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Eau Claire

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, although a small portion of the city lies in neighboring Chippewa County. Eau Claire is the principal city of 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. Eau Claire was among the first Tree Cities in Wisconsin, having been recognized as such since 1980.

Name origin

"Eau Claire" is the singular 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 clear water!"), the city motto, which appears on the city seal.

Geography

Eau Claire is located at 44°48′53″N 91°29′34″W  /  44.81472°N 91.49278°W  / 44.81472; -91.49278 (44.814627, -91.492677), 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. 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 32.37 square miles (83.8 km 2 ), of which, 30.28 square miles (78.4 km 2 ) of it is land and 2.08 square miles (5.4 km 2 ) 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, 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.

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.

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 meets in City Hall, in downtown Eau Claire.

Five of the council members are elected in odd-numbered years from the five different aldermanic districts in Eau Claire. Five additional at-large council members are elected in even-numbered years by Eau Claire residents.

Since Eau Claire has no mayor, Eau Claire City Council Presidents are elected at-large to serve as head of the council. They are elected in odd-numbered years.

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.

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 several national and regional companies including Cascades Tissue Group, Menards, National Presto Industries, Inc., Midwest Manufacturing, and Erbert & Gerbert's.

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

Transportation

Airports

Eau Claire is served by the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.

Mass transit

Major highways