Editing Brodhead, Wisconsin

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Brodhead, Wisconsin
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Francis West Smith House.jpg
|image_caption            = [[Francis West Smith House]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Rock County Wisconsin Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Brodhead Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location of Brodhead in Rock County, Wisconsin
|pushpin_map              = Wisconsin#USA
|pushpin_label            = Brodhead
|pushpin_relief           = yes

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Wisconsin}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|Counties]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Green County, Wisconsin|Green]], [[Rock County, Wisconsin|Rock]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Thomas Simpson
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 4.65
|area_land_km2            = 4.65
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.79
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.79
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = <ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
|population_total         = 3274
|population_density_km2   = 698.49
|population_density_sq_mi = 1808.91

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|elevation_m              = 242
|elevation_ft             = 794
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|37|7|N|89|22|35|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = Zip Code
|postal_code              = 53520
|area_code                = [[Area code 608|608]] 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 55-09925<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1562229<ref name="GR3" />
|website                  = {{URL|cityofbrodheadwi.us}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Brodhead''' is a city in [[Green County, Wisconsin|Green]] and [[Rock County, Wisconsin|Rock]] counties in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wisconsin]]. The population was 3,274 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. In February 2000, the city annexed a portion of land from the [[Spring Valley (town), Wisconsin|Town of Spring Valley]] in [[Rock County, Wisconsin|Rock County]].

==History==
Just south of town is a historic marker for the Half-Way Tree, a [[bur oak]] supposedly identified by Native Americans as the halfway point on a foot trail between [[Lake Michigan]] and the [[Mississippi River]].<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=212640 JS Online: Don't look too closely at Half-Way Tree's roots<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311034121/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=212640 |date=March 11, 2007 }}</ref> Present day experts say the tree is off by about six miles but there is also a disagreement about the methods of measurement. <ref>{{cite web |title=The Half-Way Tree |url=https://www.lapoflegends.com/2021/06/the-half-way-tree.html |access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref> The half-way tree still stands protected and still marks the half-way point. 

The railroad track that runs east and west through town features a small museum with a train and army tank on display, adjacent to the park and bandstand pavilion. The museum curator said that the railroad was being wooed by two different towns and decided to split the difference and created Brodhead in the spring of 1856.

The town was named in honor of the chief engineer of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad, Edward Hallock Brodhead (1809–1890), who was among the earliest promoters of the railway depot.  The initial street names of the town were platted after the surnames of the landowners, eventually changed to numerical titles to reflect practical purposes.<ref>[https://www.brodheadhistory.org/brodhead-history/ BrodheadHistory.org] has more detail.</ref>

Other cofounders include: Edmund Deacon Clinton (1804–1885), Isaac Foster Mack (1806–1886), John P. Dixon, John Lucas Vischer Thomas (1825–1917), John L. McNair (1809–1877), Edmund Abbott West (1823–1922) and Erastus M. Smith.

A nearby raceway was dredged off of a branch of the Sugar River that diverted a long canal to a  hydroelectric generator that supplied electricity to the town. This gave Brodhead the distinction of having electrical service before other larger cities such as Chicago, and perhaps the first electrical service in Wisconsin.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Geography==
Brodhead is located at {{coord|42|37|7|N|89|22|35|W|type:city}} (42.618540, -89.376291).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.84|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-11-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

==Climate==

According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Brodhead has a [[hot-summer humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Brodhead was {{convert|111|F|C|1}} on July 21, 1901 and July 12&ndash;14, 1936, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-36|F|C|1}} on January 30, 1951.<ref name = NOWData />

