Lake Delton, Wisconsin

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lake Delton, Wisconsin
settlement_type = Village
nickname =
motto =

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image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Lake Delton, Wisconsin


mapsize1 =
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Wisconsin
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Sauk

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 17.4
area_land_km2 = 16.0
area_water_km2 = 1.4
area_total_sq_mi = 6.7
area_land_sq_mi = 6.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 1982
population_density_km2 = 123.7
population_density_sq_mi = 320.3

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 279
elevation_ft = 915
latd = 43 |latm = 35 |lats = 48 |latNS = N
longd = 89 |longm = 47 |longs = 16 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 53940
area_code = 608
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 55-41300GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1567728GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Lake Delton is a village located on the Wisconsin River in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,982. Lake Delton, along with the nearby Wisconsin Dells, is a resort area and a major center for tourism.

History

The village of Lake Delton was originally named Norris for Edward Norris the surveyor of the village in 1850. [ [http://www.saukcounty.com/schs/earlysurveys.htm Early Surveys Made in Sauk County and Some Incidents Connected with Field Work] . By H.E. French, City Engineer. June 16, 1928.] The Village changed its name to Delton, but changed again in 1926 to Mirror Lake to avoid a conflict with the Town of Delton in that area. ["Sauk County Village, Changes Name Again." La Crosse Tribune And Leader-Press, The. La Crosse, Wisconsin. Friday, February 12, 1926. Page 4.] The name Lake Delton was taken after the construction of the Dell Creek dam creating a reservoir also known as Lake Delton. The village was incorporated in 1954. [ [http://www.lakedelton.org/modules/web/index.php/id/1 Official village website] ]

Tourism

Among the attractions at Lake Delton are the world's largest Trojan Horse [World's Largest Roadside Attractions. [http://www.wlra.us/wl/wltrojanhorse.htm World's Largest Trojan Horse] .] as well as the world's largest (artificial) Pink Flamingo. [World's Largest Roadside Attractions. [http://www.wlra.us/wl/wlflamingo.htm World's Largest Pink Flamingo on the Flamingo motel sign] .]

Geography

Lake Delton is located at coor dms|43|35|48|N|89|47|16|W|city (43.596757, -89.787646)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.0 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (7.89%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,982 people, 897 households, and 525 families residing in the village. The population density was 320.3 people per square mile (123.6/km²). There were 1,373 housing units at an average density of 221.9/sq mi (85.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.26% White, 0.10% African American, 2.57% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.66% of the population.

There were 897 households out of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the village the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $34,951, and the median income for a family was $40,952. Males had a median income of $31,680 versus $23,990 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,834. About 5.4% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

Lake Delton drains into the Wisconsin River

On June 9, 2008, Lake Delton, the approximately 267-acre dammed artificial lake adjacent to the village, overflowed its banks washing away four homes and a portion of Old Newport Road (County Highway "A") while nearly emptying the lake basin into the Wisconsin River following several days of torrential rains. The overflow happened as local authorities ordered evacuations and sandbagging in a number of towns as rivers and lakes rose across the southern portion of the state.

Sandbagging of the dam (which remained intact) was begun overnight by about 100 people, but the contents of the lake began to pour into the river about mid-morning when the embankment over which the highway ran failed eventually opening a breach of several hundred feet. The lake, which averaged about 12 feet in depth, drained out over a period of a few hours. [ [http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=760060 "Rushing flood waters drain Lake Delton" The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 9, 2008] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.lakedelton.org Lake Delton, Wisconsin village website]