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Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Barstow St.
Location within the state of Wisconsin.
Location within Eau Claire County (pink-shaded portion is within Chippewa County).
Coordinates: 44°48?53?N 91°29?34?W? / ?44.81472, -91.49278
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Counties	Eau Claire, Chippewa
Government
- Type	Council-manager
- City manager	Mike Huggins
- City council	Eau Claire City Council
Area
- City	32.4 sq mi (83.8 km²)
- Land	30.3 sq mi (78.4 km²)
- Water	2.1 sq mi (5.4 km²)  6.46%
Elevation	787 ft (240 m)
Population (2000)
- City	61,704
- Density	1,910.9/sq mi (738.8/km²)
- Metro	148,337
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	715
FIPS code	55-22300[1]
GNIS feature ID	1564402[2]
Website: www.ci.eau-claire.wi.us

Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 61,704 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,^[3] although a small portion of the city lies in neighboring Chippewa County. Eau Claire is the principal city the Eau Claire, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the Eau-Claire-Menomonie Combined Statistical Area.

America's Promise named the city as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People in 2007.^[4] Eau Claire was among the first Tree Cities in Wisconsin, having been recognized as such since 1980.^[5]

Name

"Eau Claire" is the singularized form of the original French name, "Eaux Claires", meaning "Clear Waters", for the Eau Claire River. According to local legend, the river was so named because early French explorers journeying down the rain-muddied Chippewa River, happened upon the Eau Claire River, excitedly exclaiming "Voici l'eau claire!" ("Here [is] clear water!").

Government

Since switching from a mayoral system in 1948, Eau Claire has had a city manager-city council form of government. The Eau Claire City Council currently consists of five members elected from districts, five at-large from the entire city, and an elected city council president who is also elected at-large. The city council president is David Adler.

Economy

The lumber industry drove Eau Claire's growth in the late 19th century. At one time, there were 22 sawmills operating in the city.^[clarify]

Since the loss of several thousand manufacturing jobs in the early 1990s (due to the closure of the local Uniroyal tire plant), the city's economy was reshaped by the opening of a number of plants engaged in the construction of computer hardware, such as Hutchinson Technology's largest plant, and is home to IDEXX Computer Systems, a division of IDEXX Laboratories.

Eau Claire is home to a few national/regional companies including Menards, National Presto Industries, Inc., Midwest Manufacturing, Silver Spring Gardens and Erbert & Gerbert's.

Today retail, health care and education are the primary employment sectors in Eau Claire.

Geography

Graham-Riverside Building

Water St.

Views of Eau Claire

Eau Claire is located at 44°48?53?N, 91°29?34?W (44.814627, -91.492677)^[6], approximately 90 miles (145 km) east of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The city is located on the northern fringes of the Driftless Zone.

The city was founded near the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers as three separate settlements. The main section of downtown is on the site of the original village. West Eau Claire, founded in 1856, was across the river near the present-day county courthouse, and incorporated in 1872. Between a mile and a half and two miles downstream, the Daniel Shaw & Co. lumber company founded Shawtown, which was annexed by the 1930s.^{[citation needed]} By the 1950s, the entire city had spread far enough to the east to adjoin Altoona.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.4 square miles (83.8 km²), of which, 30.3 square miles (78.4 km²) of it is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it (6.46%) is water.

The terrain of the city is characterized by the river valleys, with steep slopes leading from the center to the eastern and southern sections of the city. The lands into which the urban area is currently expanding are increasingly hilly.

There are two lakes in the city, Dells Pond, and Half Moon Lake. Dells Pond is a reservoir created by a hydroelectric dam, and was formerly used as a holding pool for logs. Half Moon Lake is an oxbow lake created as part of the former course of the Chippewa River.

Demographics

Population

As of the 2000 census^[1], there were 61,704 people, 24,016 households, and 13,569 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,037.8 people per square mile (786.8/km²). There were 24,895 housing units at an average density of 822.2/sq mi (317.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.44% White, 0.70% African American, 0.55% American Indian, 3.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.

There were 24,016 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.5% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% 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 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 22.1% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

Income

The median income for a household in the city was $36,399, and the median income for a family was $49,320. Males had a median income of $32,503 versus $23,418 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,230. About 5.5% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Metropolitan area

Together with surrounding communities, the Eau Claire metropolitan area is home to 114,483 people, according to the 2000 census. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Eau Claire Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties (composite 2000 population: 148,337). Together with the Menomonie Micropolitan Statistical Area (which includes all of Dunn County) to the west, the Eau Claire metropolitan area, forms the Census Bureau's Eau Claire-Menomonie Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a consolidated 2000 population of 188,195. 2004 population estimates place the two-county Eau Claire-Chippewa Falls metropolitan population at 155,680, and the expanded Eau Claire-Menomonie CMSA population at 197,417.^[8]