{{Weather box
|location = Brodhead, Wisconsin, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 61
|Feb record high F = 71
|Mar record high F = 84
|Apr record high F = 92
|May record high F = 105
|Jun record high F = 109
|Jul record high F = 111
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 102
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F = 80
|Dec record high F = 69

|Jan avg record high F = 47.6
|Feb avg record high F = 52.4
|Mar avg record high F = 67.8
|Apr avg record high F = 79.4
|May avg record high F = 87.3
|Jun avg record high F = 92.3
|Jul avg record high F = 92.7
|Aug avg record high F = 91.6
|Sep avg record high F = 88.9
|Oct avg record high F = 82.1
|Nov avg record high F = 66.0
|Dec avg record high F = 51.8
|year avg record high F = 94.9

|Jan high F = 27.4
|Feb high F = 31.8
|Mar high F = 44.4
|Apr high F = 58.3
|May high F = 70.1
|Jun high F = 79.8
|Jul high F = 83.1
|Aug high F = 81.3
|Sep high F = 74.6
|Oct high F = 61.6
|Nov high F = 46.0
|Dec high F = 32.8
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 19.0
|Feb mean F = 22.7
|Mar mean F = 34.5
|Apr mean F = 46.9
|May mean F = 58.6
|Jun mean F = 68.6
|Jul mean F = 72.0
|Aug mean F = 70.1
|Sep mean F = 62.4
|Oct mean F = 50.2
|Nov mean F = 36.9
|Dec mean F = 25.0
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 10.5
|Feb low F = 13.6
|Mar low F = 24.6
|Apr low F = 35.4
|May low F = 47.1
|Jun low F = 57.4
|Jul low F = 61.0
|Aug low F = 58.9
|Sep low F = 50.1
|Oct low F = 38.8
|Nov low F = 27.8
|Dec low F = 17.2
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -11.8
|Feb avg record low F = -6.8
|Mar avg record low F = 4.6
|Apr avg record low F = 23.2
|May avg record low F = 33.7
|Jun avg record low F = 44.8
|Jul avg record low F = 51.0
|Aug avg record low F = 49.2
|Sep avg record low F = 36.9
|Oct avg record low F = 25.5
|Nov avg record low F = 12.2
|Dec avg record low F = -3.9
|year avg record low F = -16.1

|Jan record low F = -36
|Feb record low F = -35
|Mar record low F = -21
|Apr record low F = 7
|May record low F = 24
|Jun record low F = 33
|Jul record low F = 40
|Aug record low F = 35
|Sep record low F = 20
|Oct record low F = 2
|Nov record low F = -18
|Dec record low F = -30

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.59
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.75
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.11
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.73
|May precipitation inch = 4.18
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.56
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.00
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.35
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.78
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.94
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.35
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.96
|year precipitation inch = 38.30

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 9.6
|Feb precipitation days = 8.4
|Mar precipitation days = 9.8
|Apr precipitation days = 12.0
|May precipitation days = 13.3
|Jun precipitation days = 12.2
|Jul precipitation days = 9.9
|Aug precipitation days = 9.9
|Sep precipitation days = 9.0
|Oct precipitation days = 9.6
|Nov precipitation days = 8.6
|Dec precipitation days = 9.8

|Jan snow inch = 10.3
|Feb snow inch = 9.3
|Mar snow inch = 4.5
|Apr snow inch = 0.9
|May snow inch = 0.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 2.2
|Dec snow inch = 9.7
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 6.9
|Feb snow days = 5.7
|Mar snow days = 3.0
|Apr snow days = 0.7
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.2
|Nov snow days = 1.3
|Dec snow days = 5.4

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00471078&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Brodhead WWTP, WI
|access-date = May 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=mkx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Milwaukee
|access-date = May 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1548
|1880= 1254
|1890= 1461
|1900= 1584
|1910= 1517
|1920= 1600
|1930= 1533
|1940= 1750
|1950= 2016
|1960= 2444
|1970= 2515
|1980= 3153
|1990= 3165
|2000= 3180
|2010= 3293
|2020= 3274
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $36,506, and the median income for a family was $46,199. Males had a median income of $32,031 versus $24,442 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,455. About 6.6% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-18}}</ref> of 2010, there were 3,293 people, 1,346 households, and 851 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1789.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,452 housing units at an average density of {{convert|789.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.9% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 3.8% of the population.

