Editing West Salem, Wisconsin

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = West Salem, Wisconsin
| settlement_type    = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = WestSalemWisconsinDowntown.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Downtown
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = File:La Crosse County Wisconsin Incorporated and Unincorporated areas West Salem Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of West Salem in La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
| image_map1         = West Salem, Wisconsin map.webp
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = {{legend-line|red solid 2px|[[Village limits]]}}

<!-- 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  = [[La Crosse County, Wisconsin|La Crosse]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = President - board of trustees
| leader_title       = Village President
| leader_name        = Scott Schumacher
| leader_title1      = Village Administrator
| leader_name1       = Teresa DeLong
| 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_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 8.82
| area_land_km2      = 8.67
| area_water_km2     = 0.15
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3.40
| area_land_sq_mi    = 3.35
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.06

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_est     = 5289 {{increase}}
| pop_est_as_of      = 2022
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2022"/>
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/westsalemvillagewisconsin,lacrossecountywisconsin/POP010220|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: West Salem village, Wisconsin; La Crosse County, Wisconsin|access-date=December 17, 2021}}</ref>
| population_total   = 5277
| population_density_km2 = 578.68
| population_density_sq_mi = 1498.80

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 226
| elevation_ft       = 741
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|53|59|N|91|5|12|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 54669
| area_code          = [[Area code 608|608]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 55-86275<ref name="GR2" />
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1576552<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|http://www.westsalemwi.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''West Salem''' is a village in [[La Crosse County, Wisconsin|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 5,277 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==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.<ref>Gard, Robert and L.G. Sorden. The Romance of Wisconsin Placenames. Minocqua, WI: Heartland Press, 1988. {{ISBN|0-942802-88-8}}.</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company|title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA138|year=1908|page=138}}</ref>

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.<ref>"Railroad Influenced Site of West Salem; Neshonoc Was Village". La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press. April 6, 1930. Retrieved on August 4, 2009 from the Wisconsin Local History & Biography Articles at the website of the Wisconsin Historical Society [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/].</ref>

==Geography==
West Salem is located at {{coord|43|53|59|N|91|5|12|W|type:city}} (43.899795, -91.086614).<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=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|3.44|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|3.42|sqmi|sqkm|2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<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=November 18, 2012}}</ref>
{{wide image|West Salem aerial panorama.jpg|900px||45%|center|alt=West Salem, Wisconsin}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 432
|1890= 542
|1900= 725
|1910= 840
|1920= 1027
|1930= 1011
|1940= 1254
|1950= 1376
|1960= 1707
|1970= 2180
|1980= 3276
|1990= 3611
|2000= 4540
|2010= 4799
|2020= 5277
|estyear= 2022
|estimate= 5289
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html|date=May 29, 2023|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 30, 2023}}</ref>
|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>
}}
===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=November 18, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 4,799 people, 1,831 households, and 1,259 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1403.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,869 housing units at an average density of {{convert|546.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 96.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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 [[Marriage|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.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 4,541 people, 1,706 households, and 1,230 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was 1,911.2 people per square mile (736.5/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 1,765 housing units at an average density of 743.0 per square mile (286.3/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the village was 98.04% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.51% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.42% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.44% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.07% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.53% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.59% of the population.

There were 1,706 households, out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $43,449, and the median income for a family was $50,176. Males had a median income of $34,459 versus $22,439 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $19,904. About 3.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
The village president is Scott Schumacher. The village administrator is Teresa DeLong. The village clerk/treasurer is Ashley Bohl.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact West Salem's Leaders: President, Admin, & Trustees |url=https://westsalemwi.gov/government/leadership-team/}}</ref>

==Education==
The [[Public school (government funded)|public]] West Salem School District consists of:

* West Salem Elementary School 
* West Salem Middle School  
* [[West Salem High School (Wisconsin)|West Salem High School]]

The private schools are:
* Coulee Region Christian School
* Christ Saint John's Lutheran School

==Transportation==
Bus service towards [[La Crosse, Wisconsin|La Crosse]] or [[Tomah, Wisconsin|Tomah]] is provided three times daily per direction by [[Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit]].<ref>[https://ridesmrt.com/wp-content/uploads/SMRT-Bus-Sched.pdf Bus schedule]ridesmrt.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929225502/https://ridesmrt.com/wp-content/uploads/SMRT-Bus-Sched.pdf |date=September 29, 2021 }}</ref>

==Historic sites==
[[File:PalmerGullicksonOctagonHouseWestSalemWisconsin.jpg|thumb|right|[[Palmer Brother's Octagons|Palmer-Gullickson Octagon]]]]
* The [[Hamlin Garland House]]
* The [[Palmer Brother's Octagons]]

==Parks and recreation==
*Bike Depot Park
*Caryn Modawell Memorial Dog Park
*Corral Park
*Greene Park
*Jim Zanter Park
*Lewis Point Park
*Neshonoc South Park and Boat Landing (La Crosse County)
*Neshonoc-Swarthout Park (La Crosse County)
*Pineview Park
*Riverview Park[[File:La Crosse Fairground Speedway.jpg|thumb|right|[[La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway]]]]
*Swarthout Pool
*Veterans Memorial Park and Campground (La Crosse County)
*Village Park
*Lake Neshonoc
*[[La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway]] (La Crosse County)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maps Of Parks & Facilities For The Village Of West Salem, WI |url=https://westsalemwi.gov/parks-recreation/parks-facilities-maps/}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Charles S. Benton]], U.S. Representative from [[New York (state)|New York]]
* [[Tom Black (basketball)|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]]
* [[Jay L. Johnson]], United States admiral
* [[Mabel Johnson Leland]], lecturer, translator 
* [[Damian Miller]], major league baseball player
* [[William F. Miller (Wisconsin politician)|William F. Miller]], Wisconsin legislator
* [[Norbert Nuttelman]], Wisconsin legislator and farmer
* [[Arthur H. Parmelee]], football coach and physician

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|West Salem, Wisconsin}}
* [http://www.westsalemwi.com Village of West Salem website]
* [http://www.wsalem.k12.wi.us/default.htm West Salem School District website]
* Sanborn fire insurance maps: [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12523 1894] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12525 1898] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12528 1904] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12591 1910] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/maps/id/12534 1922]

{{La Crosse County, Wisconsin}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in La Crosse County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Villages in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1856]]