Religion

Temple Sholom synagogue in Eau Claire

Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire

Eau Claire is home to a large number of religious congregations:

• Apostolic Faith - 1 congregation
• Assemblies of God - 2 congregations
• Baptist - 8 churches variously unaffiliated (including 1 SBC congregation)
• Catholic - 5 parishes in the Diocese of La Crosse' & Eau Claire Deanery, which has 3 other parishes, one each in Altoona, Elk Mound and Brackett
• Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science) - 1 congregation
• Church of Christ - 2 congregations
• Episcopalian - 1 congregation (The Episcopal Diocese of Eau Claire has its see in Eau Claire.)
• Hmong Christian Alliance - 1 congregation
• Islam - 0 congregations, although there is 1 mosque in neighboring Altoona
• Jehovah's Witness - 2 congregations (both of which share the same Kingdom Hall)
• Judaism - 1 synagogue
• Lutheran - about 20 churches representing 6 synods

• Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America
• Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS)
• Church of the Lutheran Confession
• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

• Methodist - 4 congregations (one of which is located in nearby Altoona)
• Mennonite Church USA - 1 congregation meeting two Sundays per month
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 1 congregation
• Nazarene - 1 congregation
• Pentecostal - about 10 variously affiliated congregations
• Presbyterianism - 2 congregations
• Society of Friends (Quakers) - 1 congregation
• Salvation Army - 1 congregation
• Seventh-day Adventist - 0 congregations, although neighboring Altoona and nearby Chippewa Falls each have 1 congregation
• Unitarian Universalist - 1 congregation^[9]
• United Church of Christ - 3 congregations
• Unity School of Christianity - 1 congregation
• Wesleyan Church - 1 congregation

Education

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eau Claire is home to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UW-EC), the private Immanuel Lutheran College (Church of the Lutheran Confession Synod), and three campuses of the Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC).

There are two private high schools in Eau Claire:

• Regis High School, affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.
• Immanuel Lutheran High School, affiliated with Immanuel Lutheran College.

There are two public high schools in the Eau Claire Area School District:

• Memorial High School (Old Abes)

• North High School (Huskies)

There are also two charter high schools in Eau Claire:

• McKinley Charter School, a non-traditional school serving 120 students. Student/teacher ratio: 20^{[citation needed]}

• Technology Charter School, a non-traditional school serving 193 students. Student/teacher ratio: 62.3^{[citation needed]}

There are three public middle schools in the Eau Claire Area School District:

• Delong Middle School (Knights)

• Northstar Middle School (Polar Bears)

• South Middle School (Falcons)

Transportation

Airports

Eau Claire is served by the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.

Mass transit

• Eau Claire Transit bus lines

Major highways

Interstate 94

U.S. Route 12 ("Clairemont Avenue")

U.S. Route 53 ("The Bypass")

Business US-53 ("Hastings Way")

Highway 29 (Bypasses Eau Claire to the north)

Highway 37 ("Hendrickson Drive")

Highway 85 (Terminates on Wis. 37 just outside Eau Claire)

Highway 93

Highway 124 (Foreshortened in 2006, now ends in neighboring Lake Hallie)

Highway 312 (Signed as, and known locally as, the "North Crossing")

Sports

The Eau Claire Express is a baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, an NCAA summer baseball league. Their home games are played at Carson Park in Eau Claire.

The Eau Claire Cavaliers, an amateur baseball team, also plays home games at Carson Park.^[10]

The Chippewa Valley Predators and the Eau Claire Crush, adult amateur football teams in the Northern Elite Football League, play their home games at Carson Park.

Eau Claire also has a Figure Skating club at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Media and entertainment

Print media

The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram^[11] has a daily circulation of 26,901 during the week and a circulation rate of 38,824 for the Sunday paper. Volume One,^[12] an alt-weekly magazine published twice a month with a circulation rate of 15,000, has general and local culture articles.

Television

WEAU, Channel 13 (NBC); WQOW, Channel 18 (ABC); WHWC, Channel 28 (PBS, Menomonie); WKBT, Channel 8 (CBS, La Crosse); and WEUX, Channel 48 (FOX) are the major broadcast stations.

Radio

WQRB-FM (B-95), WMEQ-FM (ROCK 92.1), WBIZ-FM (Z-100), WATQ-FM (MOOSE COUNTRY 106.7), WISM-FM (MIX 98.1), WBIZ-AM (SPORTSRADIO 1400), and WMEQ-AM (NEWSTALK AM 880) are owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications; WECL-FM, WAXX-FM, WIAL-FM, WDRK-FM, WEAQ-AM, and WAYY-AM are owned and operated by Maverick Media. Other commercial stations broadcasting in the area are WCFW-FM 105.7 and WOGO-AM 680.

