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Taylor County, Wisconsin

Coordinates: 45°13′N 90°30′W / 45.21°N 90.50°W / 45.21; -90.50
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Not to be confused with Taylor, Wisconsin.

Taylor County
County
The Taylor County Courthouse in Medford
The Taylor County Courthouse in Medford
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Taylor County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°13′N 90°30′W / 45.21°N 90.5°W / 45.21; -90.5
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Founded1875
SeatMedford
Largest cityMedford
Area
 • Total984 sq mi (2,550 km2)
 • Land975 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Water9.5 sq mi (25 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total19,913
 • Estimate 
(2023)
20,058 Increase
 • Density20.4/sq mi (7.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.co.taylor.wi.us

Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,913.[1] Its county seat is Medford.[2] It is mostly rural, lying roughly where corn and dairy farms to the south give way to forest and swamp to the north.[3]

History

[edit]

The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was claimed by New France. A band of Huron Indians from eastern Ontario had fled the Iroquois and taken refuge near the headwaters of the Black River, probably around Lake Chelsea in the northeast part of the county. Father René Menard, a French Jesuit priest who had travelled up the Great Lakes as far as Keweenaw Bay in upper Michigan, heard that these Hurons were starving. He decided to try to reach them to baptize them, despite his own weak health and scant supplies. In mid-summer he and a French fur trader set out, following rivers and streams in birchbark canoes down into Wisconsin. Finally, a day's journey from the Huron camp, Father Menard separated from his travelling companion at a rapids to carry some supplies. He was never seen again. The place where he disappeared is believed to be the dells of the Big Rib River, below Goodrich in the southeast corner of Taylor county.[4]

A crew hauling logs for the Fountain-Campbell Lumber Company in northwest Taylor County, 1909

On June 8, 1847, before any settlers or loggers, a team of surveyors entered the county[5] southwest of Medford, where County E now enters from Clark County. They were working for the U.S. government, marking a north–south line called the Fourth Principal Meridian, from which much of the land in the state would be measured. For six days they worked their way through woods and swamps, up what is now the southern part of E and across the valley that is now the Mondeaux Flowage, before continuing north into what is now Price County. The head of the team wrote of the trip:

During four consecutive weeks there was not a dry garment in the party, day or night... we were constantly surrounded and as constantly excoriated by swarms or rather clouds of mosquitoes, and still more troublesome insects...[6]

On their way through the county, they and other surveyors recorded a forest then dominated by hemlock, yellow birch and sugar maple, with white pine the fourth or sixth most frequent. The mix of tree species then resembled today's Gerstberger Pines grove southeast of Rib Lake.[7]

Logging began in the late 1850s. Loggers came up the rivers and floated white pine logs out in spring and early summer log drives, down the Big Rib River into the Wisconsin River, down the Black River to the south, and west down the Jump and the Yellow River into the Chippewa. Log-drives continued until around 1900, when the easy-to-float white pine was dwindling.[8]

In 1872 and 73 the Wisconsin Central Railroad built its line up through the forest that would become Medford on its way to Ashland. The Wisconsin Central's financiers were from Boston, and they named stations at Medford, Chelsea and Westboro after towns in Massachusetts. To finance building this line, the U.S. Government gave the railroad half the land, the odd-numbered sections, of a good share of the county.[9] The railroad began to haul out the logs that didn't float well. Most early settlement was along this railroad, with few settlers in the west or east ends of the county even by the 1890s.[10]

In 1875 Taylor County with its current boundaries was carved out of the larger Chippewa, Lincoln and Clark counties and a bit of Marathon, with the county seat at Medford. The county was probably named for Wisconsin's governor at the time, William Robert Taylor. It was initially divided into four towns—Westboro, Chelsea, Medford and Little Black[11]—each stretching the width of the county.[12]

Mondeaux Dam Recreation Area, in the Chequamegon National Forest, in the north-central part of the county

