Potosi, Wisconsin
| Potosi, Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: 42°42′10″N 90°42′56″W / 42.70278°N 90.71556°WCoordinates: 42°42′10″N 90°42′56″W / 42.70278°N 90.71556°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Grant |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.67 sq mi (4.33 km2) |
| • Land | 1.65 sq mi (4.27 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 814 ft (248 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 688 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 686 |
| • Density | 417.0/sq mi (161.0/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| FIPS code | 55-64650 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1583964 |
Potosi is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 688 at the 2010 census. The village is in the Town of Potosi.
Potosi is located where Wisconsin's lead ore belt intersects with the Mississippi. The post office (1837 to present) was originally located between Van Buren and Head of the Hollow, then at Van Buren, then at La Fayette. In 1839, the leaders of three settlements (Snake Hollow, sometimes called Head of the Hollow, Van Buren, and La Fayette) decided to combine the villages. The new, larger community was named Potosi, and the post office moved one last time, to the center of the new, merged community.
There are several explanations for the origin of the name Potosi, but the correct one is unknown. Many mining towns are named , ultimately derived from the fabled silver mines of Potosí, Bolivia. Another explanation is that Potosi was named for Potosi, Missouri, where a lot of the early lead miners originated. Another explanation is that Potosi is a corruption of "Potosa," the supposed name of the wife of Julien Dubuque, an early settler in the area. No evidence exists for this theory.
Potosi was the home of the Potosi Brewing Company, makers of "Good Old Potosi Beer," from 1852 to 1972. A brewery restoration project has begun to preserve the history and tradition of the company. The National Brewery Museum opened inside the premises of the brewery in 2008. Potosi Brewery crafts and distributes a variety of beers throughout the region. Potosi Brewery's mission is to channel all profits into its markets served to support historical and educational initiatives, and charitable causes.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.67 square miles (4.33 km2), of which, 1.65 square miles (4.27 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.
As of the census of 2010, there were 688 people, 295 households, and 203 families residing in the village. The population density was 417.0 inhabitants per square mile (161.0/km2). There were 322 housing units at an average density of 195.2 per square mile (75.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
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