Stevens Point
| Stevens Point, Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Nickname(s): Gateway to the Pineries, City of Wonderful Water | |
 Location of Stevens Point, Wisconsin |
|
| Coordinates: 44°31′23″N 89°33′37″W / 44.52306°N 89.56028°WCoordinates: 44°31′23″N 89°33′37″W / 44.52306°N 89.56028°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Portage |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mike Wiza |
| Area | |
| • City | 17.20 sq mi (44.55 km2) |
| • Land | 15.96 sq mi (41.34 km2) |
| • Water | 1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,089 ft (332 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • City | 26,683 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 26,636 |
| • Density | 1,674.0/sq mi (646.3/km2) |
| • Metro | 69,916 |
| Time zone | CST (UTC−6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC−5) |
| Postal code(s) | 54481, 54482 |
| Area code(s) | 715 & 534 |
| FIPS code | 55-77200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1574878 |
| Website | stevenspoint.com |
Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. The city was incorporated in 1858.
Its 2010 population of 26,717 makes it the largest city in the county. Stevens Point forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2010 population of 69,916.
Stevens Point is home to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and a campus of Mid-State Technical College.
Historically part of the Menominee homelands, a three-mile strip along the Wisconsin River was ceded to the United States in an 1836 treaty. In 1854 the Menominee made its last treaty with the U.S., gathering on a reservation on the Wolf River.
Stevens Point was named after George Stevens, who operated a grocery and supply business on the Wisconsin River during the extensive logging of interior Wisconsin. The river was used by logging companies to float logs to market. Loggers on the river found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and the operation was from far upstream. The town developed from Stevens's post and was named for him.
In 1845, the postal service came to Stevens Point and with this improvement in communications, within twenty years, the population tripled.
In 1847, the first plat was laid out of what would become the City of Stevens Point, including what was then and now known as the Public Square. The town square originally was an area next to the Wisconsin River where professionals, craftsmen, businessmen and loggers gathered before their journey north or south on the river, bringing revenue to the area. As years went by, the area around the town square grew as logging increased.
Most buildings were first built with readily available wood. Many cases of early fires were reported from 1850–1890. Around 1880, buildings began to be built with materials such as brick and sandstone. Quarries in Ellis, Wisconsin opened.
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