Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States, along Beaver Dam Lake and the

Beaver Dam River The Beaver Dam River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 13, 2011 tributary of the Crawfish River in south-central Wisconsin in the United States. Via the Crawfish a ...

. The population was 16,708 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city primarily located in Dodge County. It is the principal city of the

Beaver Dam Micropolitan Statistical area The Beaver Dam Micropolitan Statistical Area is an area in east central Wisconsin. Its principal city is Beaver Dam, and it includes all of Dodge County. The Beaver Dam Micropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and Fond du Lac MSA form the Fond du Lac ...

. The city is adjacent to the Town of Beaver Dam.

History

Beaver Dam was first settled by Thomas Mackie and Joseph Goetschius in 1841, and by 1843 had a population of almost 100. The city was named for an old beaver dam located in a stream flowing into

. The area had also been known as ''Okwaanim'', Chippewa for beaver dam. The community was incorporated as a city on March 18, 1856. That same year the Milwaukee Railroad reached the area, encouraging further growth. Beaver Dam hosted a

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of ...

camp called Camp Beaver Dam in the summer of 1944. The camp held 300 German prisoners in a tent city encampment where the Wayland Academy field house now stands.

Geography and climate

Glacial features near Beaver Dam Lake, Wisconsin

Beaver Dam is located at (43.459967, −88.836066). 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 , of which, is land and is water. Beaver Dam has a warm-summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

( Köppen: Dfb). Since 1996, the average annual snowfall in Beaver Dam has been . The 2007–2008 winter season was the snowiest on record with .

Normal temperatures

Normal precipitation

Snowfall

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 16,708. 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 7,699 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 85.0%

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 ...

, 1.7%

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 ...

, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 4.7% from other races, and 7.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 11.5%

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 $55,551, and the median income for a family was $73,309. Male full-time workers had a median income of $48,773 versus $40,140 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 $30,729. About 6.2% of families and 8.3% 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 11.2% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. Of the population age 25 and over, 93.0% were high school graduates or higher and 21.4% 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 16,214 people, 6,819 households, and 4,113 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 7,326 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.0%

, 0.8%

, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population. There were 6,819 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,169 people, 6,349 households, and 3,999 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,904.6 people per square mile (1,122.0/km). There were 6,685 housing units at an average density of 1,280.1 per square mile (494.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 95.95%

, 0.44%

, 0.32% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.05%

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 ...

, 1.61% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 6,349 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.94. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

Education

The Beaver Dam Unified School District provides public education in the area.

Primary education

Beaver Dam's five public primary schools for K to 5th grades are: Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Prairie View Elementary, Washington Elementary, and Wilson Elementary. There are two parochial primary schools: St. Katharine Drexel (grades: Pre-K to 8th), and St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran (grades: K to 8th).

Middle school

Beaver Dam Middle School is the local public

middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

teaching 6th through 8th grades.

Secondary education

Beaver Dam High School is the local public high school; its mascot is The Golden Beaver. An alternative school, the Don Smith Learning Academy, is part of the Beaver Dam Unified School District. Beaver Dam, High School Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 5

Beaver Dam, High School Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 5

The city is also home to Wayland Academy, a private school. Wayland Hall Cory Schaefer

Post-secondary education

The Beaver Dam campus of

Moraine Park Technical College Moraine Park Technical College (Moraine Park Tech or MPTC) is a Public technical college in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It was established in 1912 and is part of the Wisconsin Technical College System. It has campuses in Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam, and ...

is located in the city. Beaver Dam Wisconsin Municipal Building

Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre Wisconsin

Healthcare

Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam is a 163 bed hospital. There are 44.4 primary care physicians per 100,000 population in Beaver Dam. The area is designated as both a

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles Stress (biology), stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-maki ...

and primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) qualifying the region as a

medical desert Medical desert is a term used to describe regions whose population has inadequate access to healthcare. The term can be applied whether the lack of healthcare is general or in a specific field, such as dental or pharmaceutical. It is primarily used ...

. By 2035, Beaver Dam is expected to have 48.4% deficit in primary care physicians, the eighth largest predicted deficit in Wisconsin. There are two behavioral health professionals in Beaver Dam.

