Park Falls is a city in
Price 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 2,462 at the
2010 census.
Located in the woods of north central Wisconsin, primarily the
Chequamegon National Forest, Park Falls is a small community divided by the North Fork of the Flambeau River, a popular destination for
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
,
canoeing and
whitewater rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...
.
History
The city began in the late 19th century as a small river village called Muskellunge Falls. It was later renamed Park Falls for the scenic beauty surrounding the former falls on the south side of town. With a pulp and
paper mill, the town grew rapidly and was incorporated as a city in 1912.
At the height of the city's industrial success the city's population swelled to more than 4,000 residents. At the same time, commercial development fueled a sizeable
downtown, which largely remains today.
Several residential
neighborhoods, particularly along 1st Avenue North, were constructed of nearly identical homes, and this affordable housing stock is one of the community's lasting assets.
Recent development, which mostly began in the early 1990s, has been primarily concentrated along Wis. Highway 13, a north–south highway that is the city's main thoroughfare.
Several governmental offices are located in Park Falls, including a
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations.
North America United States
In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
, a
National Forest Service office, an outpost of the Wisconsin Department of National Resources, and the northern office of the state
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
.
Geography
Park Falls is located at (45.934590, -90.448538).
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 t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.
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 2,462 people, 1,096 households, and 622 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 1,283 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.7%
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 o ...
, 0.4%
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 ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 0.6%
Asian, 2.3%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 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 forme ...
or
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 were 1.0% of the population.
There were 1,096 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were
married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.2% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.78.
The median age in the city was 46.9 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.7% were from 45 to 64; and 22.8% 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
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 2000, there were 2,793 people, 1,185 households, and 718 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 787.1 people per square mile (303.8/km
2). There were 1,302 housing units at an average density of 366.9 per square mile (141.6/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.99%
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 o ...
, 0.11%
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 ...
, 0.43%
Native American, 0.86%
Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.07% 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 0.50% 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 forme ...
or
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 were 1.07% of the population.
There were 1,185 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were
married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median
income
Income is the consumption and saving opportunity gained by an entity within a specified timeframe, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. Income is difficult to define conceptually and the definition may be different across fields. Fo ...
for a household in the city was $33,860, and the median income for a family was $42,930. Males had a median income of $31,855 versus $20,959 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 $17,929. About 5.5% of families and 10.3% 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 16.1% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
![Park Falls 6](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Park_Falls_6.jpg)
The Flambeau River Papers Corporation (formerly Flambeau Paper Company), a namesake of the Flambeau River, was once the largest
employer in the area. The mill, which closed in early 2006, underwent many name changes throughout its more than 100-year history. Its closure was a significant economic shock for the community. Local and state officials offered relocation, and educational and mental health services for displaced workers. A buyer was found for the mill and it was reopened in August 2006 as Flambeau River Papers.
Park Falls is also home to St. Croix Rod, a
fishing rod company, and a factory for Weather Shield, a
window
A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent mat ...
manufacturer.
Education
The Park Falls School District is geographically the largest school district in Wisconsin.
The school district combined with the Glidden school district creating the Chequamegon School District starting from the 2009–10 school year.
Transportation
Bus service 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 ...
.
Airport
Park Falls is served by the
Park Falls Municipal Airport (KPKF). Located two miles northeast of the city, the airport handles approximately 6,750 operations per year, with roughly 97% general aviation and 3% air taxi. The airport has a 3,200 foot asphalt runway with approved GPS approaches (Runway 18-36).
Media
![WCQM 98](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/WCQM_98.3FM_WPFP_980AM_studios.jpg)
*
WPFP AM 980, Freedom Talk(WNBI)
*
WCQM FM 98.3, Country
Sports and recreation
The abundance of public
forests
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
and several
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
s, including the
Turtle-Flambeau Flowage to the east of the city, has made Park Falls a destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Hunting
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
, fishing,
snowmobiling
A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...
and ATV riding are popular attractions and the town is connected to an extensive system of off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails.
The Chequamegon Screaming Eagles (formerly the Park Falls Cardinals and Glidden Black Bears due to a consolidation), have had a long-standing
rivalry
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
with the
Phillips Loggers.
Events
Park Falls celebrates its community
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival ...
, Flambeau Rama, every year during the first weekend in August. Many
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
class reunions are held during the four-day event.
Notable people
*
Shane Frederick, MIT management science professor
*
David Greenwood (football player), NFL safety
[David Greenwood NFL.com profile](_blank)
/ref>
* Eric E. Hagedorn, politician and electrical engineer
* Eric Jarosinski, a writer and social media personality
An Internet celebrity (also known as a social media influencer, social media personality, internet personality, or simply influencer) is a celebrity who has acquired or developed their fame and notability through the Internet. The rise of social ...
* Luke Timothy Johnson, theologian and writer
* Dennis Morgan, actor-singer
* Frank Stone, businessman, farmer, and politician
* Helen F. Thompson, businesswoman, teacher, and politician['Wisconsin Blue Book 1927,' Biographical Sketch of Helen F. Thompson, pg. 718]
* Magnus Wenninger
Father Magnus J. Wenninger OSB (October 31, 1919Banchoff (2002)– February 17, 2017) was an American mathematician who worked on constructing polyhedron models, and wrote the first book on their construction.
Early life and education
Born to Ge ...
, mathematician and priest
Images
File:Park Falls Wisconsin Sign WIS13.jpg, Sign on WIS 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 ...
File:Park Falls Wisconsin School.jpg, School
File:Park Falls Wisconsin Downtown.jpg, Downtown
References
External links
City of Park Falls website
Chequamegon School District
{{authority control
Cities in Wisconsin
Cities in Price County, Wisconsin
Populated places established in 1912
1912 establishments in Wisconsin