Viroqua is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Vernon County,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, United States. The population was 4,504 at the 2020 census. The city is in the town of Viroqua.

Etymology

The town was originally named “Farwell” after

Leonard J. Farwell Leonard James Farwell (January 5, 1819 – April 11, 1889) was an American politician and public administrator. He was the 2nd Governor of Wisconsin. Early life Farwell was born in Watertown, New York, the son of James and Rebecca (Cady) ...

, second

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscon ...

, but it was renamed “Viroqua” in 1854. It is unclear why the name was changed, and the source of the name is uncertain. One legend states that Viroqua was the name of the daughter of

Black Hawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to: Animals * Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856 * Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus'' * Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii'' * Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus urub ...

, but this is not supported by evidence. Another story attributes the name to a

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...

Indian actress who performed in a theater on the East Coast or in Brantford, Canada. However, the town most likely took its name from the fictional lead character of the 1848 novel ''Viroqua, or, the Flower of the Ottawas'' by Emma Carra.

History

The Native American

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iow ...

people inhabited the area now known as Vernon County and the area of Viroqua. The Ho-Chunk, formerly known as the Winnebago, are a

Siouan Siouan or Siouan–Catawban is a language family of North America that is located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who call the ent ...

-speaking people who lived in the western Great Lakes region for thousands of years. The Ho-Chunk were removed westward beginning in the 1820s. There was a sharp rivalry between Viroqua and Springville to be named the county seat of Vernon County. A deed for of land was promised by pioneer Moses Decker, on condition that Viroqua be chosen as the county seat. The land constituted what became known as the County Addition to the city of Viroqua. Decker was one of the early settlers in the area. He arrived in 1847 and laid out the village of Viroqua. He died in 1860. Earlier settlers arrived in 1844 and built lumber mills on the Kickapoo River. Farmers began arriving in 1846, some of whom were John Graham, T.J. Defreese and William C. McMichael. In early 1851, the act authorizing the organization of Bad Axe, now Vernon County, was approved by Governor

Nelson Dewey Nelson Webster Dewey (December 19, 1813July 21, 1889) was an American pioneer, lawyer, and politician. He was the first Governor of Wisconsin. Early life Dewey was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, on December 19, 1813, to Ebenezer and Lucy (née ...

. Viroqua was awarded the county seat, pending a permanent location to be determined by a vote. In May 1852, residents voted in favor of Viroqua. The present Vernon County Courthouse was built in Viroqua in 1880. On June 28, 1865, Viroqua was hit by a deadly tornado that left 22 dead.

Geography

Viroqua is located at (43.556534, -90.887663). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is in the

Driftless Region The Driftless Area, a topographical and cultural region in the American Midwest, comprises southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois. Never covered by ice during the ...

, near the western end of the Ocooch Mountains.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 4,504. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 2,231 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 1.1%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 4.2% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.2%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. According to the

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

estimates for 2016-2020, the median income for a household in the city was $38,849, and the median income for a family was $55,075. Male full-time workers had a median income of $52,742 versus $39,178 for female workers. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $23,884. About 15.9% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 25.8% of those age 65 or over. Of the population age 25 and over, 94.3% were high school graduates or higher and 25.5% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 4,362 people, 2,029 households, and 1,059 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 2,208 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.1%

, 0.6%

, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.4% from

, and 1.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population. There were 2,029 households, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.8% were non-families. 43.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the city was 45 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 23.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,335 people, 1,990 households, and 1,112 families residing in the city. The

was 1,327.3 people per square mile (511.9/km²). There were 2,105 housing units at an average density of 644.5 per square mile (248.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.73%

, 0.07%

, 0.16% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.18% from

, and 0.39% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 1,990 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were

living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% were non-families. 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.

Transportation

Viroqua is at the intersection of

U.S. Highway 14 U.S. Route 14 (abbreviated U.S. 14 or US 14), an east–west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It currently has a length of 1,398 miles (2,250 km), but it had a peak length of 1,429 miles (2,300 km). For ...

U.S. Highway 61 U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...

Wisconsin Highway 27 State Trunk Highway 27 (often called Highway 27, STH-27 or WIS 27) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The highway spans a length of and is generally two-lane local road with the exception of urban multilane arterials within some c ...

, Wisconsin Highway 56, and Wisconsin Highway 82. Recently, the highways and major streets in Viroqua were redone. Highways 14, 61, and 27 had lanes added to them to become four lanes, except for the four block section of downtown. That was kept two lanes to allow for parallel parking on the side of the road. Viroqua was on the new airways route between

La Crosse La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census ...

, Wisconsin, and Rockford,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, when it was established in June 1932. The beacon light had about 15 large revolving beacons of 2,000,000 candle power when it was installed on the Mahlon Lepley farm, four miles (6 km) northeast of Viroqua. Viroqua was formerly served by a

Milwaukee Road The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986. The company experienced ...

branch line from Sparta via Leon, Melvina, Cashton and Westby.

Bus service

Commuter bus service towards

is provided seven times daily per direction by Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit.

Airport

Viroqua is serviced by the

Viroqua Municipal Airport Viroqua Municipal Airport, is a city owned public use airport located 2 miles (3 km) north of the central business district of Viroqua, Wisconsin, a city in Vernon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is included in the Federal Aviat ...

(Y51).

Economy

Viroqua is an accredited Main Street America city. Its downtown is listed on the Wisconsin and

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. Viroqua was dubbed "The Town That Beat

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

" by ''

Smithsonian Magazine ''Smithsonian'' is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The first issue was published in 1970. History The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' mag ...