Gallery

File:Dodge County Historical Society Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.jpg, Dodge County Historical Society File:Beaver Dam Family Center Ice Arena Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 3.jpg, Beaver Dam Family Center and Ice Arena

Events

The following events are held each year in Beaver Dam, WI: January: * Cabin Fever Fest – 4th Sunday March: * Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast – 1st Sunday April: * Rotary Casino Night – 1st Saturday * Beaver Dam Area Orchestra Annual Spring Concert – 3rd Saturday May: * Race Into Summer Festival – Sunday of Memorial Day weekend * Memorial Day Parade – Memorial Day June: * Taste of Wisconsin (beer & cheese tasting) – Saturday before Father's Day * Swan City Classic Car Show – Father's Day July: * Lake Days / Swan Park Craft Fair – 2nd weekend August: * Corn Roast – 1st Thursday * Dodge County Fair – 3rd Wednesday through the following Sunday November: * Midwest Cream Cheese Competition – Saturday of opening of deer hunting * Economic Update Luncheon – 3rd Wednesday December: * Christmas Parade – 1st Saturday

Government

Beaver Dam is represented by

Glenn Grothman Glenn S. Grothman (; born July 3, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected to his seat in 2014. Grothman r ...

(R) in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, and by Ron Johnson (R) and

Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Wisconsin since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she served three terms in the Wisconsin St ...

(D) in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

. John Jagler (R) represents Beaver Dam in the Wisconsin State Senate, and Mark Born (R) in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, e ...

References in popular media

Films shot in Beaver Dam

*'' Public Enemies'' (2009) starring

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Awa ...

, Marion Cotillard &

Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, includin ...

*'' The Pit'' (1981) starring

Sammy Snyders Sam Snyders (also known as "Sammy Snyders"), is a former television and film child actor from Canada. He is best known for his role as Tom Sawyer in the 1979 Canadian television series, ''Huckleberry Finn and His Friends'', alongside Ian Tracey w ...

& Jeannie Elias *''

Thirteen Hours by Air ''13 Hours by Air'' (also known as ''20 Hours by Air'') is a 1936 drama film made by Paramount Pictures and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The film stars Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Kenyon Nicholson and Boga ...

'' (1936) starring

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She came from a show-business family, one of three acting sisters. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more t ...

Films shot about Beaver Dam

* ''Yoga Matt'' (2008) ( short) starring

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

& MADtv actors * '' Pardon My Past'' (1945) starring

with many references to Beaver Dam

Films referencing Beaver Dam

* '' For Me and My Gal'' (1942) in which "Beaverdam, Wis." is the first stop for Palmer & Hayden after they team up. * '' Pardon My Past'' (1945) in which "Beaverdam, Wis." is the destination of Eddie and Chuck to start a mink farm after leaving the service.

Notable people

Government

* Claire B. Bird, Wisconsin State Senator * Mark Born, Wisconsin state legislator * Samuel D. Burchard, U.S. Representative * Michael E. Burke, U.S. Representative * Jesse A. Canniff. Wisconsin state legislator, farmer, businessman * Columbus Germain, Wisconsin legislator * David C. Gowdey, member of the

* Charles M. Hambright, Wisconsin State Representative * Michael A. Jacobs, Wisconsin State Senator * Andre Jacque, member of the

* Edwin J. Jones, Minnesota state senator * William Jones, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *

Robert Kastenmeier Robert William Kastenmeier (January 24, 1924March 20, 2015) was an American Democratic politician who represented central Wisconsin in the United States House of Representatives for 32 years, from 1959 until 1991. He was a key sponsor of the Cop ...

, U.S. Representative * Daniel E. La Bar, Wisconsin State Representative * Walter J. LaBuy, U.S. District Court Judge in

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 ...

* Silas W. Lamoreaux, lawyer and politician * Henry W. Lander, Wisconsin State Senator and Mayor of Beaver Dam * Edward C. McFetridge, mayor of Beaver Dam *

George F. Merrill George Fisk Merrill (February 17, 1847 – January 31, 1941) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. Biography Merrill was born on February 17, 1847, in Burnett, Wisconsin, son of Lorenzo Merrill and Mary Ann (Fisk) Merrill. His father was ...