There are two Wisconsin Public Radio affiliates that broadcast in the Eau Claire area: WHWC-FM 88.3 for the Ideas Network and WUEC-FM 89.7 for the NPR News & Classical Music network.

There are several religious stations broadcasting from the Eau Claire area. These include: WVCF-FM 90.5; WHEM-FM 91.3; WJLM-LP-FM 96.9 (low-power); WWIB-FM 103.7; and WDVM-AM 1050.

There are three secular low-power FM stations broadcast in Eau Claire: 96.3 WHYS (music and social programming), 101.9 WRFP, and 102.7 WIEC.

Recreation

There are several large parks in the city: Putnam Park, which follows the course of Putnam Creek and Little Niagara Creek east from the UWEC campus; Carson Park, situated in the middle of an oxbow lake; Owen Park, along the Chippewa River, home to a large bandshell where open air concerts are held throughout the summer; and Phoenix Park, on the site of the old Phoenix Steel plant at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa River. Phoenix park is the host of a weekly farmers market and open air concerts during summer months. Riverview Park is also a common summer swimming destination, as well as one of the local boat landings. This park includes picnicking areas and grills, as well as public restrooms.

The City of Eau Claire also operates a public pool, Fairfax pool, during the summer months.

Eau Claire is at the head of the Chippewa River State Trail, a biking and recreation trail that follows the lower course of the Chippewa River.

Notable natives & residents

See Also

• Category:People from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
• Notable UWEC Graduates.

General

• Waldemar Ager, Norwegian-American newspaperman and author
• Mary Brunner, girlfriend of Charles Manson
• Alden Carter, ALA award winning author
• Steve Gunderson, CEO of the Council on Foundations and a former Republican Congressman from Wisconsin
• Lars Hanson, rock musician (drums, guitar) best known for work with Bad Boy.^{[citation needed]}
• Ben Katz, movie producer
• Kato Kaelin, one of the more colorful witnesses at the O. J. Simpson murder trial, attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Geoffrey Keezer, renowned jazz pianist -- the last to play with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
• Michael Koehn, the only Eau Claire resident to appear on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He won $100,000.00
• Sarah Krueger, 2007 contestant on American Idol who made it to Hollywood week (fan site).
• Beth Lacke, actress
• Ann Landers, advice columnist (during her time in Eau Claire she served as chair of the Eau Claire County Democratic Party).^[13]
• Howard Luedtke, also know as Howard "Guitar" Luedtke, the American blues guitarist and musician
• John Menard, Jr., founder of Menards
• John Myhers, actor
• Julie Nelson, TV News anchor
• Arthur Peabody, former state architect of Wisconsin
• Einar Pedersen, educator, namesake of Pedersen Elementary in nearby Altoona, Wisconsin.
• L. E. Phillips, philanthropist
• Marcus Thrane, Norwegian labour organizer who died in Eau Claire
• Abigail van Buren, advice columnist

Sports

• Hank Aaron, baseball great, played in Eau Claire for the Eau Claire Bears during his first professional baseball season in 1952. Aaron has returned to the city several times since, including in 1994 for the dedication of his statue at Carson Park,^{[14][15][16][17]} and again in 2006 as a campaign speaker for governor Jim Doyle's gubernatorial reëlection.^[18][19]
• Mickey Crowe, Wisconsin high school basketball legend who played for John F. Kennedy Preparatory High School in the mid-1970s.
• Jake Dowell, NHL Chicago Blackhawks Drafted in 5th round of 2004 NHL draft.
• Marv Harshman, former college men's basketball coach for Washington, Washington State, and Pacific Lutheran
• Jeff Hazuga, defensive end for Minnesota Vikings (2001-2002) & Frankfurt Galaxy (2004), currently playing for the Eau Claire Crush, an adult amateur football team
• Chandra Johnson, WNBA Center Los Angeles Sparks (2003-2005)^{[citation needed]}
• Herm Johnson, former CART / Indy 500 race car driver
• Paul Menard, NASCAR driver
• Ham Olive, longtime minor league player and umpire^{[citation needed]}
• Tom Poquette, MLB player for Kansas City Royals (1973, 1976-79, 1982), Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers
• Brad Radke, MLB pitcher for the Minnesota Twins born in Eau Claire on October 27, 1972.
• Bill Schroeder, NFL wide receiver (1994-2004)
• Joe Torre, current Los Angeles Dodgers manager and former New York Yankees manager, played and coached baseball for the Eau Claire Bears and Braves.^[20][21][22]
• Herman White, Northern League president 1936-1957

Fictional

• Bernice, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair.

Sister Cities

Eau Claire is sistered with Lismore, New South Wales, a rural town in Australia.^[23]

In July 2007, Eau Claire also sistered with Miramar, Costa Rica, a rural town in the Montes de Oro canton within the Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica.