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Hartford, Wisconsin

Hartford is a city in Washington and Dodge counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,223. All of this population resided in the Washington County portion of the city. The portion of the city in Dodge County consists of only industrial/commercial parcels. Located approximately 38 miles (61 km) northwest of Downtown Milwaukee and 22 miles (35 km) from city limits, Hartford is located on the outer edge of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Hartford, Wisconsin
Downtown Hartford on WIS 83
Location of Hartford in Dodge County (west) and Washington County (east), Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°19′6″N 88°22′44″W / 43.31833°N 88.37889°W / 43.31833; -88.37889
Country United States
State Wisconsin
CountiesWashington, Dodge
Area
 • Total8.51 sq mi (22.04 km2)
 • Land8.43 sq mi (21.83 km2)
 • Water0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)
Elevation981 ft (299 m)
Population
 • Total14,223
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
15,445
 • Density1,832.58/sq mi (707.57/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
53027, 53078, 53086
Area code262
FIPS code55-33000[5]
GNIS feature ID1566104[2]
Websitewww.ci.hartford.wi.us

History edit

Early history and settlement edit

 
1911 Hartford, Wisconsin High School

In the early 19th century, Hartford was inhabited by the Potawatomi and Menominee people, who had a trading post on the Rubicon River and a village on the eastern shore of Pike Lake. In 1831, the Menominee surrendered their claims to the land to the United States Federal Government through the Treaty of Washington, and the Potawatomi surrendered their land claims in 1833 through the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, which (after being ratified in 1835) required them to leave the area by 1838.[6][7] However, when the first White settlers arrived in 1843, they found that the Potawatomi were still living at the Pike Lake village.[8] Some Native Americans remained in the area and were referred to as "strolling Potawatomi" in contemporary documents because many of them were migrants who subsisted by squatting on their ancestral lands, which were now owned by White settlers. Eventually the Potawatomi who evaded forced removal gathered in northern Wisconsin, where they formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community.[9]

In July 1843, Timothy Hall became the first White person to purchase and settle land in the Hartford area, although when he arrived he found a Canadian named Jehial Case squatting near his land. Later that year, German immigrant settlers John Theil and Nicolaus Simon surveyed the Hartford area and determined that the Rubicon River would be a suitable location for a hydropowered mill. The following year, James and George Rossman joined Simon and Theil's venture. The men purchased forty acres abutting the rapids of the Rubicon River[10] and constructed a dam and a sawmill that harnessed the river's power to make lumber from the old-growth forests covering the area.[11] In 1846, a third Rossman brother, Charles, arrived in Hartford and constructed a gristmill to process grain grown by the settlers.[12] On January 31, 1846, the land was incorporated as the Town of Wright, before the name was changed to the Town of Hartford in February 1847,[13] after Hartford, Connecticut. Many of the original settlers were Yankees from New England and were part of a wave of farmers who headed west in the early 1800s, though some other settlers—including Theil and Simon—were German immigrants. The early settlers cleared land for farming; constructed roads; created a post office;[14][15] erected churches, starting with the First Congregational Church of Hartford which formed in 1847 and followed by Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, and Catholic churches in the 1850s;[16] and established businesses to serve the town's agricultural economy, including equipment wholesalers, general stores, and dry goods dealers.[17]

The La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad was constructed through the community in 1855,[17] and while rail connections were important to Hartford's growth into the early 1900s,[18] the company failed in 1861. Many local landowners had taken out mortgages on land for the railroad in exchange for company shares. The company's failure left the landowners with mortgages to pay off, creating a local crisis in which some families were forced to sell their farms. The Hartford Home League newspaper started during the crisis to advocate for the farmers.[17][19]

The community's early years saw increasing tension between the settlers and Native Americans. For example, on August 25, 1861, a group of approximately a dozen Native Americans was living near Horicon Marsh, northwest of Hartford. They owned a horse, which got loose and wandered into a neighboring settler's cornfield. The settler shot and killed the horse, and the Native Americans vowed to take revenge. The story traveled quickly, becoming increasingly exaggerated as it spread. By the time the story reached Hartford on August 26, the dozen peaceful Native Americans had been transfigured into an army of 5,000 warriors preparing to massacre the settlers in the area. Many able-bodied men in Hartford armed themselves, formed a war party, and set out to fight the Native Americans. But when they arrived at Horicon Marsh they found that the threat was entirely fictional. The incident caused widespread fear among the local Native American community as well as in the surrounding settler communities. [20][21]

Growth and industrialization edit

 
The Kissel Motor Car Company factory in 1921.
 
A 1929 Kissel 8-95 White Eagle made in Hartford, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford owns a large collection of Kissels and other automobiles manufactured in the state.

