Plain, Wisconsin


Plain is a village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 773 at the 2010 census.

Plain, Wisconsin
Village
Looking south at Plain on Wisconsin Highway 23
Looking south at Plain on Wisconsin Highway 23
Location of Plain in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
Location of Plain in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°16′39″N 90°2′40″W
Country United States
State Wisconsin
CountySauk
Area
[1]
 • Total0.83 sq mi (2.16 km2)
 • Land0.83 sq mi (2.16 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
810 ft (247 m)
Population
 (2010)[3]
 • Total773
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
766
 • Density919.57/sq mi (355.14/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code608
FIPS code55-63125[5]
GNIS feature ID1571574[2]

Geography

Plain is located at 43°16′39″N 90°2′40″W (43.277580, -90.044563).[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.83 square miles (2.15 km2), all of it land.[7]

History
Octagon Barn and owner's mailbox near Plain, Wisconsin

The village of Plain[8] is located on Wisconsin Highway 23 and County Road B in the Township of Franklin. The area of Plain was originally known as Cramer's Corners[9] after four Cramer brothers (John, Jeremiah, Adam and Solomon, Sr.) moved to the Plain area in the early 1850s. They came from Troy Township in Richland County, Ohio and Morrow County, Ohio. Joseph Cramer was originally from Letterkenny Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.[10]

The Cramers are listed as land owners in the 1859 Town of Franklin map.[11] This Cramer family should not be confused with the Kraemer [Krämer] family from Irlach, Bavaria, Germany, who settled in Plain, Wisconsin, in 1867. Several rough buildings were erected and the area acquired the nickname of Logtown (also spelled Log Town).[12]

A post office was proposed to be established at Plain on March 31, 1858, with B. V. Bunnel as postmaster. The proposed mail route was Prairie du Sac, Sauk City, Harrisburg, Plain, Maqua to Sextonville in Richland County.[13] Plain formally became a village in 1912.[14]

The origin of the village's name is widely rumored[15] [16] to have been selected as an homage to the Shrine of the Virgin Mary at Maria Plain on the hill known as Plainberg in the village of Bergheim, Austria outside Salzburg, Austria. There are, however, no known documents, newspaper articles or books of the time to support this claim, and writings of the time indicate a less colorful origin. Plain was "called Plain because the inhabitants were plain people".[17]

In September 1915, a subscriber of the local newspaper wrote of his desire to have Plain re-christened as the town had expanded and improved so much over the past three years that it had outgrown the "plain"-ness of its name. The unnamed author wrote: "Within a few weeks very strong efforts will be made at proper headquarters to have the name of Plain changed, as that name does not agree with the rushing strides our burg is making. First of all there is no meaning to the word Plain, as it is an adjective; we must have at least a noun and why not put a 'ville' or 'city' to it."[18]

Old Franklin Township Historical Society (OFTHS) in Plain, Wisconsin, was organized in 2004[19][20] in the former Town Hall of Franklin, Sauk County, Wisconsin located on Highway 23 at 915 Wachter Avenue. Museum exhibits are open to the public during open house events and by special request.[21]

Sister cities

Plain is twinned with:

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1920324—
19303312.2%
194040522.4%
195051226.4%
196067732.2%
19706881.6%
1980676−1.7%
19906912.2%
200079214.6%
2010773−2.4%
2019 (est.)766[4]−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[25]

2010 census
St. Luke's Catholic Church

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 773 people, 321 households, and 224 families living in the village. The population density was 931.3 inhabitants per square mile (359.6/km2). There were 358 housing units at an average density of 431.3 per square mile (166.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.2% White, 0.1% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population.

There were 321 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.2% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% 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 2.86.

The median age in the village was 40.8 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

2000 census
Looking south at downtown Plain on Highway 23

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 792 people, 333 households, and 224 families living in the village. The population density was 1,083.4 people per square mile (418.9/km2). There were 339 housing units at an average density of 463.7 per square mile (179.3/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.61% White, 0.25% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.38% from other races, and 0.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 333 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $44,028, and the median income for a family was $51,094. Males had a median income of $34,236 versus $25,385 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,658. About 0.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Festivals
Looking east at the residential area of Plain

Festivals in Plain include the following

  • St. Luke's Parish Festival called "Sommerfest" is held annually on a weekend in June.
  • The Plain Fire Department and EMS service sponsors a 3-day celebration in July which includes such activities as kickball, baseball, entertainment for children, a parade, and fireworks on Saturday night.
  • "Strassenfest" is held on the first Saturday in October when the village of Plain showcases local businesses with music, food, and crafts with a focus on the community's early Bavarian heritage.
  • "Christkindlmarkt" is a German festival held on the weekend following Thanksgiving with events for all ages including horse and carriage rides, a visit with Santa, an Elf workshop, open house of the local history museum, craft market and holiday vendors, and an evening procession to St. Luke's church with German hymns.[26]

