Editing Ashland County, Wisconsin

{{Short description|County in Wisconsin, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county       = Ashland County
 | state             = Wisconsin
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1860
 | founded date       = March 27
 | seat wl             = Ashland
 | largest city wl     = Ashland
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 2292
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1045
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 1247
 | area percentage      = 54
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 16027
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 16079 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2020-census-55003" />
 | time zone           = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.co.ashland.wi.us/
 | named for            = [[Henry Clay|Henry Clay's]] farm [[Ashland (Henry Clay home)|Ashland]]
 | ex image             = Ashland County Courthouse Wisconsin August 2012.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Ashland County Courthouse (Wisconsin)|Ashland County Courthouse]]
 | district             = 7th }}

'''Ashland County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wisconsin]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 16,027.<ref name="2020-census-55003" /> Its [[county seat]] is [[Ashland, Wisconsin|Ashland]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> The county was formed on March 27, 1860, from [[La Pointe County, Wisconsin|La Pointe County]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=9327&search_term=la+pointe+county |title=Wisconsin History: La Pointe County (obsolete) |access-date=September 20, 2008 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611101726/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=9327&search_term=la+pointe+county |url-status=dead }}</ref> The county partly overlaps with the reservation of the [[Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians]].

==History==
Ashland County was named in honor of [[Ashland, the Henry Clay estate|the Lexington estate]] of [[Kentucky]] statesman [[Henry Clay]], as one of the founders of the city of Ashland was an admirer of Clay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=3345&search_term=ashland|title=Term: Ashland County [origin of place name]|work=Dictionary of Wisconsin History|author=Wisconsin Historical Society|access-date=April 26, 2009|archive-date=June 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611123443/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=3345&search_term=ashland|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Here's How Iron Got Its Name |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/909510/wisconsin_county_names/|newspaper=The Rhinelander Daily News|date=June 16, 1932|page=2|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=August 24, 2014}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|2292|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1045|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1247|sqmi}} (54%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 2, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the second-largest county in Wisconsin by total area. The [[Apostle Islands]] are a small group of islands in [[Lake Superior]], off the Bayfield Peninsula with the majority of the islands located in Ashland County — only Eagle, Sand, York and Raspberry Islands are in [[Bayfield County, Wisconsin|Bayfield County]].

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Iron County, Wisconsin|Iron County]] – east
* [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]] – southeast
* [[Sawyer County, Wisconsin|Sawyer County]] – southwest
* [[Bayfield County, Wisconsin|Bayfield County]] – northwest
* [[Lake County, Minnesota]] – northwest
* [[Cook County, Minnesota]] – north
* [[Ontonagon County, Michigan]] – northeast
* [[Gogebic County, Michigan]] – northeast
{{div col end}}

===Major highways===
{|
|-valign=top
|
* [[Image:US 2.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 2]]
* [[Image:WIS 13.svg|20px]] [[Highway 13 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 77.svg|20px]] [[Highway 77 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 112.svg|20px]] [[Highway 112 (Wisconsin)]]
|
* [[Image:WIS 118.svg|20px]] [[Highway 118 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 137.svg|20px]] [[Highway 137 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 169.svg|20px]] [[Highway 169 (Wisconsin)]]
|}

===Railroads===
*[[Watco]]

===Buses===
*[[Bay Area Rural Transit]]
*[[Indian Trails]]

===Airports===
* [[John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport]] (KASX) serves the county and surrounding communities.
* [[Major Gilbert Field Airport]] (4R5) enhances county service.

