Reedsburg is a city in

Sauk County, Wisconsin Sauk County is a county in Wisconsin. It is named after a large village of the Sauk people. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,763. Its county seat and largest city is Baraboo. The county was created in 1840 from Wisconsin Territor ...

, United States. Its population in 2020 was 9,984. The city is located northwest of

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

within the Baraboo micropolitan area. The city is surrounded by the Town of Reedsburg and is situated along the

Baraboo River The Baraboo River is a tributary of the Wisconsin River, in south-central Wisconsin in the United States. Via the Wisconsin River, it is part of the drainage basin, watershed of the Mississippi River. The Baraboo River also has one of the longe ...

. It is the second-largest city in Sauk County after

Baraboo Baraboo ( ) is the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, located along the Baraboo River. The population was 12,556 at the 2020 census. The most populous city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo micropol ...

, with a population of 9,984 at the time of the 2020 United States census. Prior to the arrival of non-

indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

in the 19th century, the region was home to the

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hocąk, Hoocągra, or Winnebago are a Siouan languages, Siouan-speaking Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois ...

people. Reedsburg was first settled by James W. Babb in 1845. David C. Reed arrived in 1847, building a dam and being the namesake of the town. After the town was

platted In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...

in 1852, growth would continue through its incorporation as a city in 1887. Historically, the area has relied on agriculture and manufacturing industries. Reedsburg would grow significantly following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and again from 1990–2010.

History

Early settlement

Early settlers came to this area due to the abundance of natural resources, especially lumber. In 1844, the first

copper mine Copper extraction is the multi-stage process of obtaining copper from its ores. The conversion of copper ores consists of a series of physical, chemical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ...

was established in this area, but it was soon abandoned. James W. Babb and his wife Rebecca Scarff Babb are the earliest recorded settlers, having brought their family to Wisconsin from Ohio in 1845. At a place 55 miles northeast of Mineral Point (the capital of

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belm ...

), long identified by the Winnebago who inhabited these lands as a convenient place to cross the

, Babb left a flat-bottomed boat to help move supplies. At "Babb's Ford," in 1847 David C. Reed built a dam and a shanty to house the workers who constructed it. In June 1848 a sawmill followed. By 1850, "Shanty Row" comprised five tamarack shanties. These initial buildings were of poor construction, and did not have a strong foundation, due to the black-alder swamp by the Baraboo River. Main Street would later be built where "Shanty Row" stood. Reedsburg was platted in 1852, and four years later the community had grown to 50 buildings housing 27 families and 122 people. The first bridge across the Baraboo River was built in 1853, located where the Main Street bridge would later be built. In 1854 the Mackey brothers purchased Reed's saw mill, and brought economic security to the area. As the town was growing, more farms continued to be developed around the area, cultivating a variety of crops.

Late 1800s

The community continued under town government until 1868, when Reedsburg was incorporated as a village; it became a city in May 1887. In the 1860s, a hop boom temporarily brought wealth into the area. After the crash of the hops market, more farms started to diversify, and Reedsburg would become known for its grain and dairy products. The

Chicago & North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...

(C&NW) arrived in 1872. In the 1870s, Main Street started to develop, with grocery stores, banks, and other businesses establishing in Reedsburg. In 1880, the Reedsburg Brewing Company was formed. As the city continued to grow, more industries came to Reedsburg. On December 1, 1883, the Webb and Schweke department store opened, known as the "Big Store". The store would go on to be the largest department store in Sauk County. The City Hotel opened in 1886, owned by William Roper. Among the most important was the

Reedsburg Woolen Mill The Reedsburg Woolen Mill was a historic woolen mill along the Baraboo River in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. With The woolen mill was the largest employer in Reedsburg for much of its life, employing over 200 people. The woolen mill was built in 1891 and ...

. Construction was completed in 1882, and by 1899, 32 broad looms produced mainly "fancy cassimeres" for Chicago markets. Reedsburg Woolen Mill Reedsburg1921

1900s

In 1902 the facility was purchased by

Appleton Woolen Mills The Appleton Woolen Mills was a historic woolen mill along the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin. The woolen mill was built in 1881 and was abandoned in 1969 when the company relocated. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places ...

, and began producing clothing for east coast outlets. Sears and Montgomery Wards became two major clients. In 1910, the Central Wisconsin Creamery opened, making Reedsburg famous for its butter production. In 1954, when Appleton Woolen Mills shifted focus to felts, the business in Reedsburg reorganized to emphasize novelty fabrics. The Big Store burned down in 1957, after 78 years of service. The Reedsburg Woolen Mill, long one of the area's largest employers, endured until 1967; most of the mill complex burned in April 1968, leaving only the mill office. In 1928, the

Reedsburg Municipal Airport Reedsburg Municipal Airport, is a city-owned, public use airport located one mile (two km) east of the central business district of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, a city in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The airport was opened in March 1928 and has ...

was first established on an farm east of the city. It would be later purchased by the city and continues to be used today as a

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

airport. In 1951, Herbert Webb left Reedsburg a $300,000 trust fund, which is equivalent to over 4 million dollars, adjusted for inflation. He also set aside funding for Webb Park and Webb High School on the northeast side of Reedsburg, before his death in 1954. Another important business has been the Hankscraft Company. Incorporated in Madison in 1920, Hankscraft—makers of baby bottle warmers, sterilizers and other products—thrived during the post-war baby boom, and in 1949 opened a plant in Reedsburg. In 1961, Hankscraft purchased Nursmatic Corporation, expanding their line to include bassinets, safety harnesses, baby toiletries and other products; a year later, the acquisition of Ruzicka Laboratories allowed the firm to expand once more, adding vaporizer fluids,

baby oil Baby oil is an inert oil used to keep Human skin, skin soft and supple, named for its use on babies and also often used on adults for skincare and massage. The skin of an infant, especially a Preterm birth, premature one, is sensitive, thin, a ...

, shampoo and lotions. In 1970, Hankscraft was purchased by Gerber Products Company, and began producing baby food. It was the town's second largest employer, exceeded only by the Reedsburg Woolen Mill. In the 1980s, the

Wisconsin and Southern Railroad The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad is a Class II regional railroad in Southern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois currently operated by Watco. It operates former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) and ...

came to Reedsburg, having purchased the old C&NW railroad track. In 1996, Gerber Products Company sold Hankscraft Motors, which continues to operate in Reedsburg. Other important industries have included Grede Foundry, Seats, Inc., and the Columbia Par Car Corporation. In 1971, the first Butter Festival, now known as Butterfest, was held in Webb Park. It was a celebration of the farming and dairy industry. In 1984, together the Main Street Commercial Historic District and the Park Street Historic District were added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1993, 22 miles of the C&NW rail line between Reedsburg and Elroy became the Wisconsin 400 State Trail, a hiking/biking trail named for the passenger rail line that was said to travel the 400 miles between Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul in 400 minutes.

2000s

Fermentation Fest, an annual celebration of Reedsburg's agricultural heritage, was established in 2010. As part of the movement in 2014, Harvest Park was created as a downtown park featuring "Ruminant", a decorated piece of farm equipment, as a permanent installation. The

flooded in both 2008 and 2018, destroying several homes and businesses. As a result of the flooding, two new parks were created – Mackey Park and the Community Market.

Geography

Reedsburg is located in northern Sauk County, approximately northwest of

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population, second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 Uni ...

. The city sits on the

90th meridian west The meridian 90° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole. In ...

at (43.533854, -90.002902). A pink

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

marker on Main Street reads ''325 feet east of this point lies the 90th meridian.'' The marker was dedicated on October 14, 1963, to designate Reedsburg's unique location. It was donated by Whitney Memorials and erected by the

Kiwanis Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. In 1987, the organization ...

Club. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The

flows through the city. Lake Virginia is a small lake on the east side of Reedsburg. Lake Redstone and Dutch Hollow Lake are 2

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

s located in the nearby town of La Valle.

Babb Creek Babb Creek is a tributary of Pine Creek in Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Keystone Canoeing'', Seneca Press, 2004. The tributary Stony Fork Creek joins Babb Creek just upstream of the community of Blackwell, 3.5 mi ...

, Hay Creek, and Copper Creek, tributaries of the Baraboo River, all flow through Reedsburg. Babb Creek was named for early settler James W. Babb. Hay and Copper Creek were named for the farming and short lived mining industry in Reedsburg.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Reedsburg 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 cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Reedsburg was on July 31, 1988, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 30, 1951.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 9,984. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 4,433 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.3%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.0% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 3.7% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 7.2%

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 9,200 people, 3,795 households, and 2,357 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 4,103 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3%

, 0.6%

, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population. There were 3,795 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 22.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 7,827 people, 3,193 households, and 2,021 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 3,380 housing units . The racial makeup of the city was 97.44%

, 0.17%

, 0.79% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.61% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 3,193 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 13.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,152, and the median income for a family was $44,329. Males had a median income of $33,211 versus $21,973 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,828. About 5.5% of families and 7.5% 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 7.3% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Reedsburg operates under the mayor-council form of government, with each of four districts being represented by two aldermen, along with one at-large alderman. David Estes has served as the mayor since 2010. The city is managed by an appointed city administrator, which currently is Timothy Becker. The Reedsburg Police Department is the law enforcement agency in the city. The department was founded in 1868, and currently has 22 full time police officers.

