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Blair, Wisconsin
Location of Blair, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°17?42?N 91°13?48?W? / ?44.295, -91.23
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Trempealeau
Area
- Total	1.1 sq mi (3.0 km²)
- Land	1.1 sq mi (2.8 km²)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
Elevation [1]	853 ft (260 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	1,273
- Density	1,175.2/sq mi (453.7/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code	55-08075[2]
GNIS feature ID	1561910[1]

Blair is a city in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, along the Trempealeau River, which has been dammed to create Lake Henry, named after one of the first settlers. The population was 1,273 at the 2000 census.

Like the nearby cities of Arcadia, Independence, and Whitehall, Blair is located on the former Green Bay and Western Railroad, which ran down the Trempealeau River valley to Winona, Minnesota.

History

The city was first settled during the 1850s. The majority of the city's population are descended from Norwegian settlers, with a smaller group descended from German settlers. The city's Norwegian heritage is represented by annual lefse and lutefisk suppers at the churches and a love of polka music. A lefse-making company is located in Blair. More recently, a number of Amish farming families have settled in the area and their horse-drawn carriages are sometimes seen on the roads.

The city's name was changed from Porterville in 1873 when the Green Bay and Western Railroad was routed down the valley and through the city. The new name of Blair came from one of the railroad's chief investors, John Insley Blair. At one time, during the heyday of railroads, a branch line connected the GB&W with the nearby city of Ettrick (although it was later abandoned). The railroad continues to operate, one of the few remaining short-run railroads in the U.S. The railroad now operates under a different name.

The city has avoided the fate of some small towns in the Midwest which slowly lost their population due to young people leaving for jobs elsewhere. The population nearly doubled in the years between 1950 and 2000.

During the 1950s and earlier annual floods during the snow melt were often experienced, but better farming techniques now make flooding rare.

Economy

Blair has a bank and a Dollar General. The local post office provides box service only. The local newspaper is The Blair Press. The city's creamery, operated by the Associated Milk Producers, processes milk and produces cheese. In the past, Colby cheese was a staple, distributed by the Kraft company. The city's largest employers are the public elementary and high schools (with nearby Taylor) and a creamery.

Culture

The local festival is the Cheese Fest, which happens in mid-September. A city park and municipal swimming pool are located along the Lake Henry. Blair has two Lutheran churches and one Catholic church.

Geography

Blair is located at 44°17?42?N, 91°13?48?W (44.294967, -91.230080)^[3]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (3.0 km²), of which, 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (5.26%) is water.

Two highways connect with the city: Highway 53, a north-south route, and Highway 95, an east-west route. The closest large cities are Eau Claire to the north and La Crosse to the south. Whitehall, the county seat, is seven miles away. The rural area surrounding Blair is the unincorporated Town of Preston. Nearby cities include Taylor, Arcadia, Independence, Hixton and Galesville.

Blair is in the [Driftless Area], which was undisturbed by the last great glacial flow over North America. The area is also known as the Coulee Region, characterized by rolling hills, making this area not as easy to farm overall as the flat lands of southern Wisconsin. The forested hills are favored by deer hunters. Pheasants and grouse are also hunted. Local streams are fished for trout, which are stocked.

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 1,273 people, 533 households, and 305 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,175.2 people per square mile (455.1/km²). There were 564 housing units at an average density of 520.7/sq mi (201.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.51% White, 0.24% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.55% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.

There were 533 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.6% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,769, and the median income for a family was $41,292. Males had a median income of $27,297 versus $20,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,253. About 3.3% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.