, Wisconsin State Senator *

Eric Oemig Eric W. Oemig (born November 5, 1967) is an American politician and engineer who served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 45th district from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the Senate ...

, former Washington State Senator * Charles Pettibone, Wisconsin State Senator * Dick Pabich, LGBTQ activist and campaign manager of Harvey Milk * John Samuel Rowell, politician, agricultural inventor, and pioneer manufacturer * Benjamin Sherman, Wisconsin legislator * A. Scott Sloan, U.S. Representative *

John Mellen Thurston John Mellen Thurston (August 21, 1847August 9, 1916) was a United States Senator from Nebraska. Thurston was born in Montpelier, Vermont, the son of Daniel Sylvester Thurston and Ruth (née Mellen). He moved with his parents to Madison, W ...

, U.S. Senator from

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

, Thurston County, Nebraska is named after him * Philip J. Zink, Wisconsin legislator

Professional sports

* Eric Baldwin, professional poker player *

Paul Cloyd Paul V. Cloyd (June 13, 1920 – December 28, 2005) was an American basketball player. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, he played college basketball for the University of Wisconsin. He was selected by the Washington Capitols in the 1947 BAA draft, b ...

, professional basketball player *

Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career spanni ...

, wrestler *

Pink Hawley Emerson "Pink" Hawley (December 5, 1872 – September 19, 1938) was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1892 to 1901. Hawley played for the St. Louis Browns, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Pittsburgh ...

, major league baseball player * Addie Joss, MLB player, member of the

National Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

* Lyman Linde, MLB player *

Doug Lloyd Doug Lloyd (born August 31, 1965) is a former running back in the National Football League. He was a member of the Los Angeles Raiders during the 1991 NFL season. Previously, he had been drafted in the sixth round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Rai ...

, professional football player * Jason Maas, professional football player *

David Maley David Joseph Maley (born April 24, 1963) is an American radio and television analyst for the San Jose Sharks and former professional hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Edmonton O ...

, NHL player * Bill Rentmeester, NFL/UFL player *

Elmer Rhenstrom Elmer Gustaf "Swede" Rhenstrom (August 18, 1895 – December 26, 1967) was World War I ace and later airline manager. He was also a football player for a brief time. Biography Rhenstrom was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin."Wisconsin Births and Christ ...

, NFL player * Gil Sterr, NFL player * Barney Traynor, NFL player

Business

Lina Trivedi Lina Trivedi (born June 11, 1973) is an American entrepreneur, author, educator and civil servant. Her most noted writing credit is for authoring the first 136 poems of Beanie Babies. She is also credited for directing the world's first busines ...

, co-creator of ( Beanie Babies) * Frederick Douglas Underwood, President of

Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake ...

, Director of

Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...

Science, media, and the arts

* Delia Akeley, explorer * Edward Creutz, physicist *

Brian Donlevy Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, noted for playing dangerous tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best-known films are ''Beau Geste'' (193 ...

, actor *

Lois Ehlert Lois Jane Ehlert (November 9, 1934 – May 25, 2021) was an American author and illustrator of children's books, most having to do with nature. Ehlert won the Caldecott Honor for ''Color Zoo'' in 1990. Some of her other popular works included '' ...

, illustrator, Caldecott Medal recipient * Zona Gale, writer *

Raymond Z. Gallun Raymond Zinke Gallun (March 22, 1911 – April 2, 1994) was an American science fiction writer. Early life Gallun (rhymes with "balloon") was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, the son of Adolph and Martha Zinke Gallun. He graduated from high scho ...

, writer * Bobby Hatfield, singer, best known as one of

The Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the Lo ...

singing duo *

, actor * Parry Moon, electrical engineer, author *

Kira Salak Kira Salak (born September 4, 1971) is an American writer, adventurer, and journalist known for her travels in Mali and Papua New Guinea. She has written two books of nonfiction and a book of fiction based on her travels and is a contributing edi ...

, writer, adventurer, journalist, attended Wayland Academy * Nancy Zieman, television sewing host, author and businesswoman

References

External links

City of Beaver DamBeaver Dam Chamber of Commerce
* {{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Dodge County, Wisconsin Micropolitan areas of Wisconsin Populated places established in 1841 1841 establishments in Wisconsin Territory