Beaver Dam was first settled by Thomas Mackie and Joseph Goetschius in 1841; by 1843, it had a population of almost 100. The city was named for an old beaver dam located in a stream flowing into Beaver Dam River.[6] The area had also been known as Okwaanim, Chippewa for beaver dam.[7] The community was incorporated as a city on March 18, 1856.[8] That same year the Milwaukee Railroad reached the area, encouraging further growth.
Beaver Dam has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb). Since 1996, the average annual snowfall in Beaver Dam has been 63.5 inches (161cm). The 2007–2008 winter season was the snowiest on record with 119.7 inches (304cm).[12]
Climate data for Beaver Dam Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–1895, 1953–present)
As of the census of 2020,[16] the population was 16,708. The population density was 2,284.7 inhabitants per square mile (882.1/km2). There were 7,699 housing units at an average density of 1,052.8 unitsper square mile (406.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.0% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 4.7% from other races, and 7.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 11.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016–2020, the median income for a household in the city was $55,551, and the median income for a family was $73,309. Male full-time workers had a median income of $48,773 versus $40,140 for female workers. The per capita income for the city was $30,729. About 6.2% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.[17] Of the population age 25 and over, 93.0% were high school graduates or higher and 21.4% had a bachelor's degree or higher.[18]
2010 census
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 16,214 people, 6,819 households, and 4,113 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,387.9 inhabitants per square mile (922.0/km2). There were 7,326 housing units at an average density of 1,078.9 unitsper square mile (416.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.0% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.5% of the population.
There were 6,819 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% 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 census[19] of 2000, there were 15,169 people, 6,349 households, and 3,999 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,904.6 peopleper square mile (1,121.5 people/km2). There were 6,685 housing units at an average density of 1,280.1 unitsper square mile (494.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.95% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,349 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
Arts and culture
Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre
The following events are held each year in Beaver Dam:[20]
January:
Cabin Fever Fest – 4th Sunday
March:
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast – 1st Sunday
April:
Rotary Casino Night – 1st Saturday
Beaver Dam Area Orchestra Annual Spring Concert – 3rd Saturday
May:
Race Into Summer Festival – Sunday of Memorial Day weekend
Memorial Day Parade – Memorial Day
June:
Taste of Wisconsin (beer & cheese tasting) – Saturday before Father's Day
The Beaver Dam Unified School District provides public education in the area. Beaver Dam has five public primary schools, one middle school, and Beaver Dam High School. An alternative school, the Don Smith Learning Academy, is part of the Beaver Dam Unified School District.
There are two parochial primary schools: St. Katharine Drexel (grades: Pre-K to 8th),[21] and St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran (grades: K to 8th).[22] The city is also home to Wayland Academy, a private school.
Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam is a 163-bed hospital.[23] There are 44.4 primary care physicians per 100,000 population in Beaver Dam.[24] There are two behavioral health professionals in Beaver Dam.[24]
The area is designated as both a mental health and primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), qualifying the region as a medical desert.[25] By 2035, Beaver Dam is expected to have a 48.4% deficit in primary care physicians, the eighth largest predicted deficit in Wisconsin.[24]
↑ Betty Cowley (2002). Stalag Wisconsin: Inside WW II Prisoner-of-war Camps. Oregon, Wis.: Badger Books. p.77. ISBN978-1-878569-83-7. In trucks under heavy military escort, 300 German PW's arrived on the 17th of June.
↑ "Elmer Rhenstrom". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
↑ "Gil Sterr". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
↑ "Barney Traynor". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
↑ Cherrington, Ernest Hurst (1926). "IRVINE, STELLA BLANCHARD.". Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem, Vol. III, Downing-Kansas. Westerville, Ohio: American Issue Publishing Co. pp.1359–60. Retrieved February 8, 2024– via Internet Archive.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