Notable people
  • Rev. John Gotthard Laurer (1861-1922), pastor of St. Luke's Catholic Church in Plain, Wisconsin, from June 1896 to August 1907. In 1907, he finished writing, Geschichte der kath. Gemeinde des hl. Lukas zu Plain, Wis. (History of St. Luke's Catholic Parish, Plain, Wisconsin)[27] before leaving for the Catholic parish of St. Paul in Mosinee, Wisconsin. Laurer was born on September 10, 1861, in Osterhofen, Bavaria, Germany, and given the name Johann Nepomuk Lauerer.[28] He died on February 21, 1922, at St. Joseph Hospital in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin[29] [30]with burial in St. Luke's new cemetery in Plain, Wisconsin.[31] A Biography of Rev. John Laurer appeared in two books.[32] [33]
  • Edward Kraemer (1889-1973) was founder of Edward Kraemer & Sons in Plain, Wisconsin, in 1911. This was a construction company that built houses, barns, schools, and churches in Sauk County, Wisconsin.[34]
  • Hildegarde Thering (1904-1988), was US Postmaster of Plain, Wisconsin, from 1941 to 1973.[35][36] In 1982, she was author of a 230 page history of Plain, Wisconsin. [37]

See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  8. https://www.villageofplain.com/
  9. Harry Ellsworth Cole, A Standard History of Sauk County, Wisconsin (1918 - The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York)
  10. Kenneth Kraemer, The Other Cramers: Building a Wisconsin Community (2018).
  11. Map of Sauk County, Wisconsin. 1859. Compiled by William H. Canfield, Surveyor and Civil Engineer
  12. Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin), February 21, 1884, page 2
  13. General Laws Passed by the Legislature of Wisconsin in the year Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Eight; together with Joint Resolutions and Memorials Published by Authority. Madison: Calkins & Webb, Printers. 1858, pages 231 and 232
  14. Hildegarde Thering, A History of Plain, Wisconsin (Plain, Wisconsin: privately published, 1982)
  15. Hildegarde Thering, A History of Plain, Wisconsin (Plain, Wisconsin: privately published, 1982), page 139
  16. Robert E. Gard & L. G. Sorden, The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names Published by October House Inc., New York. 1968
  17. Baraboo And Other Place Names in Sauk County, Wisconsin H. E. [Harry Ellsworth] Cole, Baraboo, Wis. The Baraboo New Publishing Co., Baraboo, Wisconsin. December, 1912.
  18. Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin), September 23, 1915, Wants Plain Re-Christened, signed "Onlooker"
  19. Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin), March 24, 2004, Meeting on fate of Franklin Town Hall planned
  20. Baraboo News Republic (Baraboo, Wisconsin), July 26, 2004, Old hall is transformed into new museum
  21. Old Franklin Township Historical Society
  22. Village of Plain, Sauk County, Wisconsin, Resolution 99-4 dated February 9, 1999, signed by Village President William Gruber
  23. Das Ostpreussenblatt: Preussische Allgemeine Zeitung August 24, 2002, page 23, Heimatarbeit in der Ferne, US-amerikanischer Ort Plain hat eine Patenschaft mit den Vertiebenen
  24. Das amerikanische Plain ist Waldmünchens neue Partnerstadt von Petra Schoplocher, December 15, 2022.
  25. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  26. Village of Plain, Wisconsin
  27. Rev. Johann G. Laurer, (original title) Geschichte der katholischen Gemeinde des hl. Lukas zu Plain, Wis. (translated title) The History of St. Luke's Parish, The Town of Franklin, The Village of Plain, in the County of Sauk, State of Wisconsin, United States of America up to 1907 (Oak Brook, Illinois: Hausner Foundation, 1999. Karl Hausner, editor). Transcription of old German script by Kevin McManamy in 1995 and Georg Johann Blau, Hoechstaedt-Donau, Germany, in 1997. Translation of German to English by Karl and Hermine (Schwab) Hausner and Edith Alt, Plain, Wisconsin
  28. Passau, rk. Bistum, Osterhofen, Taufbuch 2, Seite 147
  29. Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin), March 9, 1922, page 1
  30. Nachreiner Funeral records, page 217
  31. Chippewa Herald-Telegram (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin). February 24, 1922, page 1
  32. Chippewa County Wisconsin Past and Present 1913, Volume 2, page 291
  33. The Catholic Church in Wisconsin, A History of the Catholic Church in Wisconsin from the Earliest Times to the Present Day (Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Catholic Historical Publishing Company, 1895-1898). Written & Compiled by Harry H. Heming, Milwaukee, Wis. Pages 845-846.
  34. Sauk County Historical Society, Baraboo, Wisconsin
  35. Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971. Ancestry.com database
  36. Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin), December 8, 1988, obituary
  37. Hildegarde Thering. A History of Plain, Wisconsin (Plain, Wisconsin: privately published, 1982)
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