Ashland, Wisconsin

Ashland is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located mostly in Ashland County but extending into Bayfield County as well. The city is a port on Lake Superior, near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The population was 8,620 at the 2000 census.

The city is located at the junction of U.S. Highway 2 and Wisconsin Highway 13, and is the home of Northland College. There is also a Town of Ashland in Ashland County located about convert|15|mi|km southeast of the city.

History

Pre-settlement

Four flags have flown over this area: Spanish, French, English and American. This was part of the original Northwest Territory and was contained inside the borders of three states. Eight different Indian nations have lived on Chequamegon Bay. Later settlers included European explorers, missionaries and fur traders, and more recently the Yankees who platted and developed the lands, the railroaders, shippers, loggers, entrepreneurs and settlers.

All the people who came here seemed to have envisioned something special. They were optimists, opportunists, people of stubborn courage who braved harsh winters and primitive conditions to build a good life.

About the time Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World, the Ojibwe people came to the land they called Sha-ga-waun-il-ong. This term has been translated numerous ways; it is either "lowlands" or the "needle". It may also be "the region of shallow water", where "there are large extended breakers". Each version is descriptive and suitably accurate.

The Ojibwe stayed on Chequamegon Point for about a century before leaving it, first to settle on Madeline Island and then to move to the Sault region. In the years that followed, the Ojibwe came and went to and from the Ashland area. Their travels were dictated by the necessities of hunting and gathering, by their long years of war with the Sioux and, after 1659, the fur trade.

French fur traders Pierre d'Esprit, le Sieur Radisson and Medard Chouart, le Sieur des Groseillers were the first Europeans of record to visit Chequamegon Bay. They arrived in 1659 and built what has been called the first European dwelling place in Wisconsin. A historical marker is located at Maslowski Beach on U.S. Route 2 on the west end of Ashland. The monument was erected in 1929 by the Old Settlers Club.

The Ojibwe heartily welcomed the Frenchmen. Five years later, Father Claude-Jean Allouez arrived. He was a Jesuit missionary and he brought the first word of Christianity to Wisconsin's shores. Allouez built a chapel not far from Radisson's and Groseillier's stockade and remained at the Bay until 1669.

Settlement

In 1854, Asaph Whittlesey and another Ohioan named George Kilborn set out from La Pointe to explore the head of Chequamegon Bay. Whittlesey built a convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on × convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on cabin in Ashland. His wife, Lucy, and daughter, Eugenia, joined him in August and prepared to winter in their new home. Civilization quickly followed the Whittleseys to Ashland. The first community dance was held at their house. The Reverend L.H. Wheeler preached the first sermon on the first Independence Day that was observed there. It was the location of the first post office and polling place for county offices. Sunday school was also conducted on the premises.

Other dates of note:
* 1856 — The first plat of Ashland was registered
* 1870 — First Ashland brownstone quarried and shipped
* 1872 — First sawmill built by W.R. Sutherland
* 1877 — Wisconsin Central Railway connects Ashland to Chicago
* 1877 — Chequamegon Hotel opens (one block from current hotel)
* 1887 — State legislature incorporate the City of Ashland
* 1889 — Wisconsin Central Depot constructed
* 1892 — Northern Wisconsin Academy opens (now Northland College)
* 1894 — Post office built
* 1904 — Ashland High School opens
* 1929 — First airport opens
* 1940 — WATW radio goes on the air
* 1963 — Dedication of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
* 1972 — Memorial Medical Center opens

Ore Dock

The harbor of Ashland is dominated by the massive Soo Line Ore dock, built in 1916 to load iron ore mined in the area into freighters bound for ports in the Rust Belt.. [http://www.wthp.org/10_most.htm 10 Most Endangered Properties] , Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation, "Accessed May 7, 2007.] The last of what were once many such docks, the concrete structure is convert|80|ft|m high and convert|75|ft|m wide and in 1925 the dock was extended to convert|1800|ft|m; it was last used to ship ore in 1965. [http://www.wthp.org/10_most.htm 10 Most Endangered Properties] , Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation, "Accessed May 7, 2007.] As of late 2007, the historic ore dock was slated for an imminent demolition, as the owners for the structure, Canadian National Railway, are worried about possible liability for the aging dock which has become structurally unsafe after crumbling due to the area's harsh climate over the years. The city has proposed taking over the dock and preserving at least a portion of the structure to enhance the waterfront landscape. That plan has come under opposition from many local taxpayers.Fact|date=February 2008

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,620 people, 3,513 households, and 2,027 families residing in the city. The population density was 643.3 people per square mile (248.4/km²). There were 3,777 housing units at an average density of 108.8 persons/km² (281.9 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 90.17% White, 0.32% African American, 6.30% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,513 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 11.7% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 42.3% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% 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 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 15.4% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,853, and the median income for a family was $40,549. Males had a median income of $30,122 versus $20,926 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,330. 12.7% of the population and 7.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.9% are under the age of 18 and 10.0% are 65 or older.

City administration

Ed Monroe was elected mayor in the 2006-04-04 local election, replacing Fred Schnook, who did not seek reelection.

The city is divided into 11 wards, each of which is represented by an elected alderperson.

Schools

Public Schools

* Lake Superior Primary/Intermediate School
* Marengo Valley Elementary School
* Ashland Middle School
* Ashland High School

Private Schools

* Ashland 7th Day Adventist School
* Celebration Christian Academy
* Our Lady of the Lake School
* Zion Lutheran Christian School

Colleges

* Northland College
* Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

Culture

Ashland was a filming location for the 1998 movie A Simple Plan.

Transportation

The two major highways in the city are U.S. Highway 2 and Wisconsin Highway 13. The city is one of the northern termini in Wisconsin for the Canadian National Railway, parent company of the formerWisconsin Central Ltd., which assumed former SOO Line trackage in 1987. [ [http://ocr.wi.gov/railmap2005.pdf Wisconsin DOT Railroad Map] ]

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations near Ashland:
* Gogebic-Iron County Airport (about convert|54|mi|km; Ironwood, MI)
* Duluth International Airport (about convert|92|mi|km; Duluth, MN)
* Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (about convert|119|mi|km; Rhinelander, WI)

Other public-use airports near Ashland:
* John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport (about convert|2|mi|km; Ashland, WI)
* Madeline Island Airport (about convert|17|mi|km; La Pointe, WI)
* Cable Union Airport (about convert|37|mi|km; Cable, WI)

Communications

Newspapers

* Ashland "Daily Press"
* Lake Superior Sounder (closed in January 2008)

Radio stations

* WATW (1400 AM)
* WBSZ (93.3 FM)
* WJJH (96.7 FM)
* W215AE (90.9 FM)
* W275AF (102.9 FM)
* W284AN (104.7 FM)
* WRNC-FM (97.7 FM)

Television stations

* W45CI Channel 45 (FOX, repeating KQDS-TV)

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.ashland.wi.us/ Ashland, Wisconsin: City Government Site]
* [http://www.visitashland.com/ Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.wibeaches.us Wisconsin Beach Health Website]