Hartford incorporated as a city in 1883. While Hartford had a large German-American population in the 19th century and was home to several German cultural associations, including the Hartford Turners, the Hartford Schützenverein, and a chapter of the Sons of Hermann,[16] the Germans in Hartford tended to be more assimilated than Germans in other Washington County communities. In 1912, one historian observed that in Washington County "there have always been places where the American [culture] predominated. Take the example of the two cities in the county. Hartford always was more of an American community than West Bend."[22]

In the final decades of the 1800s and first years of the 1900s, Hartford's economy shifted from being a small market town serving the local farmers to being a larger industrial community. In 1906, the Kissel Motor Car Company opened and quickly became the community's largest employer, creating hundreds of jobs and bringing European immigrant laborers into the community. Hartford was also home to the International Stamping Company, which manufactured automobile parts; the Hartford Canning Company,[17] which processed local farmers' crops such as peas, which were a cash crop in the area;[23] the knitting mills of the Paramount Knitting Company; a glove factory; three tanneries and a brewery.[24]

During World War II, Hartford's factories contributed to the war effort. The Kissel car factory, which was sold to the West Bend Aluminum Company in 1944, was retooled to make shell casings, rocket containers, affordable kitchenware and canisters for gas masks. The Hartford Canning Company produced military rations.[17] In the summer of 1944, the U.S. military tried to fill labor shortages in the Hartford area by contracting German prisoners of war to work on pea farms. Initially, the prisoners were transported from a requisitioned hotel on Lake Keesus in Waukesha County. In October 1944, the military requisitioned the Schwartz Ballroom on Jefferson Street (operating as the "Chandelier Ballroom" as of 2020)[25] to serve as a prisoner of war camp for 600 Germans. The prisoners were contracted to work on farms as well as in canneries, hemp mills, dairy facilities and tanneries. The camp closed in January 1946 and the prisoners were repatriated to Germany.[26]

Hartford's population grew during the post–World War II economic expansion. The population more than doubled between 1950 and 1960, and the community has continued to grow in subsequent decades. While many of the early 20th century manufacturers, including the Kissel Motor Car Company, have closed, Hartford is home to several large manufacturers, including Broan-NuTone, which manufactures ventilation systems. In 1990, the city annexed land from the neighboring Town of Rubicon in Dodge County to expand its industrial zone.[27]

Historic landmarks edit

 
George A. Kissel House
 
William L. Kissel House

Several buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and among them are some of the Kissel houses as well as houses they built for others.

The Hartford post office contains an oil on canvas mural, Autumn Wisconsin Landscape, painted in 1940 by Ethel Spears. It was produced for the Section of Painting and Sculpture (later the Section of Fine Arts) of the Treasury Department as part of the WPA Depression-era employment projects.[28]

Geography edit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.02 square miles (20.77 km2), of which, 7.94 square miles (20.56 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) is water.[29]

Hartford is located within the Kettle Moraine, a large moraine formed when the Green Bay and Lake Michigan Lobes collided. These glacial movements created varied land formations such as kettles, lakes, hills, and kames that distinguish the region.[10]

Tornado of 2006 edit

The city was the site of an F1 tornado on June 18, 2006, which caused minor damage to homes in the area, and major damage on the city's south side. Lincoln Elementary School and the Silver Bell Motel both suffered roof and structural damage.[30]

Climate edit

Climate data for Hartford Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–1901, 1953–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 55
(13)
69
(21)
83
(28)
88
(31)
94
(34)
100
(38)
105
(41)
101
(38)
97
(36)
89
(32)
75
(24)
65
(18)
105
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 45.6
(7.6)
50.3
(10.2)
65.0
(18.3)
77.1
(25.1)
85.1
(29.5)
90.4
(32.4)
91.1
(32.8)
89.2
(31.8)
86.9
(30.5)
79.1
(26.2)
63.9
(17.7)
50.2
(10.1)
93.2
(34.0)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 25.9
(−3.4)
29.9
(−1.2)
41.3
(5.2)
54.3
(12.4)
66.7
(19.3)
76.6
(24.8)
80.2
(26.8)
78.6
(25.9)
71.8
(22.1)
58.7
(14.8)
43.8
(6.6)
31.3
(−0.4)
54.9
(12.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 17.2
(−8.2)
20.7
(−6.3)
31.5
(−0.3)
43.7
(6.5)
55.5
(13.1)
65.5
(18.6)
69.2
(20.7)
67.4
(19.7)
60.1
(15.6)
47.9
(8.8)
34.8
(1.6)
23.3
(−4.8)
44.7
(7.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 8.5
(−13.1)
11.4
(−11.4)
21.7
(−5.7)
33.2
(0.7)
44.3
(6.8)
54.4
(12.4)
58.2
(14.6)
56.2
(13.4)
48.4
(9.1)
37.1
(2.8)
25.9
(−3.4)
15.4
(−9.2)
34.6
(1.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −13.9
(−25.5)
−9.2
(−22.9)
1.5
(−16.9)
20.5
(−6.4)
31.1
(−0.5)
41.5
(5.3)
48.1
(8.9)
45.3
(7.4)
34.2
(1.2)
23.7
(−4.6)
10.9
(−11.7)
−4.5
(−20.3)
−18.3
(−27.9)
Record low °F (°C) −35
(−37)
−34
(−37)
−23
(−31)
1
(−17)
20
(−7)
31
(−1)
39
(4)
36
(2)
23
(−5)
9
(−13)
−11
(−24)
−29
(−34)
−35
(−37)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.52
(39)
1.26
(32)
1.78
(45)
3.43
(87)
3.82
(97)
4.77
(121)
3.89
(99)
3.74
(95)
3.23
(82)
2.91
(74)
2.06
(52)
1.68
(43)
34.09
(866)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 10.0
(25)
9.1
(23)
4.0
(10)
1.4
(3.6)
0.3
(0.76)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
1.1
(2.8)
10.1
(26)
36.3
(92)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 9.7 8.4 8.2 10.7 12.0 10.9 9.0 9.2 8.7 10.0 8.5 9.2 114.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 6.2 5.4 2.7 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.0 4.8 20.8
Source: NOAA[31][32]

Transportation edit

Hartford Municipal Airport serves the city and surrounding communities. An air ambulance service has operated at the airport since 2021.

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18801,343
18901,296−3.5%
19001,63225.9%
19102,98282.7%
19204,51551.4%
19303,754−16.9%
19403,9104.2%
19502,549−34.8%
19605,627120.8%
19706,49915.5%
19807,15910.2%
19908,18814.4%
200010,97834.1%
201014,22329.6%
2019 (est.)15,445[4]8.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[33]

2010 census edit

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 14,223 people, 5,685 households, and 3,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,791.3 inhabitants per square mile (691.6/km2). There were 6,032 housing units at an average density of 759.7 per square mile (293.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 0.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population.

There were 5,685 households, of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.06.

The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

2000 census edit

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 10,978 people, 1,397 households, and 1,152 families residing in the city. The population density was 133.6 people per square mile (51.6/km2). There were 1,438 housing units at an average density of 47.6 per square mile (18.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.88% White, 0.20% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 1,397 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.5% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.19.

 
1920s Kissel Fire Truck appears in 2008
 
Fire and rescue building

4th of July Parade]] In the city, the age of the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was estimated at $53,357[34] and the median income for a family was $73,576. Males had a median income of $42,301 versus $29,727 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,928. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 0.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government edit

Hartford has a mayor-council form of government. Tim Michalak is the mayor of Hartford. The Common Council is made up of nine aldermen, three elected from each of three aldermanic districts.

Economy edit

 
Downtown Hartford on Maxwell Street Day 2006

Hartford was an early car manufacturing center, home to the Kissel Motor Car Company before 1926.[35] The city was the home of a Chrysler Marine engine plant, a Libby's beet processing plant, and now many smaller industries, including the headquarters and a manufacturing site for Broan-NuTone.

Kissel edit

 
Otto P. Kissel House
 
Louis Kissel House

In 1883 Ludwig “Louis” Kissel moved to Hartford and by 1890 he formed a partnership with his sons, Adolph P., Otto P., William L. and George A. that included many businesses beginning with the L. Kissel & Sons Hardware store. Other enterprises ultimately included the Hartford Plow Works (1892) manufacturing and distribution of farm machinery,[36] In addition to distributing engines through Kissel Manufacturing Company for other manufacturers, the Kissels developed their own gasoline engines, both two and four stroke, that even included a boat motor for Sears and Roebuck. Other businesses included the Hartford Electric Company, a stone quarry, and a sand pit.

In 1906, Louis, his four sons and US District Attorney H. K. Butterfield incorporated the Kissel Motor Car Company. The new auto company started full-scale production in 1907 and continued until 1930. In 1906 Otto, along with John Liver, H. K. Butterfield, and 18 other members formed the First National Bank of Hartford, with capital of $50,000. John was elected president, H. K. Butterfield was elected vice-president and Otto Kissel was elected second vice president. Henry H. Esser was appointed cashier. Liver died in 1925 and Otto was appointed president.[37] In 1923 the Hartford Chamber of Commerce was organized with Otto Kissel, Henry Esser and John Liver as charter members. In 1936 Kissel Industries was formed, the old factory regained, and the company manufactured the Kissel outboard motor, sold as the Waterwitch from 1936 to 1944 exclusively by Sears and Roebuck.[38]

Education edit

The School District of Hartford provides public education to elementary students in Hartford. Lincoln and Rossman Elementary Schools each serve roughly half of the city's kindergarten through fifth grade student population. Both schools are feeders to Central Middle School, which serves all Hartford students in grades 6 through 8.

Secondary education is provided by Hartford Union High School (HUHS), which is independent of the School District of Hartford.[39] It has an enrollment of about 1500 students. The high school serves the city of Hartford, the Town of Hartford, and most of the surrounding communities including Richfield, Erin, Friess Lake, and Neosho.

Several parochial schools are in the community, including St. Kilian Roman Catholic School and Peace Lutheran.[40]

The city's library is the Jack Russell Memorial Library.

