Eau Claire is at the confluence of theEau Claire andChippewa rivers on traditionalOjibwe,Dakota, andHo-Chunk land.[10][11][12] The area's first permanent European American settlers arrived in 1845, and Eau Claire was incorporated as a city in 1872.[13] The city's early growth came from its extensivelogging andtimber industries. After Eau Claire's lumber industry declined in the early 20th century, the city's economy diversified to encompass manufacturing and Eau Claire became aneducational center with the opening of theUniversity of Wisconsin–Eau Claire in 1916.[14]
Eau Claire is known regionally for its arts and music scenes and is the hometown ofindie folk bandBon Iver, whose lead singerJustin Vernon co-curated the city's annualEaux Claires Music & Arts Festival.[15] Eau Claire is also a regional commercial and business center and home to the headquarters of home improvement store chainMenards.[16] Eau Claire is the second-fastest growing major city in Wisconsin afterMadison, with 5.4% population growth between 2010 and 2020.[17]
Eau Claire took its name from Eau Claire County.[18] "Eau Claire" is the singular form of the original French name, "Eaux Claires", meaning "Clear Waters", for theEau Claire River. According to local legend, the river was so named because early French explorers journeying down the rain-muddiedChippewa River, came upon theconfluence with the Eau Claire River, and excitedly exclaimed the contrast:"Voici l'eau claire!" ("Here is the clear water!"). Now the city motto, this appears on the city seal.
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The Eau Claire area was first visited by Europeans in the late 17th century. It had been occupied for thousands of years before European fur traders began settling there for trade with local Native American tribes.
TheFirst Treaty of Prairie du Chien, signed in 1825, established the Chippewa River "half a day's march below the falls" as the boundary between theSioux andChippewa, and the "Clear Water River, a branch of the Chippewa" as the boundary between the Chippewa andWinnebago.[11][12]
The first permanent European-American settlers arrived in 1845, and the city was officially incorporated in 1872.[13] Extensive timber was harvested and logging was the major industry during this time; many sawmills were built as part of the lumber industry. Sawmills and other manufacturing made Eau Claire an industrial city by the late 19th century.
The city was founded near the confluence of theEau Claire andChippewa rivers as three separate settlements. The main section of downtown is on the site of the original European-American village, whereStephen McCann, in partnership with J. C. Thomas, put up three buildings in 1845. Although these structures were erected primarily to establish a claim to the land site, the McCann family moved into one of them and became the first permanent settlers.[19]
West Eau Claire, founded in 1856, was across the river, near the site of the current county courthouse, and was incorporated in 1872. Between a mile and a half and two miles downstream, the Daniel Shaw & Co. lumber company founded Shawtown, beyond the west end of what is now theWater Street historic district. Shawtown was annexed to the city of Eau Claire by the 1930s.[citation needed] By the 1950s, the entire city had spread far enough to the east to adjoinAltoona.
In 1917, Gillette Safety Tire Company built a large factory in Eau Claire along theEau Claire River less than a mile where the rivers meet. The factory mainly created rubber tires andtubing. It had about 1,600 workers in 1920, producing almost 500 tires and 500 rubber tubing everyday. These numbers have increased every year since it opened in 1917. In 1931,United States Rubber Company agreed to purchase Gillette, a sale not completed until 1940 owing to theGreat Depression. Due to the start ofWorld War II, theUS War Department brought the facility in 1942 to use as an ammunition plant. At the height of the war effort, the plant had over 6,000 employees. Toward the end of the war, the government sold the building back to its original owners, and it was quickly converted back to manufacturing tire products. Throughout the decades after the war, the plant received multiple expansions and was renamed Uniroyal in 1967.[21][22]
In 1991, Uniroyal, one of the largest factories in Eau Claire at the time, announced it would shutter the facility, ultimately causing 1,358 workers to lose their jobs.[23] Although this factory shutdown was detrimental to Eau Claire's economy, the unemployment rate fell from 1991 to 1992. Today the complex, now named Banbury Place, is used as a smallbusiness incubator and leased to existing businesses and organizations.[24][25]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 34.14 square miles (88.42 km2), of which 32.04 square miles (82.98 km2) is land and 2.10 square miles (5.44 km2) is water.[26]
The city's terrain 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 expanding are increasingly hilly.
There are two lakes in the city, Dells Pond and Half Moon Lake. Dells Pond is a reservoir created by ahydroelectric dam, and was formerly used as a holding pool for logs. Half Moon Lake is anoxbow lake created as part of the former course of theChippewa River.
