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Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
City
Chippewa Falls Chamber Building Downtown
Chippewa Falls logo
Location of Chippewa Falls in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 44°56′N 91°24′W / 44.933°N 91.400°W / 44.933; -91.400Coordinates: 44°56′N 91°24′W / 44.933°N 91.400°W / 44.933; -91.400
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Chippewa
Government
• Mayor	Greg Hoffman
Area [1]
• Total	11.92 sq mi (30.87 km2)
• Land	11.37 sq mi (29.45 km2)
• Water	0.55 sq mi (1.42 km2)
Elevation [2]	840 ft (256 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	13,661
• Estimate  (2016)[4]	14,084
• Density	1,201.5/sq mi (463.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip code	54729, 54774 (companies/organisations)
Area code(s)	715 & 534
FIPS code	55-14575[5]
GNIS feature ID	1563041[2]
Website	ci.chippewa-falls.wi.us

Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The most recent census from 2010 shows that the population is 13,661. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County.^[6]

The city's name originated from its location on the Chippewa River, which is named after the Ojibwa Native Americans. Chippewa is an alternative rendition of Ojibwa.

Chippewa Falls is the birthplace of Seymour Cray, known as the "father of supercomputing", and the headquarters for the original Cray Research. It is also the home of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, the Heyde Center for the Arts, a showcase venue for artists and performers, Irvine Park, and the annual Northern Wisconsin State Fair. Chippewa Falls is 15 miles from the annual four-day music festivals Country Fest and Rock Fest.

History

The original Spring House.

Chippewa Falls was originally a lumber town that became a railroad town, though the main railroad line of the 1870s went about 10 miles south of Eau Claire. In 1870, the West Wisconsin Railway built a line from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Milwaukee running right through Eau Claire. Following this, the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls Railway established a line extending from Eau Claire to Chippewa Falls. In 1880, the CF&W was joined by the Wisconsin and Minnesota Railway pushing its way west from Abbotsford. This was followed in 1881 by the Chippewa Falls & Northern Railroad which built a line north from Chippewa Falls to Bloomer, eventually being extended to Superior.

Around 1700, French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur discovered the Chippewa Spring near the river. Politician Thaddeus C. Pound founded the Chippewa Springs Health Club in 1887 and at one point oversaw the company that bottled the water for sale. A Spring House was built over the original spring in 1893 and remains today, across from the modern water bottling plant on Park Ave.^[7]

Geography

Chippewa Falls is located at 44.9341, -91.3932.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.92 square miles (30.87 km²), of which 11.37 square miles (29.45 km²) is land and 0.55 square miles (1.42 km²) is water.^[1]

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company brewery.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 13,661 people, 5,896 households, and 3,275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,201.5 inhabitants per square mile (463.9/km²). There were 6,304 housing units at an average density of 554.4 per square mile (214.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.1% White, 1.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 5,896 households of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in the city was 38 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 24.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census,^[5] there were 12,925 people, 5,638 households and 3,247 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,191.2 per square mile (459.9/km²). There were 5,905 housing units at an average density of 544.2 per square mile (210.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.62% White, 0.30% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 5,638 households of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.89.

Age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median household income was $32,744, and the median family income was $43,519. Males had a median income of $32,016 versus $22,655 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,366. About 8.7% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Renovated Chippewa Shoe Factory facing the Chippewa River in Chippewa Falls

As of 2011, the largest employers in the city were:^[8]

Infrastructure

Chippewa Falls is along U.S. Highway 53, Wisconsin Highways 124 and 178, and Bus. WIS 29. Other routes include Wisconsin Highway 29; and County Highways J, Q, S, and X.

Education

The original McDonell High School is now a public arts center.

The Chippewa Falls Area School District (CFSD) serves the city of Chippewa Falls. It has two high schools: Chippewa Falls Senior High and Chippewa Falls Alternate High School; two middle schools: Chippewa Falls Middle School, and Chippewa Falls Alternate Middle School; and six elementary schools: Parkview, Hillcrest, Southview, Stillson, Halmstad, and Jim Falls Elementary.

In addition there are several parochial schools: McDonell Central Catholic High School, Notre Dame Middle School, Holy Ghost, St. Charles, and St. Peter Elementary Schools, all of which are part of the McDonell Area Catholic Schools (MACS).

The original McDonell High School building, sitting at a prominent location above downtown Chippewa Falls, is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The structure was built in 1907 and, after the school moved to a more suburban location, it sat abandoned for a number of years until it was taken over by the Chippewa Valley Cultural Association and converted into the Heyde Center for the Arts in 2000.

Notable people

Important structures

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  The Cook-Rutledge House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
  

  
  

  
  


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  Hotel Chippewa is on the National Register of Historic Places.
  

  
  

  
  


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  Municipal Building
  

  
  

  
  


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  Spring Street Bridge Chippewa Falls, WI
  

  
  

  
  

Notes

External links

• Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin


• Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce


• 
  Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin travel guide from Wikivoyage

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.