'' in 1992 because it fostered businesses that co-exist with the retail giant. The city and its nonprofit chamber of commerce, the Viroqua Chamber Main Street, actively promote small business development through several state and federal programs. One noteworthy program that has kept downtown storefronts occupied has been the Pop-Up Shop Initiative, which allow entrepreneurs to use a space downtown rent-free for the holiday season. Viroqua is a site of food tourism, as surrounding Vernon County is home to one of the highest densities of organic farms in the country, with over 200 in the area.

Education

* Viroqua High School * Viroqua Middle School * Viroqua Elementary School
Driftless Folk School
* Pleasant Ridge

Waldorf School Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical ...

* English Lutheran School * Youth Initiative High School * Laurel High School * Better Futures High School
Thoreau College
*

Western Technical College Western Technical College (Western) is a public technical college in La Crosse, Wisconsin. A member of the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Western Technical College District serves 11 counties and enrolls over 5,000 students. The college ...

offers classes in Viroqua

Culture

The Temple Theatre serves as an arts and cultural center for surrounding counties. A $1.6 million restoration of the 1922

classical revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

style

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and movie theater was driven by volunteers. There are a large number of organic farms in the

surrounding Viroqua, which supports startup business ventures, restaurants, and a budding tourism industry.

Notable people

Joseph D. Beck Joseph David Beck (March 14, 1866 – November 8, 1936) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin. Born near Bloomingdale, in Vernon County, Wisconsin, Beck graduated from Stevens Point Normal Scho ...

, U.S. Representative * J. Henry Bennett, legislator and lawyer * Cyrus M. Butt, legislator and lawyer * Henry Conner, legislator * Andrew H. Dahl, Wisconsin State Legislature * John Field, football player and coach, businessman * Frederick C. Finkle, geologist *

Amos Fries Amos Alfred Fries (1873–1963) was a general in the United States Army and 1898 graduate of the United States Military Academy. Fries was the second chief of the army's Chemical Warfare Service, established during World War I. Fries served ...

, United States Army general * James Gillett, former

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constitution of California, t ...

* Lawrence Grimsrud, legislator and lawyer * Frank Bateman Keefe, U.S. Representative * Meade Layne, early ufologist *

Mark C. Lee Mark Charles Lee USAF Colonel, (born August 14, 1952) is a former NASA astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions. He retired from the Air Force and NASA on July 1, 2001. Early life Lee was born August 14, 1952, in Viroqua, Wisconsin, a ...

, United States astronaut * Bernard Lewison, businessman and legislator * Craig Minowa, musician and environmental activist *

Chris Mulkey Chris Mulkey (born May 3, 1948) is an American film and television actor. Career Mulkey played the supporting role of husband to Annie Potts's character in '' Any Day Now'' from 1998 to 2002. He has also appeared in '' Captain Phillips'', '' ...

, actor and musician, born in Viroqua * Oliver Munson, Wisconsin State Legislature * William Nelson, Wisconsin State Senator * Daniel B. Priest, lawyer and legislator * Brian Rude, Wisconsin State Legislature * Jeremiah McLain Rusk, governor of Wisconsin, Secretary of Agriculture * Lycurgus J. Rusk, Wisconsin legislator, soldier and lawyer * Rudy Silbaugh, Wisconsin State Legislature *

Freddie Slack Frederick Charles Slack (August 7, 1910 – August 10, 1965) was an American swing and boogie-woogie pianist and bandleader. Life and career Slack was born in Westby, Wisconsin, United States. He learned to play drums as a boy. Later he took up ...

, American swing and boogie-woogie pianist and bandleader * August E. Smith, educator and legislator *

Gerald L. K. Smith Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (February 27, 1898 – April 15, 1976) was an American clergyman, politician and organizer known for his populist and far-right demagoguery. A leader of the populist Share Our Wealth movement during the Great Depressi ...

, founder of

Share Our Wealth Share Our Wealth was a movement that began in February 1934, during the Great Depression, by Huey Long, a governor and later United States Senator from Louisiana. Long first proposed the plan in a national radio address, which is now referred to ...

Movement, grew up in Viroqua *

Jill Soltau Jill Ann Soltau (born 1967) is an American businesswoman who was the CEO of JCPenney from October 2018 through December 2020. She was previously CEO of Jo-Ann Fabrics. Education A native of Viroqua, Wisconsin, Soltau is a 1989 graduate of Unive ...

, Former CEO of JCPenney * J. Henry Tate, Wisconsin legislator and businessmanR. M. Bashford (comp.).
The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin
'. 16th ed. Madison: R. B. Bolens, 1877, p. 448. * Thorleif T. Peterson Wisconsin state legislator and farmer * Richard Tubb, personal physician to former President George W. Bush *

Butch Vig Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of the diamond-selling Nirvana album '' Nev ...

, record producer and musician * William V. Weber,

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

State Representative * Jerome H. Wheelock, Wisconsin legislator and educator

Images

File:ViroquaWisconsinSchoolsWIS56.jpg, School File:ViroquaWisconsinSignWIS56.jpg, Sign on

WIS 56 State Trunk Highway 56 (often called Highway 56, STH-56 or WIS 56) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs east–west in southwest Wisconsin from just north of Richland Center to Genoa. On some maps, it is listed as endi ...

File:VernonCountyFairgroundsUS14US61WIS27.jpg, Vernon County fairgrounds

References

External links

Official website
*Sanborn fire insurance maps
18921900190519111922
{{Authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Vernon County, Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin Populated places established in 1844 1844 establishments in Wisconsin Territory