Ruby, Wisconsin

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Ruby, Wisconsin
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Ruby, Wisconsin


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Wisconsin
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Chippewa

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
leader_name =
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leader_name1 =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 138.8
area_land_km2 = 138.5
area_water_km2 = 0.3
area_total_sq_mi = 53.6
area_land_sq_mi = 53.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 446
population_density_km2 = 3.2
population_density_sq_mi = 8.3

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 349
elevation_ft = 1145
latd = 45 |latm = 14 |lats = 43 |latNS = N
longd = 90 |longm = 58 |longs = 30 |longEW = W

postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 55-69975GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1584073GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Ruby is a town in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 446 at the 2000 census.

History

Ruby, WI began as one of many small logging towns in the forests of northwest Wisconsin, where loggers would work in the company town and run a local sawmill. At one time it was a fairly large settlement with many businesses, a post office, a rural school, country store, and a boardwalk. But as the trees were consumed and large open fields emerged, the Ruby logging town lost its purpose for existence, and the town eventually folded up and disappeared off the map. Some of the loggers resettled the area as farmers in the newly exposed open fields that were once forest.

Very little remains of what was once Ruby. The large country store on the corner of County Highway G and County Highway W struggled on into the early 1970's but finally closed and is now dilapidated and slowly crumbling. Ruby is now just a town in the county of Chippewa, and there is no concentration of population in what was once the logging town area.

About a mile to the south of where Ruby was located is a local supper club on the corner of State Highway 64 and Country Highway G, which has long struggled with profitability and has changed hands several times. Originally known as Little Chicago in the 1960's, it was later Decker's, Club 64, Handy's, and most recently Thelma's supper club. Across from it was once another small country store that had closed in the 1970's, but in the past few years has been reinvigorated with the construction of a new country store selling fuel to nearby rural customers.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 53.6 square miles (138.8 km²), of which, 53.5 square miles (138.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.22%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 446 people, 152 households, and 120 families residing in the town. The population density was 8.3 people per square mile (3.2/km²). There were 197 housing units at an average density of 3.7/sq mi (1.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.55% White, 0.22% Native American, 0.22% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.

There were 152 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.4% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the town the population was spread out with 33.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,208, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $27,750 versus $22,813 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,587. About 12.4% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links