Area information edit

  • The city has annexed parts of the town of Hartford and other areas, including Pike Lake. The Pike Lake Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is situated on the lake.
  • The city has a major industrial park on the outskirts of the city, including a Quad Graphics factory that employs many city residents.
  • Hartford is home to the Schauer Arts Center, a regional arts center that stages professional touring performances, offers arts classes for all ages, and hosts social and business functions.
  • Hartford is also the nearest incorporated municipality to Erin Hills, a public golf course that hosted the 2017 United States Open.

Notable people edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hartford, Wisconsin
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 17–18.
  7. ^ Gerwing, Anselm J. (Summer 1964). "The Chicago Indian Treaty of 1833". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 57 (2): 117–142. ISSN 0019-2287. JSTOR 40190019.
  8. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 30.
  9. ^ "Potawatomi History". Milwaukee Public Museum. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Hartford Centennial Committee. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  11. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 29–30.
  12. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 40.
  13. ^ "Town of Hartford: Town History". Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  14. ^ "Hartford Trip Planner • See & Do more in your Hartford holiday". inspirock.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  15. ^ The New England Connecting Barn, Wilbur Zelinsky, Geographical Review Vol. 48, No. 4 (Oct., 1958), pp. 540-553
  16. ^ a b History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company. 1881. pp. 412–422.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Encyclopedia of Milwaukee: Hartford". University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  18. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  19. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 91–92.
  20. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 93.
  21. ^ Quaife, M. M. (1920), "The Panic of 1862 in Wisconsin", The Wisconsin Magazine of History, 4 (2): 166–195, JSTOR 4630295
  22. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 80.
  23. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 136.
  24. ^ Quickert 1912, pp. 131.
  25. ^ "Chandelier Ballroom: History". Chandelier Ballroom. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  26. ^ Cowley, Betty (January 1, 2002). Stalag Wisconsin: Inside WW II Prisoner-of-war Camps. Badger Books Inc. pp. 146–57. ISBN 9781878569837.
  27. ^ "City of Hartford, County of Washington and Dodge: Annexation and Plat Map" (PDF). Wisconsin Secretary of State. December 20, 1990. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  28. ^ Arnesen, Eric (2007). Encyclopedia of U.S. Labor and Working-Class History. Vol. 1. New York: Routledge. p. 1540. ISBN 9780415968263.
  29. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  30. ^ "JS Online: Tornado rips through Hartford". jsonline.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  31. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  32. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  33. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  34. ^ "Hartford, Wisconsin (WI) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders". city-data.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  35. ^ Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.2 & 153.
  36. ^ Wendel, C H (May 20, 2004). Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements & Antiques. Krause Publications. p. 346. ISBN 9780873495684. Retrieved March 29, 2015. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  37. ^ First National Bank of Hartford- Retrieved 2015-03-29.
  38. ^ Kissel outboard- Retrieved 2015-03-29.
  39. ^ "Hartford Union High School District".
  40. ^ "peacehartford.org/site/default.asp?sec_id=1361&nc=1358434972275.27". peacehartford.org. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  41. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1880,' Biographical Sketch of Jacob C. Place, pg. 526
  42. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1935,' Biographical Sketch of Adam F. Poltl, pg. 234
  43. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2011–2012,' Biographical Sketch of Don Pridemore, pg. 85

Sources edit

  • Quickert, Carl (1912). Washington County, Wisconsin: Past and Present. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company.

External links edit

  • City of Hartford
  • Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce

hartford, wisconsin, this, article, about, city, adjacent, town, hartford, town, wisconsin, parts, this, article, those, related, demographics, need, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, available, information, november. This article is about the city For the adjacent town see Hartford town Wisconsin Parts of this article those related to demographics need to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information November 2023 Hartford is a city in Washington and Dodge counties in the U S state of Wisconsin As of the 2010 census the city had a population of 14 223 All of this population resided in the Washington County portion of the city The portion of the city in Dodge County consists of only industrial commercial parcels Located approximately 38 miles 61 km northwest of Downtown Milwaukee and 22 miles 35 km from city limits Hartford is located on the outer edge of the Milwaukee metropolitan area Hartford WisconsinCityDowntown Hartford on WIS 83Location of Hartford in Dodge County west and Washington County east Wisconsin Coordinates 43 19 6 N 88 22 44 W 43 31833 N 88 37889 W 43 31833 88 37889Country United StatesState WisconsinCountiesWashington DodgeArea 1 Total8 51 sq mi 22 04 km2 Land8 43 sq mi 21 83 km2 Water0 08 sq mi 0 21 km2 Elevation 2 981 ft 299 m Population 2010 3 Total14 223 Estimate 2019 4 15 445 Density1 832 58 sq mi 707 57 km2 Time zoneUTC 6 Central CST Summer DST UTC 5 CDT ZIP Codes53027 53078 53086Area code262FIPS code55 33000 5 GNIS feature ID1566104 2 Websitewww wbr ci wbr hartford wbr wi wbr us Contents 1 History 1 1 Early history and settlement 1 2 Growth and industrialization 1 3 Historic landmarks 2 Geography 2 1 Tornado of 2006 2 2 Climate 3 Transportation 4 Demographics 4 1 2010 census 4 2 2000 census 5 Government 6 Economy 6 1 Kissel 7 Education 8 Area information 9 Notable people 10 References 11 Sources 12 External linksHistory editEarly history and settlement edit nbsp 1911 Hartford Wisconsin High School In the early 19th century Hartford was inhabited by the Potawatomi and Menominee people who had a trading post on the Rubicon River and a village on the eastern shore of Pike Lake In 1831 the Menominee surrendered their claims to the land to the United States Federal Government through the Treaty of Washington and the Potawatomi surrendered their land claims in 1833 through the 1833 Treaty of Chicago which after being ratified in 1835 required them to leave the area by 1838 6 7 However when the first White settlers arrived in 1843 they found that the Potawatomi were still living at the Pike Lake village 8 Some Native Americans remained in the area and were referred to as strolling Potawatomi in contemporary documents because many of them were migrants who subsisted by squatting on their ancestral lands which were now owned by White settlers Eventually the Potawatomi who evaded forced removal gathered in northern Wisconsin where they formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community 9 In July 1843 Timothy Hall became the first White person to purchase and settle land in the Hartford area although when he arrived he found a Canadian named Jehial Case squatting near his land Later that year German immigrant settlers John Theil and Nicolaus Simon surveyed the Hartford area and determined that the Rubicon River would be a suitable location for a hydropowered mill The following year James and George Rossman joined Simon and Theil s venture The men purchased forty acres abutting the rapids of the Rubicon River 10 and constructed a dam and a sawmill that harnessed the river s power to make lumber from the old growth forests covering the area 11 In 1846 a third Rossman brother Charles arrived in Hartford and constructed a gristmill to process grain grown by the settlers 12 On January 31 1846 the land was incorporated as the Town of Wright before the name was changed to the Town of Hartford in February 1847 13 after Hartford Connecticut Many of the original settlers were Yankees from New England and were part of a wave of farmers who headed west in the early 1800s though some other settlers including Theil and Simon were German immigrants The early settlers cleared land for farming constructed roads created a post office 14 15 erected churches starting with the First Congregational Church of Hartford which formed in 1847 and followed by Methodist Baptist Lutheran and Catholic churches in the 1850s 16 and established businesses to serve the town s agricultural economy including equipment wholesalers general stores and dry goods dealers 17 The La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad was constructed through the community in 1855 17 and while rail connections were important to Hartford s growth into the early 1900s 18 the company failed in 1861 Many local landowners had taken out mortgages on land for the railroad in exchange for company shares The company s failure left the landowners with mortgages to pay off creating a local crisis in which some families were forced to sell their farms The Hartford Home League newspaper started during the crisis to advocate for the farmers 17 19 The community s early years saw increasing tension between the settlers and Native Americans For example on August 25 1861 a group of approximately a dozen Native Americans was living near Horicon Marsh northwest of Hartford They owned a horse which got loose and wandered into a neighboring settler s cornfield The settler shot and killed the horse and the Native Americans vowed to take revenge The story traveled quickly becoming increasingly exaggerated as it spread By the time the story reached Hartford on August 26 the dozen peaceful Native Americans had been transfigured into an army of 5 000 warriors preparing to massacre the settlers in the area Many able bodied men in Hartford armed themselves formed a war party and set out to fight the Native Americans But when they arrived at Horicon Marsh they found that the threat was entirely fictional The incident caused widespread fear among the local Native American community as well as in the surrounding settler communities 20 21 Growth and industrialization edit nbsp The Kissel Motor Car Company factory in 1921 nbsp A 1929 Kissel 8 95 White Eagle made in Hartford Wisconsin The Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford owns a large collection of Kissels and other automobiles manufactured in the state Hartford incorporated as a city in 1883 While Hartford had a large German American population in the 19th century and was home to several German cultural associations including the Hartford Turners the Hartford Schutzenverein and a chapter of the Sons of Hermann 16 the Germans in Hartford tended to be more assimilated than Germans in other Washington County communities In 1912 one historian observed that in Washington County there have always been places where the American culture predominated Take the example of the two cities in the county Hartford always was more of an American community than West Bend 22 In the final decades of the 1800s and first years of the 1900s Hartford s economy shifted from being a small market town serving the local farmers to being a larger industrial community In 1906 the Kissel Motor Car Company opened and quickly became the community s largest employer creating hundreds of jobs and bringing European immigrant laborers into the community Hartford was also home to the International Stamping Company which manufactured automobile parts the Hartford Canning Company 17 which processed local farmers crops such as peas which were a cash crop in the area 23 the knitting mills of the Paramount Knitting Company a glove factory three tanneries and a brewery 24 During World War II Hartford s factories contributed to the war effort The Kissel car factory which was sold to the West Bend Aluminum Company in 1944 was retooled to make shell casings rocket containers affordable kitchenware and canisters for gas masks The Hartford Canning Company produced military rations 17 In the summer of 1944 the U S military tried to fill labor shortages in the Hartford area by contracting German prisoners of war to work on pea farms Initially the prisoners were transported from a requisitioned hotel on Lake Keesus in Waukesha County In October 1944 the military requisitioned the Schwartz Ballroom on Jefferson Street operating as the Chandelier Ballroom as of 2020 25 to serve as a prisoner of war camp for 600 Germans The prisoners were contracted to work on farms as well as in canneries hemp mills dairy facilities and tanneries The camp closed in January 1946 and the prisoners were repatriated to Germany 26 Hartford s population grew during the post World War II economic expansion The population more than doubled between 1950 and 1960 and the community has continued to grow in subsequent decades While many of the early 20th century manufacturers including the Kissel Motor Car Company have closed Hartford is home to several large manufacturers including Broan NuTone which manufactures ventilation systems In 1990 the city annexed land from the neighboring Town of Rubicon in Dodge County to expand its industrial zone 27 Historic landmarks edit nbsp George A Kissel House nbsp William L Kissel House Several buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and among them are some of the Kissel houses as well as houses they built for others The Hartford post office contains an oil on canvas mural Autumn Wisconsin Landscape painted in 1940 by Ethel Spears It was produced for the Section of Painting and Sculpture later the Section of Fine Arts of the Treasury Department as part of the WPA Depression era employment projects 28 Geography editAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 8 02 square miles 20 77 km2 of which 7 94 square miles 20 56 km2 is land and 0 08 square miles 0 21 km2 is water 29 Hartford is located within the Kettle Moraine a large moraine formed when the Green Bay and Lake Michigan Lobes collided These glacial movements created varied land formations such as kettles lakes hills and kames that distinguish the region 10 Tornado of 2006 edit The city was the site of an F1 tornado on June 18 2006 which caused minor damage to homes in the area and major damage on the city s south side Lincoln Elementary School and the Silver Bell Motel both suffered roof and structural damage 30 Climate edit Climate data for Hartford Wastewater Treatment Plant Wisconsin 1991 2020 normals extremes 1897 1901 1953 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high F C 55 13 69 21 83 28 88 31 94 34 100 38 105 41 101 38 97 36 89 32 75 24 65 18 105 41 Mean maximum F C 45 6 7 6 50 3 10 2 65 0 18 3 77 1 25 1 85 1 29 5 90 4 32 4 91 1 32 8 89 2 31 8 86 9 30 5 79 1 26 2 63 9 17 7 50 2 10 1 93 2 34 0 Mean daily maximum F C 25 9 3 4 29 9 1 2 41 3 5 2 54 3 12 4 66 7 19 3 76 6 24 8 80 2 26 8 78 6 25 9 71 8 22 1 58 7 14 8 43 8 6 6 31 3 0 4 54 9 12 7 Daily mean F C 17 2 8 2 20 7 6 3 31 5 0 3 43 7 6 5 55 5 13 1 65 5 18 6 69 2 20 7 67 4 19 7 60 1 15 6 47 9 8 8 34 8 1 6 23 3 4 8 44 7 7 1 Mean daily minimum F C 8 5 13 1 11 4 11 4 21 7 5 7 33 2 0 7 44 3 6 8 54 4 12 4 58 2 14 6 56 2 13 4 48 4 9 1 37 1 2 8 25 9 3 4 15 4 9 2 34 6 1 4 Mean minimum F C 13 9 25 5 9 2 22 9 1 5 16 9 20 5 6 4 31 1 0 5 41 5 5 3 48 1 8 9 45 3 7 4 34 2 1 2 23 7 4 6 10 9 11 7 4 5 20 3 18 3 27 9 Record low F C 35 37 34 37 23 31 1 17 20 7 31 1 39 4 36 2 23 5 9 13 11 24 29 34 35 37 Average precipitation inches mm 1 52 39 1 26 32 1 78 45 3 43 87 3 82 97 4 77 121 3 89 99 3 74 95 3 23 82 2 91 74 2 06 52 1 68 43 34 09 866 Average snowfall inches cm 10 0 25 9 1 23 4 0 10 1 4 3 6 0 3 0 76 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 76 1 1 2 8 10 1 26 36 3 92 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 9 7 8 4 8 2 10 7 12 0 10 9 9 0 9 2 8 7 10 0 8 5 9 2 114 5 Average snowy days 0 1 in 