Stevens Point, Wisconsin
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Stevens Point is a city located in Portage County in central Wisconsin. It is the county seat and the largest city of the county. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 24,551. The city was incorporated in 1858. It was named after its founder, George Stevens, who ran several saloons on what is today known as "The Square". Loggers on the Wisconsin River found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and one could tell from far upstream whether Stevens' point was open for business.
(A local legend also claims that Stevens Point is a bastardization of "Stevens Pint", a reference to Stevens' alleged practice of serving whiskey by the pint.)
Stevens Point is home to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), a small university known for (among other things) its graduate program in natural resources.
Each year in April, WWSP, the campus radio station of UW - Stevens Point hosts a trivia contest that bills itself as the largest trivia contest in the world. Usually the contest features over 500 teams and over 10,000 participants. It has been featured in several newspapers, and was reported on by the BBC. It has been held annually since 1969.
Stevens Point was also a major shooting location for the films of Kandrew Ltd, although the headquarters and editing facilities were located in neighboring Plover. Kandrew Ltd, although never celebrated by the citizens of its hometown, remains an enduring success in the minds of its two creators.
Together with surrounding communities, the Stevens Point micropolitan area was, according to the 2000 census, home to 48,123 people. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Portage County (2000 population: 67,182).
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Geography
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Location of Stevens Point, Wisconsin
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.0 km² (16.2 mi²). 39.7 km² (15.3 mi²) of it is land and 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.61% water.
It is surrounded by several smaller villages and towns, including Plover, Whiting, Custer, Park Ridge and the Town of Hull. On average, the temperature ranges from 80° to 20° Fahrenheit. All four seasons can be distinctly observed, with snow falling most heavily in December and January and temperatures rising to their average summer levels of about 70° in July and August.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 24,551 people, 9,305 households, and 4,652 families residing in the city. The population density is 619.2/km² (1,603.2/mi²). There are 9,749 housing units at an average density of 245.9/km² (636.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.53% White, 0.47% African American, 0.46% Native American, 4.78% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.61% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,305 households out of which 23.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% are married couples living together, 8.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% are non-families. 33.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the city the population is spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 30.8% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $33,178, and the median income for a family is $47,176. Males have a median income of $32,894 versus $23,114 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,510. 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.8% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Civic Features
Major businesses in the area include Stora Enso North America paper mill, Sentry Insurance, and the Stevens Point Brewery; educational institutions include the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Mid-state Technical College.
The area has 20 developed parks, a 20-mile bicycle trail, an 18-hole golf course, public and private elementary/high school systems, a community theatre group (cwACT (http://www.cwact.org/)), many small businesses (including the locally famous Belts' Soft Serve), churches of various denominations, and a group of museums run by the Portage County Historical Society, including the Beth Israel Congregation Museum, located in the former synaogue (the synagogue has been defunct since 1985). City-wide events range from the Fourth of July Riverfront Rendezvous to the Portage County Cultural Festival.
External links
- City Web page (http://ci.stevens-point.wi.us/)
- UWSP Trivia Contest page (http://www.momsfamilies.com/trivia/)
- Beth Israel Congregation Museum (http://www.pchswi.org/synagogue/synagogue.htm)