===National protected area===
* [[Apostle Islands National Lakeshore]] (part)
* [[Chequamegon National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 515
|1870= 221
|1880= 1559
|1890= 20063
|1900= 20176
|1910= 21965
|1920= 24538
|1930= 21054
|1940= 21801
|1950= 19461
|1960= 17375
|1970= 16743
|1980= 16783
|1990= 16307
|2000= 16866
|2010= 16157
|2020 = 16027
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 2, 2015 }}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55003.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806014717/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55003.html|archive-date=August 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020-census-55003" />
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|census of 2020]],<ref name="2020-census-55003">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Ashland County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55003&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 11, 2022}}</ref> the population was 16,027. The [[population density]] was {{convert|15.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 9,407 housing units at an average density of {{convert|9.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 79.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 13.0% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.3% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 5.6% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.4% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 16,157 people living in the county. 84.6% were [[White American|White]], 11.1% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.3% [[African American|Black or African American]], 0.3% of some other race and 3.3% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 1.9% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race). 25.6% were of [[German American|German]], 7.6% [[Finnish American|Finnish]], 6.8% [[American ethnicity|American]], 6.5% [[Irish American|Irish]] and 5.3% [[Norwegian American|Norwegian]] ancestry.<ref>[https://archive.today/20200212234628/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml "American FactFinder"]</ref>

===2000 census===
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Ashland County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Ashland County]]}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 16,866 people, 6,718 households, and 4,279 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 8,883 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 87.10% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.21% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 10.35% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.29% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.69% from two or more races. 1.11% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 27.8% were of [[German people|German]], 8.4% [[Finnish people|Finnish]], 7.4% [[Polish people|Polish]], 7.4% [[Norwegian people|Norwegian]], 7.3% [[Swedish people|Swedish]] and 5.4% [[Irish people|Irish]] ancestry. 96.6% spoke [[English language|English]] as their first language. The reservation of the [[Bad River Chippewa Band]] is partially located in the county.

There were 6,718 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.30% were non-families. 30.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

In 2017, there were 194 births, giving a general fertility rate of 73.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the eleventh highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |title=Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables |access-date=June 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619175940/https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |archive-date=June 19, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Additionally, there were no reported induced abortions performed on women of Ashland County residence in 2017.<ref>[https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p45360-17.pdf Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin], Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18</ref>

{{Clear}}

==Communities==
[[Image:Ashland county, wisconsin, 1895.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Ashland County, Wisconsin from 1895 U.S. Atlas]]
[[File:Ashland County Wisconsin Sign US2 Bad River Indian Reservation.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance sign on [[U.S. Route 2]]]]

===Cities===
* [[Ashland, Wisconsin|Ashland]] (county seat; partly in [[Bayfield County, Wisconsin|Bayfield County]])
* [[Mellen, Wisconsin|Mellen]]

===Village===
* [[Butternut, Wisconsin|Butternut]]

===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Agenda, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Agenda]]
* [[Ashland (town), Wisconsin|Ashland]]
* [[Chippewa, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Chippewa]]
* [[Gingles, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Gingles]]
* [[Gordon, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Gordon]]
* [[Jacobs, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Jacobs]]
* [[La Pointe (town), Wisconsin|La Pointe]]
* [[Marengo, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Marengo]]
* [[Morse, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Morse]]
* [[Peeksville, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Peeksville]]
* [[Sanborn, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Sanborn]]
* [[Shanagolden, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Shanagolden]]
* [[White River, Ashland County, Wisconsin|White River]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Bayfront, Wisconsin|Bayfront]]
* [[Birch Hill, Wisconsin|Birch Hill]]
* [[Clam Lake, Wisconsin|Clam Lake]]
* [[Diaperville, Wisconsin|Diaperville]]
* [[Franks Field, Wisconsin|Franks Field]]
* [[Glidden, Wisconsin|Glidden]]
* [[Jolmaville, Wisconsin|Jolmaville]]
* [[Marengo (community), Wisconsin|Marengo]]
* [[New Odanah, Wisconsin|New Odanah]]
* [[Odanah, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Odanah]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Ballou, Wisconsin|Ballou]]
* [[Birch, Ashland County, Wisconsin|Birch]]
* [[Cayuga, Wisconsin|Cayuga]]
* [[Foster Junction, Wisconsin|Foster Junction]]
* [[Highbridge, Wisconsin|Highbridge]]
* [[Holts Landing, Wisconsin|Holts Landing]]
* [[La Pointe, Wisconsin|La Pointe]]
* [[Middleport, Wisconsin|Middleport]]
* [[Minersville, Wisconsin|Minersville]]
* [[Morse (community), Wisconsin|Morse]]
* [[North York, Wisconsin|North York]]
* [[Old Fort, Wisconsin|Old Fort]]
* [[Peeksville (community), Wisconsin|Peeksville]]
* [[Penokee, Wisconsin|Penokee]]
* [[Petes Landing, Wisconsin|Petes Landing]]
* [[Sanborn (community), Wisconsin|Sanborn]]
* [[Sedgwick, Wisconsin|Sedgwick]]
* [[Shanagolden (community), Wisconsin|Shanagolden]]
* [[White River (community), Wisconsin|White River]]
{{div col end}}