6 2 5 4 2 7 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 8 20 8 Source NOAA 31 32 Transportation editHartford Municipal Airport serves the city and surrounding communities An air ambulance service has operated at the airport since 2021 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18801 343 18901 296 3 5 19001 63225 9 19102 98282 7 19204 51551 4 19303 754 16 9 19403 9104 2 19502 549 34 8 19605 627120 8 19706 49915 5 19807 15910 2 19908 18814 4 200010 97834 1 201014 22329 6 2019 est 15 445 4 8 6 U S Decennial Census 33 2010 census edit As of the census 3 of 2010 there were 14 223 people 5 685 households and 3 721 families residing in the city The population density was 1 791 3 inhabitants per square mile 691 6 km2 There were 6 032 housing units at an average density of 759 7 per square mile 293 3 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 94 7 White 0 9 African American 0 5 Native American 0 8 Asian 1 8 from other races and 1 2 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 8 of the population There were 5 685 households of which 35 1 had children under the age of 18 living with them 51 4 were married couples living together 9 1 had a female householder with no husband present 5 0 had a male householder with no wife present and 34 5 were non families 28 3 of all households were made up of individuals and 11 5 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 47 and the average family size was 3 06 The median age in the city was 35 6 years 26 5 of residents were under the age of 18 7 5 were between the ages of 18 and 24 29 4 were from 25 to 44 23 1 were from 45 to 64 and 13 6 were 65 years of age or older The gender makeup of the city was 49 1 male and 50 9 female 2000 census edit As of the census 5 of 2000 there were 10 978 people 1 397 households and 1 152 families residing in the city The population density was 133 6 people per square mile 51 6 km2 There were 1 438 housing units at an average density of 47 6 per square mile 18 4 km2 The racial makeup of the town was 98 88 White 0 20 African American 0 10 Native American 0 37 Asian 0 15 from other races and 0 30 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0 55 of the population There were 1 397 households out of which 40 6 had children under the age of 18 living with them 74 7 were married couples living together 4 0 had a female householder with no husband present and 17 5 were non families 14 5 of all households were made up of individuals and 4 2 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 88 and the average family size was 3 19 nbsp 1920s Kissel Fire Truck appears in 2008 nbsp Fire and rescue building 4th of July Parade In the city the age of the population was spread out with 28 0 under the age of 18 6 0 from 18 to 24 31 8 from 25 to 44 25 8 from 45 to 64 and 8 4 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 38 years For every 100 females there were 102 6 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 107 1 males The median income for a household in the city was estimated at 53 357 34 and the median income for a family was 73 576 Males had a median income of 42 301 versus 29 727 for females The per capita income for the town was 26 928 About 1 1 of families and 1 9 of the population were below the poverty line including 4 5 of those under age 18 and 0 7 of those age 65 or over Government editHartford has a mayor council form of government Tim Michalak is the mayor of Hartford The Common Council is made up of nine aldermen three elected from each of three aldermanic districts Economy edit nbsp Downtown Hartford on Maxwell Street Day 2006 Hartford was an early car manufacturing center home to the Kissel Motor Car Company before 1926 35 The city was the home of a Chrysler Marine engine plant a Libby s beet processing plant and now many smaller industries including the headquarters and a manufacturing site for Broan NuTone Kissel edit nbsp Otto P Kissel House nbsp Louis Kissel House In 1883 Ludwig Louis Kissel moved to Hartford and by 1890 he formed a partnership with his sons Adolph P Otto P William L and George A that included many businesses beginning with the L Kissel amp Sons Hardware store Other enterprises ultimately included the Hartford Plow Works 1892 manufacturing and distribution of farm machinery 36 In addition to distributing engines through Kissel Manufacturing Company for other manufacturers the Kissels developed their own gasoline engines both two and four stroke that even included a boat motor for Sears and Roebuck Other businesses included the Hartford Electric Company a stone quarry and a sand pit In 1906 Louis his four sons and US District Attorney H K Butterfield incorporated the Kissel Motor Car Company The new auto company started full scale production in 1907 and continued until 1930 In 1906 Otto along with John Liver H K Butterfield and 18 other members formed the First National Bank of Hartford with capital of 50 000 John was elected president H K Butterfield was elected vice president and Otto Kissel was elected second vice president Henry H Esser was appointed cashier Liver died in 1925 and Otto was appointed president 37 In 1923 the Hartford Chamber of Commerce was organized with Otto Kissel Henry Esser and John Liver as charter members In 1936 Kissel Industries was formed the old factory regained and the company manufactured the Kissel outboard motor sold as the Waterwitch from 1936 to 1944 exclusively by Sears and Roebuck 38 Education editThe School District of Hartford provides public education to elementary students in Hartford Lincoln and Rossman Elementary Schools each serve roughly half of the city s kindergarten through fifth grade student population Both schools are feeders to Central Middle School which serves all Hartford students in grades 6 through 8 Secondary education is provided by Hartford Union High School HUHS which is independent of the School District of Hartford 39 It has an enrollment of about 1500 students The