There were 1,346 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the city was 38.4 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64, and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

==Education==
Brodhead is served by the Brodhead School District. There are 1,039 students in the district with grades Pre-K through 5th attending Albrecht Elementary school. <ref>{{cite web |title=Brodhead School District |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/d/brodhead-school-district-wi/ |publisher=Niche |access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref> Grades 6 through 8 attend Brodhead Middle School. Brodhead High School is the local high school.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brodhead.k12.wi.us/|title=Brodhead school district}}</ref> The high school is located at 2501 W 5th AVE Brodhead, WI 53520. Brodhead school district also has a student-teacher ratio of 13:1.

==Transportation==

===Wisconsin State Highways===
*[[Image:WIS 11.svg|25px]] [[Wisconsin Highway 11|WIS 11]] runs right through town as 1st Center Ave.
*[[Image:WIS 81.svg|25px]] [[Wisconsin Highway 81|WIS 81]] runs south of town.
*[[Image:WIS 104.svg|25px]] [[Wisconsin Highway 104|WIS 104]] starts at the northeast corner of town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?q=brodhead+wi&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x88062b5d677763f9:0x9be1bff4acb9cd9b,Brodhead,+WI&gl=us&ei=JVIgTpyhCoXEgQeuj-3jBQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=2&ved=0CCMQ8gEwAQ|title = Brodhead · Wisconsin 53520}}</ref>

===Railroads===
The [[Wisconsin and Southern Railroad]] runs through town on the branch line to [[Monroe, Wisconsin|Monroe]].

==Notable people==
{{div col}}
*[[Thax Douglas]], poet; lives in Brodhead<ref>[http://www.tonemadison.com/articles/thax-douglas-on-laying-low-in-wisconsin/ Thax Douglas on laying low in Wisconsin]</ref>
*[[David Dunwiddie]], Wisconsin state legislator; lived in Brodhead<ref>{{cite book|title=History of Green County, Wisconsin|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofgreenco00unio|location=Springfield, Ill.|publisher=Union Publishing Company|year=1884|page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofgreenco00unio/page/292 292]}}</ref>
*[[Milton S. Livingston]], physicist; born in Brodhead<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aip.org/history/acap/biographies/bio.jsp?livingstonm |title=M. Stanley Livingston |access-date=2012-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140802062122/http://www.aip.org/history/acap/biographies/bio.jsp?livingstonm |archive-date=2014-08-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Harvey T. Moore]], Vermont and Wisconsin state legislator; lived in Brodhead<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1875,' Biographical Sketch of Harvey Thomas Moore, pg. 312</ref>
*[[Henry Putnam]], Wisconsin state legislator; was President of Brodhead<ref>[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_zEsNAAAAIAAJ/page/n729 <!-- pg=668 quote=Henry Putnam+Wisconsin+Senate+biography. --> Henry Clay Putnam]</ref>
*[[Archibald N. Randall]], Wisconsin state legislator<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1883,' Biographical Sketch of Archibald N. Randall, pg. 476-477</ref>
*[[Burr Sprague]], Wisconsin state legislator; lived in Brodhead<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1881,' Biographical Sketch of Birr Sprague, pg. 511</ref>
*[[Albert M. Ten Eyck]], academic
*[[Fred Ties]], Wisconsin state legislator; lived in Brodhead<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1907, Biographical Sketch of Fred Ties, pg. 1151</ref>
{{div col end}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Half-Way Tree mark.JPG
File:Half-Way Tree.jpg|The Half-Way tree in Brodhead
File:Covered Bridge in Brodhead.jpg|Covered bridge 1½ miles North of Brodhead on the Sugar River State Trail
File:Covered Bridge mark in Brodhead.jpg|Covered bridge historic plate
File:Laube Building.JPG|The Laube Building, part of the [[Exchange Square Historic District]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cityofbrodheadwi.us City of Brodhead]
* Sanborn fire insurance maps: [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/4470 1908] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/4474 1915]

{{Green County, Wisconsin}}
{{Rock County, Wisconsin}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Cities in Green County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Cities in Rock County, Wisconsin]]