From around 1902 to 1905 the Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway built its railroad up the west end of the county through Polley, Gilman, Hannibal and Jump River. In 1902 the Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railroad (better known as Omaha) pushed in from Holcombe through Hannibal to now-abandoned Hughey on the Yellow River. In 1905 the Wisconsin Central Railroad built its line through Clark (now a ghost town), Lublin, Polley, Gilman and Donald, heading for Superior. The SM&P and Omaha were primarily logging railroads, which hauled out lumber and incidentally transported passengers and other cargo. With the lumber gone, the SM&P shut down in 1933.[13]

After the good timber was gone, the lumber companies sold many of the cutover forties to farm families. Initially they tried making their living in various ways: selling milk, eggs, beef and wool, growing cucumbers and peas, and various other schemes. But before long dairy had become the predominant form of agriculture in the county. By 1923 Medford had the second largest co-op creamery in Wisconsin. The number of dairy farms peaked around 3,300 in the early 1940s and had dropped to 1,090 by 1995.[14]

Much of the cut-over north-central part of the county was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest in 1933.[15] Large chunks of this central and northern part of the county was not good for farming, and lay neglected in the hands of lumber companies after the forest was cut off - largely a tax-delinquent fire hazard. In the early 1930s the federal government agreed to manage the land for the county as National Forest.[16] Soon after, Civilian Conservation Corps camps at Mondeaux, Perkinstown, and near the current Jump River fire tower began to replant parts of that cutover. The CCCs at Mondeaux built the recreation area there.[17] Today hikers can follow the Ice Age National Scenic Trail through the national forest and the northeast corner of the county.

Many small dairy farms are switching to corn and soybeans. In Maplehurst.

The major early industry was the production of sawlogs, lumber, and shingles.[18] Large sawmills were at Medford and Rib Lake. Medford, Perkinstown and Rib Lake had tanneries, which used local hemlock bark in the tanning process. Whittlesey had an early brickyard.[10] Industry has diversified since, into creameries, window manufacturers, plastics, and food processing - mostly at Medford.

Geography

[edit]
Maximum extent of the Laurentide Ice Sheet[19]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 984 square miles (2,550 km2), of which 975 square miles (2,530 km2) is land and 9.5 square miles (25 km2) (1.0%) is water.[20]

Glacial landforms of Taylor County.[19]

Taylor county's terrain was shaped chiefly by glaciers. Geologists believe that 15,000 to 25,000 years ago the Laurentide Ice Sheet pushed down from Canada across what are now the Great Lakes, and over much of the northern U.S. One of the ice sheet's lobes bulldozed down over two thirds of Taylor county, at its farthest extent covering a line from Westboro through Perkinstown to Lublin. The ice sheet pushed down that far, then melted back, leaving the band of choppy hills and little lakes that cuts diagonally across the county. This band of hills is called the Perkinstown terminal moraine. North and west of the moraine, in the corner of the county toward Jump River, that last glacier left behind a more gently rolling plain of glacial till. The striking glacial features in this area are glacial erratic boulders and eskers. Along with the Mondeaux and Lost Lake eskers, there are others in the towns of Westboro, Pershing, Aurora and Taft. The southeast corner of the county toward Stetsonville and Goodrich was not covered by the last glacier, but was covered by earlier ones. Here too they left glacial till, but the land is generally flatter and less rocky since erosion has had more time to level things.[19]

Beneath the glacial till lies Cambrian and Precambrian bedrock. Outcrops have been exposed in places by the Jump and Yellow Rivers.[14][19] An unmined copper and gold deposit known as the Bend deposit lies north of Perkinstown,[21] which geologists believe was formed up to two billion years ago by a black smoker, a volcanic vent under an ancient ocean.[22]

The county straddles a divide between three river systems. The Jump River and Yellow flow west into the Chippewa river valley. The Big Rib River flows southeast to the Wisconsin. And the Black River flows out to the south. All eventually feed the Mississippi.

Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18802,311—
18906,731191.3%
190011,26267.3%
191013,64121.1%
192018,04532.3%
193017,685−2.0%
194020,10513.7%
195018,456−8.2%
196017,843−3.3%
197016,958−5.0%
198018,81711.0%
199018,9010.4%
200019,6804.1%
201020,6895.1%
202019,913−3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[23]
1790–1960[24] 1900–1990[25]
1990–2000[26] 2010[27] 2020[1]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2020,[1] the population was 19,913. The population density was 20.4 people per square mile (7.9 people/km2). There were 9,379 housing units at an average density of 9.6 units per square mile (3.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

[edit]
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Taylor County

As of the census[28] of 2000, there were 19,680 people, 7,529 households, and 5,345 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (7.7 people/km2). There were 8,595 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.71% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 57.9% were of German, 9.1% Polish, 5.3% American and 5.3% Norwegian ancestry. 96.2% spoke English, 1.7% German and 1.2% Spanish as their first language.

There were 7,529 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 102.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.40 males.

In 2017, there were 202 births, giving a general fertility rate of 64.0 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 33rd highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[29] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Taylor County residence in 2017.[30]

Transportation

[edit]
Welcome sign on STH 13

The state of Wisconsin has jurisdiction over 120 miles (190 km) of state highways in Taylor County, including STH-13, STH-64, STH-73, STH-97, and STH-102. STH-13 runs north–south through the eastern half of the county and STH-73 is the major north–south highway in the western half of the county. STH-64 is the major highway running east–west through Taylor county. Through a contractual agreement with the state, the Taylor County Highway Department is responsible for maintenance of state highways and right-of-ways.

A network of 250 miles (400 km) of county highways serves Taylor County's rural areas. Major east–west highways include CTH-A, CTH-D, CTH-M, and CTH-O. Major north–south routes include CTH-C, CTH-E, and CTH-H.

Towns in Taylor County are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their individual town roads.

Rustic Road 1, north of Rib Lake

The county has one designated Rustic Road, Rustic Road 1 located in the Town of Rib Lake. Dedicated in 1975, this 5-mile-long (8.0 km) gravel road between STH-102 and CTH-D near Rib Lake was the first Rustic Road in Wisconsin. It winds over wooded hills and valleys created by glaciers nearly 12,000 years ago. A historical marker alongside the road (at Hwy 102 and RR1) commemorates the designation.[31]

Major highways

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Railroads

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Buses

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Airports

[edit]
  • KMDZ - Taylor County

The primary airport in the county is the Taylor County Airport (KMDZ). There are six other private landing strips in the county. Located approximately three miles southeast of Medford, the Taylor County Airport is the only public airport. The airport handles approximately 7,000 operations per year, with roughly 93% general aviation and 7% air taxi. The airport has a 6,000-foot asphalt runway with approved GPS approaches (Runway 9-27) and a 4,435-foot asphalt crosswind runway, also with GPS approaches, (Runway 16–34).[32] Services provided include: Jet A fuel, 100 low-lead AV gas, 24-hour fuel service, car rental, taxi service, large ramp/tie down area, flight instruction, and computerized weather briefing/flight planning service. An automated weather observation system (AWOS) is in place.

Location Airport name Status Location
Roosevelt Baldez Field Private T .30N-R.3W Sec.2
Goodrich Charlie's Field Private T.31N-R.3E Sec. 19
Aurora East Gilman Field Private T.31N-R.3W Sec. 18
Browning Lee's Flight Park Private T.31N-R.2E Sec 2
Medford Memorial Hospital of Taylor Co. Heliport Private T.31N-R.1E Sec. 28
Little Black Taylor County Airport Public T.30N-R.2E Sec. 7
Goodrich John's Field Private T.31N-R.3E Sec. 24

Communities

[edit]
Taylor County: cities, villages, towns, etc.