high school serves the city of Hartford the Town of Hartford and most of the surrounding communities including Richfield Erin Friess Lake and Neosho Several parochial schools are in the community including St Kilian Roman Catholic School and Peace Lutheran 40 The city s library is the Jack Russell Memorial Library Area information editThe city has annexed parts of the town of Hartford and other areas including Pike Lake The Pike Lake Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is situated on the lake The city has a major industrial park on the outskirts of the city including a Quad Graphics factory that employs many city residents Hartford is home to the Schauer Arts Center a regional arts center that stages professional touring performances offers arts classes for all ages and hosts social and business functions Hartford is also the nearest incorporated municipality to Erin Hills a public golf course that hosted the 2017 United States Open Notable people editSamuel S Barney Justice of the U S Court of Claims and Congressman Alfred G Becker Wisconsin State Representative John R Bohan Wisconsin State Senator Hopewell Coxe Wisconsin State Representative Steve Feak Game Designer at Riot Games Edward J Gehl Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Dennis Hall Olympic Wrestler Curt Hansen Actor Singer Polly Koch Professional football player Michael A Lehman Wisconsin State Representative Quinn Meinerz NFL Football player John A Norman Wisconsin State Representative Jesse Peters Wisconsin State Senator Jacob C Place Wisconsin State Representative 41 Adam F Poltl Wisconsin State Representative and Mayor of Hartford 42 Don Pridemore legislator 43 John Reiser Former general manager of Roush Racing NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series race shops Adam Schantz Wisconsin State Senator Ronald A Sell Wisconsin State Representative John Shinners NFL player Jeremy Unertl Professional football player Ericka Walker Artist George Weissleder Wisconsin State SenatorReferences edit 2019 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved August 7 2020 a b U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Hartford Wisconsin a b U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved November 18 2012 a b Population and Housing Unit Estimates United States Census Bureau May 24 2020 Retrieved May 27 2020 a b U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Quickert 1912 pp 17 18 Gerwing Anselm J Summer 1964 The Chicago Indian Treaty of 1833 Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 57 2 117 142 ISSN 0019 2287 JSTOR 40190019 Quickert 1912 pp 30 Potawatomi History Milwaukee Public Museum Retrieved February 20 2020 a b Hartford Centennial Committee Hartford County amp State History PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 1 2012 Retrieved November 6 2012 Quickert 1912 pp 29 30 Quickert 1912 pp 40 Town of Hartford Town History Retrieved January 3 2021 Hartford Trip Planner See amp Do more in your Hartford holiday inspirock com Retrieved April 23 2021 The New England Connecting Barn Wilbur Zelinsky Geographical Review Vol 48 No 4 Oct 1958 pp 540 553 a b History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties Wisconsin Chicago Western Historical Company 1881 pp 412 422 a b c d e Encyclopedia of Milwaukee Hartford University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Retrieved January 3 2021 Hartford Website Historic Page PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 1 2012 Retrieved May 14 2010 Quickert 1912 pp 91 92 Quickert 1912 pp 93 Quaife M M 1920 The Panic of 1862 in Wisconsin The Wisconsin Magazine of History 4 2 166 195 JSTOR 4630295 Quickert 1912 pp 80 Quickert 1912 pp 136 Quickert 1912 pp 131 Chandelier Ballroom History Chandelier Ballroom Retrieved January 12 2020 Cowley Betty January 1 2002 Stalag Wisconsin Inside WW II Prisoner of war Camps Badger Books Inc pp 146 57 ISBN 9781878569837 City of Hartford County of Washington and Dodge Annexation and Plat Map PDF Wisconsin Secretary of State December 20 1990 Retrieved January 3 2021 Arnesen Eric 2007 Encyclopedia of U S Labor and Working Class History Vol 1 New York Routledge p 1540 ISBN 9780415968263 US Gazetteer files 2010 United States Census Bureau Retrieved November 18 2012 JS Online Tornado rips through Hartford jsonline com Retrieved April 23 2021 NOWData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved March 29 2024 Summary of Monthly Normals 1991 2020 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved March 29 2024 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 Hartford Wisconsin WI profile population maps real estate averages homes statistics relocation travel jobs hospitals schools crime moving houses news sex offenders city data com Retrieved April 23 2021 Clymer Floyd Treasury of Early American Automobiles 1877 1925 New York Bonanza Books 1950 p 2 amp 153 Wendel C H May 20 2004 Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements amp Antiques Krause Publications p 346 ISBN 9780873495684 Retrieved March 29 2015 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help First National Bank of Hartford Retrieved 2015 03 29 Kissel outboard Retrieved 2015 03 29 Hartford Union High School District peacehartford org site default asp sec id 1361 amp nc 1358434972275 27 peacehartford org Retrieved April 23 2021 Wisconsin Blue Book 1880 Biographical Sketch of Jacob C Place pg 526 Wisconsin Blue Book 1935 Biographical Sketch of Adam F Poltl pg 234 Wisconsin Blue Book 2011 2012 Biographical Sketch of Don Pridemore pg 85Sources editQuickert Carl 1912 Washington County Wisconsin Past and Present Chicago IL S J Clarke Publishing Company External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hartford Wisconsin City of Hartford Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hartford Wisconsin amp oldid 1216261233, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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