College (formerly known as Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College or WITC) is a public technical college with campuses in Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake and Superior, Wisconsin. There are also outreach centers in Balsam La ...

New Richmond is a technical college that serves New Richmond and the surrounding area. Northwood also has campuses in Rice Lake, Ashland, and

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

Infrastructure

New Richmond station previously served passenger trains on the

Soo Line Railroad The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , one of seven U.S. Class I railroads, controlled through the Soo Line Corporation. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and S ...

Roads

Wisconsin Highways 64 and 65 are main routes in the community. Highway 64 runs east–west, and Highway 65 / Knowles Avenue runs north–south. Other main routes include County Roads A, CC, and K, and Fourth Street.

Airport

The New Richmond Regional Airport (

ICAO The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international ...

: KRNH) is a large general aviation airport north of New Richmond's central business district that serves the region and the military. The airport is considered the largest in Wisconsin in terms of the number of hangars at the airport, which total 117. The airport ranks second in Wisconsin in terms of based aircraft totaling 225. The nearest airport with commercial flights is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

Notable people

Robert M. Boche Robert M. Boche (February 21, 1921 - November 25, 2004) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Boche was born on February 21, 1921, in Rosemount, Minnesota. He graduated from Rosemount High School before attending Globe Unive ...

, Wisconsin State Representative, resided in New Richmond * Jessie Connors, contestant from the first season of The Apprentice (US), born in New Richmond *

John Doar John Michael Doar (December 3, 1921 – November 11, 2014) was an American lawyer and senior counsel with the law firm Doar Rieck Kaley & Mack in New York City. During the administrations of presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, he s ...

, civil rights attorney *

Michael P. Early Michael Patrick Early (March 10, 1918March 29, 1993) was an American plumber, contractor, and Democratic politician. He served six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Buffalo, Pepin, and Pierce counties. He was briefly the 2 ...

, Wisconsin State Representative, born in New Richmond * Casey Finnegan, college football coach; born in New Richmond *

Albert W. Hillestad Albert William Hillestad (July 11, 1924 – June 14, 2007) was an Episcopal priest and bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield from 1972 to 1981. Early and family life Born on July 11, 1924, in New Richmond, Wisconsin to Evar and Eleanora ...

, Episcopal Bishop of Springfield, Illinois, born in New Richmond *

Warren P. Knowles Warren Perley Knowles III (August 19, 1908 – May 1, 1993) was an American lawyer and politician, and was the 36th Governor of Wisconsin. Prior to that, he was the 32nd and 34th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, and represented St. Croix, ...

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscon ...

, practiced law in New Richmond *

Scott Lynch Scott Lynch (born April 2, 1978) is an American fantasy author who wrote the '' Gentleman Bastard Sequence'' series of novels. His first novel, '' The Lies of Locke Lamora'', was purchased by Orion Books in August 2004 and published in June 2006 ...

, fantasy author, resides in New Richmond * John McNally, football player for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the th ...

(1929–1936), member of the

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, coac ...

, former NFL head coach, born in New Richmond *

Ethan B. Minier Ethan B. Minier (September 1, 1874 – December 29, 1958) was an American farmer, teacher, lawyer, and politician. Born in Ulster, Pennsylvania, Minier moved with his parents in 1887 to a farm near New Richmond, Wisconsin. Minier taught scho ...

, Wisconsin State Representative, lawyer, and farmer, lived near New Richmond * George Oakes, Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer, born near New Richmond *

Roy Vassau Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...

, professional football player for the

Milwaukee Badgers The Milwaukee Badgers was a professional American football team, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the National Football League from 1922 to 1926. The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field, on ...

, born in New Richmond *

William W. Ward William Walter Ward (August 8, 1903 - May 9, 1984) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Ward was born on August 8, 1903, in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. He attended grade school in Star Prairie, Wisconsin and high school in M ...

, Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer, resided in New Richmond *

Orrin J. Williams Orrin James Williams was an American politician and businessman. Biography Williams was born in New Portland, Somerset County, Maine, on March 14, 1844. He was a hardware merchant by trade. Williams died in New Richmond, Wisconsin New Richmo ...

, Wisconsin State Representative, resided in New Richmond

References

External links

New Richmond Heritage Center

City of New Richmond
* Sanborn fire insurance maps
1887189219001912

New Richmond aerial photos
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in St. Croix County, Wisconsin