City

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Villages

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns

[edit]
Pictured is Holy Assumption Church in Lublin, one of a handful of Orthodox churches in Wisconsin.[33]

Population

[edit]

The southwest corner of the county was settled largely by Polish and other eastern-European immigrants.

Taylor County experienced a population decrease between 1950 and 1970, but since 1970 the county has gained 2,722 people.

Area 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Numeric Change 1950-2000 January 1, 2006, Estimate
T. Aurora 564 563 466 461 473 386 -178 375
T. Browning 630 630 644 702 740 850 220 889
T. Chelsea 603 566 554 677 731 719 116 754
T. Cleveland 458 358 250 286 235 262 -196 272
T. Deer Creek 780 810 764 747 738 733 -47 750
T. Ford 334 306 248 274 254 276 -58 271
T. Goodrich 460 414 373 408 454 487 27 497
T. Greenwood 758 653 635 705 634 642 -116 672
T. Grover 266 232 210 229 214 233 -33 239
T. Hammel 516 526 509 562 633 735 219 749
T. Holway 834 859 837 903 779 854 20 879
T. Jump River 448 391 355 365 330 311 -137 317
T. Little Black 1216 1182 1133 1169 1195 1148 -68 1187
T. McKinley 570 491 461 416 403 418 -152 440
T. Maplehurst 462 405 348 345 300 359 -103 364
T. Medford 1661 1622 1546 1834 1962 2216 555 2253
T. Molitor 200 168 199 212 183 263 63 269
T. Pershing 418 358 295 276 217 180 -238 181
T. Rib Lake 769 657 615 682 746 768 -1 775
T.Roosevelt 678 602 518 491 429 444 -234 446
T. Taft 499 418 355 347 367 361 -138 380
T. Westboro 783 720 631 706 663 660 -123 699
V. Gilman 402 379 328 436 412 474 72 460
V. Lublin 161 160 143 142 129 110 -51 100
V. Rib Lake 853 794 782 945 887 878 25 878
V. Stetsonville 334 319 305 487 511 563 229 563
C. Medford 2799 3260 3454 4010 4282 4350 1551 4260
Taylor County 18456 17843 16958 18817 18901 19680 1224 19917

Politics

[edit]
United States presidential election results for Taylor County, Wisconsin[34]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 7,657 71.65% 2,693 25.20% 336 3.14%
2016 6,579 69.46% 2,393 25.27% 499 5.27%
2012 5,601 58.88% 3,763 39.56% 148 1.56%
2008 4,586 49.07% 4,563 48.82% 197 2.11%
2004 5,582 58.49% 3,829 40.12% 132 1.38%
2000 5,278 58.70% 3,254 36.19% 460 5.12%
1996 3,108 39.18% 3,253 41.01% 1,571 19.81%
1992 3,415 36.49% 3,305 35.31% 2,639 28.20%
1988 4,254 52.52% 3,785 46.73% 61 0.75%
1984 4,918 59.48% 3,271 39.56% 80 0.97%
1980 4,596 51.31% 3,739 41.74% 623 6.95%
1976 3,591 45.45% 4,101 51.90% 209 2.65%
1972 4,125 55.87% 2,934 39.74% 324 4.39%
1968 3,043 43.96% 2,910 42.04% 969 14.00%
1964 2,261 32.78% 4,624 67.03% 13 0.19%
1960 3,447 47.63% 3,768 52.07% 22 0.30%
1956 3,843 57.75% 2,759 41.46% 52 0.78%
1952 4,892 63.45% 2,768 35.90% 50 0.65%
1948 2,579 42.11% 3,184 51.99% 361 5.89%
1944 3,194 48.24% 3,215 48.56% 212 3.20%
1940 3,668 47.77% 3,771 49.11% 239 3.11%
1936 1,758 25.15% 4,721 67.55% 510 7.30%
1932 1,107 18.61% 4,219 70.94% 621 10.44%
1928 2,648 54.61% 2,095 43.20% 106 2.19%
1924 1,389 29.49% 185 3.93% 3,136 66.58%
1920 2,707 72.69% 282 7.57% 735 19.74%
1916 1,544 60.22% 845 32.96% 175 6.83%
1912 773 33.81% 821 35.91% 692 30.27%
1908 1,627 60.80% 924 34.53% 125 4.67%
1904 1,725 67.81% 728 28.62% 91 3.58%
1900 1,420 57.51% 1,012 40.99% 37 1.50%
1896 1,387 64.51% 710 33.02% 53 2.47%
1892 734 43.20% 904 53.21% 61 3.59%

