Abrams (CDP), Wisconsin
History
Abrams was first settled in 1854 when Richard B. Yeaton built a sawmill on the Pensaukee River. A community formed and he called the place West Pensaukee. The town was planned to be named Pumpkin Pine. It was renamed Abrams in the 1880s after W. J. Abrams, a former state representative and former mayor of Green Bay. Abrams owned land where a railroad depot was built. The town of Abrams was platted and established in 1917. By the 1890s, there were nearly 30 homes, multiple hotels, 3 general stores, a train depot, and multiple sawmills. Most of the earliest white settlers were from New England. By 1910, a bank and telephone service was added to the town. Fires nearly destroyed the town twice, one being the Peshtigo Fire and the other being a fire in 1923. The mystery of a murder of a local tavern keeper still haunts the town as it has never been solved.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.6 square miles (97 km), 37.5 square miles (97 km) of which (99.71%) is land, and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km) of which (0.29%) is water.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | 340 | — | |
2020 | 358 | 5.3% | |
U.S. Census |
As of the census of 2020, there were 1,960 people. The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.3% other race, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
Notable people
- C. J. Greaves, professional American off-road racing driver, was born in the town
- Johnny Greaves, professional American off-road racing driver, was born in the town
- Pee Wee King, pioneer in the country and western music industry; wrote "Tennessee Waltz" and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974
- Lyle Lahey, cartoonist
- Arthur J. Whitcomb, Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer, was born in the town
- Bob Wickman, Major League Baseball player, relief pitcher
References
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ "Notification Service | Post Offices".
- ^ ZIP Code Lookup Archived June 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ "Oconto County Time Line". Oconto County Historical Society. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- ^ "W. J. Abrams (1829-1900)". City of Green Bay. Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ "Oconto County Time Line - Oconto County Historical Society".
- ^ "Tvabrams".
- ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1915,' Biographical Sketch of Arthur J. Whitcomb, pg. 527