Bayfield County, Wisconsin

Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Location in the state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location in the U.S.
Founded	April 12, 1866
Named for	Henry Bayfield, British Naval Lieutenant
Seat	Washburn
Largest city	Washburn
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	2,042 sq mi (5,288 km²) 1,476 sq mi (3,823 km²) 565 sq mi (1 km²), 27.69%
PopulationEst.  - (2012)  - Density	15,099 10/sq mi (4/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.bayfieldcounty.org

Bayfield County is a county located in the State of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population is 15,014. Its county seat is Washburn.

History

Originally, in 1848 it was named La Pointe County, Wisconsin, but was renamed Bayfield County on 12 April 1866.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,042 square miles (5,288.8 km²), of which 1,476 square miles (3,822.8 km²) is land and 565 square miles (1,463.3 km²) (27.69%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Ashland County – east
• Sawyer County – south
• Washburn County – southwest
• Douglas County – west
• Lake County, Minnesota – north (water boundary only, in Lake Superior)

Major highways

U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Highway 63 Highway 13 (Wisconsin)

Highway 27 (Wisconsin) Highway 118 (Wisconsin) Highway 137 (Wisconsin)

National protected areas

• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (part)
• Chequamegon National Forest (part)
• * Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Bayfield County

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	489		—
1860	353		−27.8%
1870	344		−2.5%
1880	564		64.0%
1890	7,390		1,210.3%
1900	14,392		94.7%
1910	15,987		11.1%
1920	17,201		7.6%
1930	15,006		−12.8%
1940	15,827		5.5%
1950	13,760		−13.1%
1960	11,910		−13.4%
1970	11,683		−1.9%
1980	13,822		18.3%
1990	14,008		1.3%
2000	15,013		7.2%
2010	15,014		0%
Est. 2012	15,099		0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 2012 Estimate

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,013 people, 6,207 households, and 4,276 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 11,640 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.46% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 9.39% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.3% were of German, 10.4% Norwegian, 8.4% Swedish, 6.1% Irish, 5.9% Polish, 5.7% Finnish and 5.0% English ancestry. 96.8% spoke English as their first language.

There were 6,207 households out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.70 males.

Cities, villages, and towns

Bayfield County Courthouse

Cities

• Ashland (partial)
• Bayfield
• Washburn

Villages

• Mason

Towns

Barksdale Barnes Bayfield Bayview Bell

Cable Clover Delta Drummond Eileen

Grandview Hughes Iron River Kelly Keystone

Lincoln Mason Namakagon Orienta Oulu

Pilsen Port Wing Russell Tripp Washburn

Unincorporated communities

County sign on US2 / WIS13

• Ashland Junction
• Barksdale
• Bark Point
• Benoit
• Cable
• Cornucopia
• Delta
• Drummond
• Grand View
• Herbster
• Ino
• Iron River
• Lake Owen
• Leonards
• Moquah
• Muskeg
• Namekagon
• Pike River
• Radspur
• Port Wing
• Pureair
• Oulu
• Red Cliff
• Salmo
• Sand Bay
• Sioux
• Sutherland
• Topside
• Wills

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
• USS Bayfield (APA-33)
• Lake Namakagon

External links

• Bayfield County government
• Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation
• Red Cliff Reservation
• Bayfield County, Wisconsin: Its Past, Present and Future