Editing Gilmanton, Wisconsin

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Gilmanton, Wisconsin
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = Home of Wisconsin's Biggest Little Fair!

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Gilmanton Town Hall.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Town hall
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = WIMap-doton-Gilmanton.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Gilmanton, Wisconsin
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Buffalo County, Wisconsin|Buffalo]]

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

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 94.0
|area_land_km2            = 92.9
|area_water_km2           = 1.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 426
|population_density_km2   = 4.6
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- 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|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|elevation_m              = 244
|elevation_ft             = 801
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|28|17|N|91|41|40|W|region:US-WI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 54743
|area_code                = [[Area codes 715 and 534|715 & 534]]  
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 55-29225<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1583277<ref name="GR3" />
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Gilmanton''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|ɪ|l|m|ən|t|ən}} {{respell|GHIL|mən|tən}})<ref>[http://www.misspronouncer.com/ MissPronouncer.com: A HALFWAY DECENT AUDIO PRONUNCIATION GUIDE FOR WISCONSIN]</ref> is a town in [[Buffalo County, Wisconsin|Buffalo County]], [[Wisconsin]], United States. The population was 426 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5501129225| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212163104/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5501129225| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Gilmanton town, Buffalo County, Wisconsin| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=May 20, 2014}}</ref> The unincorporated community of [[Gilmanton (community), Wisconsin|Gilmanton]] is located in the town.

== History ==
Gilmanton was first settled by Samuel Gilman in 1855. He and his four sons started to live upon the land, building cabins and cutting hay for their animal stock. The same year the first child, a girl, was born in Gilman Valley. The first religious meeting was held in a house of one of the settlers, overseen by Rev. B.F. Morse. In 1858 the first post office was established, with William Loumis as the first postmaster.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kessinger |first=L. |title=History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin |year=1888 |publisher=Author |place=Alma, Wisconsin |pages=636–638 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hgQrAQAAMAAJ&q=History+of+Buffalo+County%2C+Wisconsin}}</ref> Gilmanton Township was initially called the "Loomis Settlement." The name was changed to Gilmanton May 25, 1858.<ref>Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge (comp.). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=TgMrAQAAMAAJ&q=History+of+Buffalo+and+Pepin+Counties%2C+Wisconsin History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties, Wisconsin], Vol. 1''. Winona, MN: H. C. Cooper, 1919, p. 89.</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Gilmanton, Wisconsin.jpg|thumb|160px|left|[[Wisconsin Highway 88|Wis-88]] and [[Wisconsin Highway 121|Wis-121]] junction in town]]
[[File:Gilmanton Post Office.jpg|thumb|right|Gilmanton Post Office]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|94.0|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|92.9|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.1|sqkm|disp=flip}}, or 1.20%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 470 people, 173 households, and 126 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was 13.0 people per square mile (5.0/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 180 housing units at an average density of 5.0 per square mile (1.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 99.57% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], and 0.43% from two or more races.

There were 173 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,156, and the median income for a family was $35,469. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $20,268 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,769. About 4.6% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==
The Gilmanton Free Fair has been held annually since 1947. Activities include a tractor pulling contest, a barbecue cook-off, a bean bag tournament, a softball tournament, and more. The event raises funds for school and community projects.<ref>[http://www.gilmantonfreefair.com/About_.html Gilmanton Free Fair].</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Harold R. W. Benjamin]] (1893–1969), American educator and writer; wrote "The Saber-Tooth Curriculum" (1939), was born in the town<ref>Library of Congress = https://findingaids.loc.gov/db/search/xq/searchMfer02.xq?_id=loc.mss.eadmss.ms010288&_faSection=overview&_faSubsection=bioghist&_dmdid=d39605e18.</ref>
* [[Charles W. Gilman]] (1862–1938), Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer, was born in the town<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1903,' Biographical Sketch of Charles W. Gilman, pg. 1088</ref>
* [[Franklin Gilman]] (1825–1880), Wisconsin State Representative and farmer, lived in the town<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1880,' Biographical Sketch of Franklin Gilman, pg. 509</ref>
* [[Elmer A. Kenyon]] (1870–1922), Wisconsin State Representative, farmer, and businessman, was born in the town<ref>''[http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/WI/WI-idx?type=header&id=WI.WIBlueBk1921 The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1921]''. Madison: State Printing Board, 1921, p. 262.</ref>
* [[Edward Lees]] ({{circa|1819}}–1893), politician, lived in the town<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3705194/edward_lees_18191893/ |title=Edward Lees (1819-1893) - on Newspapers.com |access-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310204351/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3705194/edward_lees_18191893/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Edwin J. Peterson]] (born 1930), Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice, was born and lived in the town<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/peterson-edwin-j/#.YRIo7IhKiM8|title = Edwin J. Peterson (1930–)}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Gilmanton, Wisconsin}}
* [http://www.gilmantonfreefair.com Gilmanton Free Fair] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602180732/http://gilmantonfreefair.com/ |date=June 2, 2013 }}

{{Buffalo County, Wisconsin}}

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[[Category:Towns in Buffalo County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Towns in Wisconsin]]