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census: Taylor County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Wisconsin Atlas and Gazetteer (6 ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 1999. pp. 73–74.
  4. ^ Schmirler, A. A. A., "Wisconsin's Lost Missionary: The Mystery of Father Rene Menard", The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Volume 45, number 2, winter, 1961-1962.[1]
  5. ^ "Field Notes for T30N R1W". Original Field Notes and Plat Maps, 1833-1866. Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  6. ^ Kassulke, Natasha; David Mladneoff (August 2009). "See Wisconsin through the Eyes of 19th Century Surveyors" (PDF). Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  7. ^ Finley, Robert W.,"Finley's Presettlement Vegetation" Archived December 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, 1976, University of Wisconsin.
  8. ^ Ruesch, Gordon (2011). Stephen Lars Kalmon (ed.). Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - A Topical History of our Roots. Taylor County History Project.
  9. ^ Martin, Roy L. (January 1941). History of the Wisconsin Central (Bulletin No. 54). Boston, Mass.: The Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc., Baker Library, Harvard Business School. pp. 6, 18–21, 29, 42.
  10. ^ a b "Map of Taylor County and Part of Lincoln County, Wis, Showing Wisconsin Central RR Lands - Corrected to March 1, 1896". The Milwaukee Litho & Engr Co. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  11. ^ Ruesch, H. O. (2011). Stephen Lars Kalmon (ed.). Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - A Topical History of our Roots. Taylor County History Project.
  12. ^ Dahl, Ole Rasmussen (1880). Map of Chippewa, Price & Taylor Counties and the northern part of Clark County. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: The Milwaukee Litho & Engr Co.
  13. ^ Nagel, Paul; (1979) S. M. & P. RY. The Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway
  14. ^ a b Boelter, Joseph M.; Stacy S. Eichner; Angela M. Elg; William D. Fiala; Richard M. Johannes (July 2005). "Soil Survey of Taylor County, Wisconsin" (PDF). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Forest Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  15. ^ "Nicolet National Forest". www.stateparks.com. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  16. ^ Zenner, John (January 2012). "The John Zenner Story". In Kalmon, Lars (ed.). Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - Vol 1. Taylor County History Project. pp. 12–13, 15.
  17. ^ Bruhy, Mark E. (July 9, 1984). "Mondeaux Dam Public Utility Area". NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form. US Dept. of the Interior. National Park Service. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  18. ^ "1876 Account of Taylor County" Archived January 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Wisconsin Land Commission.
  19. ^ a b c d Attig, John W. (1993). "Pleistocene Geology of Taylor County, Wisconsin". Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. Bulletin 90. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  20. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  21. ^ "Recent and Potential Metallic Mining Projects in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  22. ^ Berglund, Mark (December 7, 2011). "Up around the Bend". The Star News.
  23. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  24. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  25. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  26. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  27. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  28. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  29. ^ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  30. ^ Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin, Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18
  31. ^ "Rustic Road 1". Rustic Roads. Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  32. ^ "KMDZ: Taylor County Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  33. ^ "Parishes in Wisconsin". The Orthodox Church in America. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  34. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
[edit]

45°13′N 90°30′W / 45.21°N 90.50°W / 45.21; -90.50

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