Infrastructure

The city includes the Main Street Commercial Historic District and the Park Street Historic District, which contain commercial and residential buildings built from 1873 to 1920. The Chicago and North Western Depot was built in 1906 which connected Reedsburg to the

Twin Cities 400 The ''400''Chicago & North Western Railway Route of the "400" The Streamliners and the Challengers ime Table Rand McNally, January 15, 1939. Chicago, IL (later named the ''Twin Cities 400''Chicago & North Western Railway Through Passenger Sche ...

line. Currently, it serves as the headquarters for the

400 State Trail The 400 State Trail is a rail trail between Reedsburg and Elroy, Wisconsin. It is designed for foot, bicycle, equestrian, snowmobile traffic. It is designated as a multi-use trail, offering recreational access to the routes, and is open to the ...

, a biking and hiking trail that starts in Reedsburg and ends in

Elroy, Wisconsin Elroy is a city in Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Baraboo River and at the east end of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. The population was 1,356 at the 2020 census. History Elroy was named in 1858, supposedly after a place in ...

, following the old Twin Cities 400 track.

Sound Devices Sound Devices LLC is an American company headquartered in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, with additional offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Rickmansworth, UK. Sound Devices designs and manufactures professional audio and video equipment. History The comp ...

is headquartered in Reedsburg. Webb Park Reedsburg2020

Parks

Reedsburg has 18 parks within the city. City Park is the oldest, being donated by the city's founder David C. Reed in 1848. Webb Park is another large park, being dedicated to Herbert H. Webb, a generous benefactor to Reedsburg. Webb Park includes the city's swimming pool and splash pad, and is adjacent to Webb Middle School. The woods behind Webb Park is called the Roger Popple Nature Area, which includes several trails, and the Half-Moon Lagoon Disc Golf Course.

Transportation

State Highways 33 and 23 run along Main Street. State Highway 136 terminates in Reedsburg. There is access to

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...

/ 94 nearby, and the city is served by the

(C35). Some city roads include bicycle lanes and there are posted bike routes through major areas of town. The

operates on the old C&NW track.

Dial-a-ride Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...

transit service is available through the Reedsburg Taxi Service.

Education

The

School District of Reedsburg A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of fo ...

has two elementary schools serving students in pre-kindergarten through grade 2, one intermediate school serving students in grade 3 through grade 5, one middle school, and one

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

. There is a

Madison Area Technical College Madison Area Technical College, or simply Madison College or MATC, is a public technical college in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It serves students in south-central Wisconsin and is part of the Wisconsin Technical College System. The co ...

regional campus on the west side of Reedsburg. The Reedsburg Public Library is located in the downtown and is a member of the South Central Library System. The

University of Wisconsin–Platteville Baraboo Sauk County The University of Wisconsin–Platteville Baraboo Sauk County (UW-Baraboo or Boo-U) is a branch campus of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville, located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Founded in 1968, it was known as University of Wisconsin–Barabo ...

is in nearby

and serves Sauk County.

Notable people

Clare Briggs Clare A. Briggs (August 5, 1875 – January 3, 1930) was an early American comic strip artist who rose to fame in 1904 with his strip ''A. Piker Clerk''. Briggs was best known for his later comic strips ''When a Feller Needs a Friend'', ''Ain't It ...

, comic strip artist *

Pam Coy Pam Coy is a grocer and business owner based in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. She, alongside her father and brother, own and operate a grocery store, Viking Village Foods. The family also owns several related businesses in the community including a liquor ...

, owner of several Reedsburg businesses * Edward Dithmar, lieutenant governor of

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

* Alexander Preston Ellinwood, Wisconsin politician, businessman, and educator, lived in Reedsburg. * John Harrington, professional football player * Charlie Kavanagh,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player *

Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr (born March 20, 1956) is an American composer and conductor. He previously conducted the St. Olaf Band for 29 years before his retirement in 2023. Early life Mahr was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Music deg ...

, composer and conductor, professor of music at

St. Olaf College St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American pastors and farmers led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after the King and th ...

Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning five decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...

, actress * Saul Phillips, head coach of the

North Dakota State Bison The North Dakota State Bison are the athletic teams of North Dakota State University (NDSU), which is located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota. The teams are often called the "Thundering Herd". The current logo is a bison. Sports sponsored ...

men's basketball team * Albert O. Sorge, Wisconsin State Representative * Henry W. Sorge, Wisconsin State Representative *

Warren Weaver Warren Weaver (July 17, 1894 – November 24, 1978) was an American scientist, mathematician, and science administrator. He is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of machine translation and as an important figure in creating support for scie ...

, scientist

References

External links

City of ReedsburgReedsburg Public Library
*Sanborn fire insurance maps
188518921898190419121918
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Sauk County, Wisconsin