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Ashland County, Wisconsin|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 9, 2020}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|4,191|4,612|152|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|3,841|4,801|115|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|3,303|4,226|503|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|2,820|5,399|153|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|2,634|5,818|122|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|3,313|5,805|81|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|3,038|4,356|496|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,863|3,808|1,127|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,372|4,213|1,808|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|2,926|4,526|30|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|3,517|4,680|71|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,262|4,469|954|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,045|4,688|228|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1972|Democratic|3,478|3,771|162|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|2,557|4,147|451|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,198|5,383|10|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,470|4,644|13|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,121|3,677|21|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,451|3,828|41|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,135|4,110|264|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|3,183|4,609|47|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,592|5,586|131|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,439|5,904|338|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,646|5,405|277|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,639|3,570|163|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive (Wisconsin)|2,272|449|4,283|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|4,005|1,081|560|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,998|1,582|264|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|937|1,451|1,105|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,259|1,582|326|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,406|1,004|360|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|3,034|1,557|152|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|2,738|1,743|105|Wisconsin}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|2,283|2,436|195|Wisconsin}}
Ashland County is consistently Democratic. It has voted for the Democrat in every presidential election since 1932, with the exceptions of 1952 and 1956 when it backed Republican [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s two successful bids for the presidency. The Democratic margin has narrowed in recent elections since the [[Barack Obama|Obama]] era, with [[Donald Trump]]'s 2024 performance of over 46% being the best by a Republican since [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]] in 1972. This was also the first time since 1972 that a Democrat carried the county by only a single-digit margin.<ref>https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/</ref>

Despite Ashland County's Democratic leanings, three consecutive district attorneys of Ashland County in the 1990s and early 2000s, each elected as [[Republican Party of Wisconsin|Republicans]], went on to hold major positions in state or federal politics. [[J.B. Van Hollen]], district attorney from 1993 to 1999, later served as United States Attorney for the [[U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin|Western District of Wisconsin]] in the administration of President [[George W. Bush]] and as [[Attorney General of Wisconsin]] from 2007 to 2015. Van Hollen's successor as district attorney, [[Michael Gableman]], who served from 1999 to 2002, was later a justice of the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] from 2008 to 2018. Gableman's successor as district attorney, [[Sean Duffy]], who served from 2002 to 2010, served as the [[U.S. representative]] for [[Wisconsin's 7th congressional district]] from 2011 to 2019 and is the current [[United States Secretary of Transportation]].

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ashland County, Wisconsin]]
*[[List of counties in Wisconsin]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.co.ashland.wi.us/ Ashland County]
* Old plat maps: [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/1605/rec/28 ca 1898] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/17205/rec/33 1898] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/17280/rec/32 1905] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/19368/rec/20 1917]
* [http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/ashland.pdf Ashland County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Ashland County, Wisconsin
|North     = [[Cook County, Minnesota]]
|Northeast = [[Ontonagon County, Michigan]]
|East      = [[Iron County, Wisconsin|Iron County]] & [[Gogebic County, Michigan]]
|Southeast = [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Sawyer County, Wisconsin|Sawyer County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Bayfield County, Wisconsin|Bayfield County]]
}}

{{Ashland County, Wisconsin}}
{{Wisconsin}}

{{coord|46.71|-90.56|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ashland County, Wisconsin| ]]
[[Category:1860 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1860]]