West Salem, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Salem, Wisconsin
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Village
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Downtown
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Location of West Salem in La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | La Crosse |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.40 sq mi (8.82 km2) |
| • Land | 3.35 sq mi (8.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 741 ft (226 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,277 |
| • Density | 1,498.80/sq mi (578.68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| FIPS code | 55-86275 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1576552 |
West Salem is a village in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. It is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,799 as of the 2010 Census.
Contents
History
West Salem was platted in 1856. It was named Salem by a Baptist minister named Elder Card because the word meant "peace" in Arabic and Hebrew. The word West was added to the name when mail was confused with another town in the state named Salem.
The donation of approximately ten acres of land to a railway company led to the creation of West Salem. A station was built in West Salem on the original Milwaukee and La Crosse Railway which ran to La Crosse. It was later taken over by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway (later becoming the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad). The railway used the land to build a depot and tracks.
Geography
West Salem is located at 43°53′59″N 91°5′12″W / 43.89972°N 91.08667°W (43.899795, -91.086614).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.44 square miles (8.91 km2), of which, 3.42 square miles (8.86 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 432 | — | |
| 1890 | 542 | 25.5% | |
| 1900 | 725 | 33.8% | |
| 1910 | 840 | 15.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,027 | 22.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,011 | −1.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,254 | 24.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,376 | 9.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,707 | 24.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,180 | 27.7% | |
| 1980 | 3,276 | 50.3% | |
| 1990 | 3,611 | 10.2% | |
| 2000 | 4,540 | 25.7% | |
| 2010 | 4,799 | 5.7% | |
| 2020 | 5,277 | 10.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,799 people, 1,831 households, and 1,259 families living in the village. The population density was 1,403.2 inhabitants per square mile (541.8/km2). There were 1,869 housing units at an average density of 546.5 per square mile (211.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.7% White, 0.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 1,831 households, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.2% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the village was 39.2 years. 26% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
Historic sites
- The Hamlin Garland House
- The Palmer Brother's Octagons
Parks and recreation
- Veterans Memorial Park
- Lake Neshonoc
- La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
Gallery of Historic Places
Buildings, sites, structures, districts, and objects in West Salem listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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Palmer Brothers Octagons
Education
The public West Salem School District consists of:
- West Salem Elementary School
- West Salem Middle School
- West Salem High School
The private schools are:
- Coulee Region Christian School
- Christ Saint John's Lutheran School
Transportation
Bus service towards La Crosse or Tomah is provided three times daily per direction by Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit.
Notable people
- Charles S. Benton, U.S. Representative from New York
- Tom Black, NBA player, graduated from high school in West Salem.
- George G. Bingham, Oregon jurist
- Frank P. Coburn, United States House of Representatives
- Hamlin Garland, writer - West Salem was his summer house, but he was born here.
- Harry W. Griswold, United States House of Representatives
- Michael Huebsch, former Wisconsin State Assembly representative and former director of the Wisconsin Department of Administration
- Jay L. Johnson, United States admiral
- Damian Miller, major league baseball player
- William F. Miller, Wisconsin legislator
- Norbert Nuttelman, Wisconsin legislator and farmer
- Arthur H. Parmelee, football coach and physician
Images for kids
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Looking east at West Salem on WIS 16
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Post office
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Community Center
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Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library
See also
In Spanish: West Salem (Wisconsin) para niños
