Wittenberg, Wisconsin

Village in Wisconsin, United States

Wittenberg, Wisconsin

Village

Wittenberg

Location of Wittenberg in Shawano County, Wisconsin.

Coordinates: 44°49′24″N 89°9′25″W﻿ / ﻿44.82333°N 89.15694°W﻿ / 44.82333; -89.15694
Country|  United States
State|  Wisconsin
County| Shawano
Area

[1]

• Total

| 1.81 sq mi (4.69 km2)
• Land| 1.81 sq mi (4.69 km2)
• Water| 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation

[2]

| 873 ft (266 m)
Population

(2020)[3]

• Total

| 1,015
• Density| 560/sq mi (220/km2)
Time zone| UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code|

54499-9033

Area codes| 715 & 534
FIPS code| 55-88350[4]
GNIS feature ID| 1576924[2]
Website| http://www.villageofwittenberg.com

Wittenberg is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,015 at the 2020 census. The village is located within the Town of Wittenberg.

## History

[edit]

In 1886, the Wittenberg Indian School was established by the Norwegian Evangelical Church of America after a purchase of land in Winnebago traditional territory.[5][6][7] This was a residential school for Native American children who the government removed from their families as part of an effort to assimilate Native Americans into white American culture.[6][8] It was also known as the Bethany Indian Mission. Initial attempts to recruit students for the school were met with resistance, particularly from Winnebago "medicine men" who the missionaries believed were concerned about their intention to convert the children to Christianity.[7] The school initially only taught a few children but eventually expanded to include over a hundred students who came from the Winnebago, Oneida, Stockbridge, Brothertown, Menominee, Mohawk and Chippewa.[7] The school was sold to the government in 1900 and operated until 1917, when it was closed because of the First World War.[5][7] After the closure of the federal school, the mission continued educating Native children, eventually educating up to 140 students with only four members of staff, as well as baptizing hundreds of local Native people.[6][7] The high student to staff ratio was typical of overcrowded Indian schools, as documented by the Merriam Report.[5]

A post office called Wittenberg has been in operation since 1880.[9] The village was named after Wittenberg in Germany.[10]

## Geography

[edit]

Wittenberg is located at 44°49′25″N 89°10′2″W﻿ / ﻿44.82361°N 89.16722°W﻿ / 44.82361; -89.16722 (44.823795, -89.167328).[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.79 square miles (4.64 km2), all of it land.[12]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 726| | —
1900| 798| | 9.9%
1910| 1,090| | 36.6%
1920| 854| | −21.7%
1930| 863| | 1.1%
1940| 900| | 4.3%
1950| 874| | −2.9%
1960| 892| | 2.1%
1970| 895| | 0.3%
1980| 997| | 11.4%
1990| 1,145| | 14.8%
2000| 1,177| | 2.8%
2010| 1,081| | −8.2%
2020| 1,015| | −6.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
Water tower

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 1,081 people, 427 households, and 231 families living in the village. The population density was 603.9 inhabitants per square mile (233.2/km2). There were 495 housing units at an average density of 276.5 per square mile (106.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 89.3% White, 3.8% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 5.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.1% of the population.

There were 427 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 40.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the village was 42.2 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 21% were from 45 to 64; and 25.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

### 2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,177 people, 436 households, and 272 families living in the village. The population density was 718.2 people per square mile (277.1/km2). There were 471 housing units at an average density of 287.4 per square mile (110.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.52% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 2.21% Native American, 0.08% Asian, and 1.02% from two or more races. 0.25% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 436 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $29,926, and the median income for a family was $40,074. Males had a median income of $28,571 versus $21,202 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,695. About 9.2% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

## Economy

[edit]

* Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats

## Notable people

[edit]

* John Englund, Wisconsin State Senator and newspaper editor, lived in Wittenberg.[15]
* Helmer Swenholt, United States Army officer, was born in Wittenberg.[16]
* Jonas Swenholt, Wisconsin State Representative and businessman, lived in Wittenberg.[17]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. ^ "Census Bureau profile: Wittenberg village, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
4. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. ^ a b c Bosworth, Dee Ann. "American Indian Boarding Schools: An Exploration of Global Ethnic & Cultural Cleansing" (PDF). Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
6. ^ a b c "Indian schools in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
7. ^ a b c d e "Bethany Indian Mission: Wittenberg, Wisconsin". WIGenWeb. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
8. ^ "Boarding Schools". Milwaukee Public Museum: Indian Country Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 5, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
9. ^ "Shawano County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
10. ^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 140.
11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
13. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
15. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1927,' Biographical Sketch of John Englund, pg. 679-680
16. ^ 'History of Dane County: Biographical and Genealogical,' volume 1, Elisha Williams Keyes' Western Historical Association: 1906, Hon. Jonas Swenholt, pg. 870-871
17. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1905,' Biographical Sketch of Joan Swenholt, pg. 1117

## External links

[edit]

* Wittenberg official website
* Wittenberg Chamber of Commerce
* Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District
* Wausau Daily Record-Herald. "Wittenberg pioneer recalls early days when railroad came"
* Fire insurance maps: 1894 1901 1909 1919

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States

County seat: Shawano

Cities|

* Marion‡
* Shawano

Villages|

* Aniwa
* Birnamwood‡
* Bonduel
* Bowler
* Cecil
* Eland
* Gresham
* Mattoon
* Pulaski‡
* Tigerton
* Wittenberg

Towns|

* Almon
* Angelica
* Aniwa
* Bartelme
* Belle Plaine
* Birnamwood
* Fairbanks
* Germania
* Grant
* Green Valley
* Hartland
* Herman
* Hutchins
* Lessor
* Maple Grove
* Morris
* Navarino
* Pella
* Red Springs
* Richmond
* Seneca
* Washington
* Waukechon
* Wescott
* Wittenberg

CDPs|

* Angelica
* Caroline
* Green Valley
* Krakow‡
* Leopolis
* Middle Village‡
* Navarino
* Paac Ciinak
* Pella
* Pulcifer
* Thornton
* Tilleda

Other
communities|

* Adams Beach
* Advance
* Belle Plaine
* Briarton
* Five Corners
* Frazer Corners
* Hofa Park
* Hunting‡
* Landstad
* Laney
* Lunds
* Lyndhurst
* Morgan
* Pittsfield‡
* Red River
* Rose Lawn
* Shepley
* Slab City
* Split Rock
* Whitcomb
* Zachow

Indian
reservations|

* Ho-Chunk Indian Reservation‡
* Menominee Indian Reservation‡
* Stockbridge-Munsee Indian Reservation

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Wisconsin portal
* United States portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
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