In theKöppen climate classification, Eau Claire is classified as ahumid continental climate (Dfb bordering onDfa), usually termed as the subtype of warm, sometimes hot, summer. Its climate is due to its latitude and interior location in North America. The average annual temperature is only 46 °F (8 °C). Although the extremes exceed 110 °F (43 °C) upwards and −40 °F, which demonstrates the four well-defined seasons of the year, with severe winters generally colder than the winters ofEuropean Russia south of Moscow at a much lower latitude. The amount of annual snowfall (47") exceeds the amount of annual rainfall (31"), the total precipitation is greater than other major cities inWisconsin such asMilwaukee[27] andMadison.[28] July has an average temperature of 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and January an average of 14.4 °F (−9.8 °C), where temperatures belowfreezing point can remain for a long duration.[29][30][31]
The 2020 census population of the city included 147 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 3,556 people in student housing.[35]
According to theAmerican Community Survey estimates for 2016–2020, the median income for a household in the city was $59,705, and the median income for a family was $82,851. Male full-time workers had a median income of $48,978 versus $39,147 for female workers. Theper capita income for the city was $31,510. About 4.9% of families and 15.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.[36] Of the population age 25 and over, 95.5% were high school graduates or higher and 33.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher.[37]
As of the census[40] of 2010, there were 65,883 people, 26,803 households, and 14,293 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,056.3 inhabitants per square mile (793.9/km2). There were 28,134 housing units at an average density of 878.1 units per square mile (339.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.4%White, 4.6%Asian, 1.1%African American, 0.5%Native American, 0.5% fromother races, and 1.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 1.9% of the population.
There were 26,803 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.7% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.
The median age in the city was 29.8 years. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 22.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
As of 2010, there were 1,981 persons within the city limits in Chippewa County and 63,902 in Eau Claire County for a total of 65,883.[41]
As of 2017,Hmong Americans were Eau Claire's largest ethnic minority and have been described as the city's "most visible ethnic group".[48] Per the 2022American Community Survey five-year estimates, the Hmong population was 2,868, comprising over 90% of the Asian population.[49] While the Hmong population is smaller in Eau Claire County than inMilwaukee, the Hmong are a higher percentage of the population in Eau Claire County and are more prominent in the smaller Eau Claire metropolitan area.[50] In some Eau Claire neighborhoods, up to 30% of the residents are Hmong.[48]
Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, theGerman American population was 25,676, comprising roughly 30% of the population.[51]
Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, theNorwegian American population was 11,672, comprising roughly 16% of the population.[51]
Eau Claire styles itself as the "horseradish capital of the world",[52] due to the presence ofSilver Spring Foods, the world's largest grower and producer ofhorseradish.[53] The climate, with its cold winters, is conducive to the horseradish crop. Other significant crops grown in the area are apples, pumpkins and plums.[52]
Menards, aMidwestern chain ofhome improvement stores owned by Wisconsin nativeJohn Menard Jr., is headquartered in Eau Claire. The city is home to Menards General Offices, 2 stores, and the flagship distribution center.
Oakwood Mall is Eau Claire's main mall. It has been open since 1986 and has 91 stores and services. Downtown Eau Claire and Water Street also include a variety of specialty shops, including bike shops, arcades, record shops, and antique stores.[54]
Eau Claire has a modest but active theater community. No professional theater groups make their home in the region, but amateur and community theaters have a significant presence; the most visible of these are the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild (CVTG)[55] and the Eau Claire Children's Theatre (ECCT).[56] In addition, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has a robust theatre program, and traveling professional shows frequently make stops in the city. The Pablo Center at the Confluence[57] and Haas Fine Arts Center[58] are the primary indoor performing arts venues, although both CVTG and ECCT have established their own independent venues, in 2006 and 2010 respectively.
The Pablo Center at the Confluence was opened in downtown Eau Claire on September 22, 2018. It was built to replace UW-Eau Claire's Kjer Theater as the primary venue for performing arts. Facilities include a 1,200-seat theatre, three rehearsal rooms, visual arts galleries, labs for sound and lighting, set and exhibit design, recording arts, multimedia production, and costume design.[59]
Justin Vernon, songwriter and frontman of indie folk bandBon Iver, was born and lives in the city.Eaux Claires was a two-day music festival that took place in the city in the 2010s, founded by Vernon andAaron Dessner.[60][61]
The Blugold Marching Band is a notable part of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's music program, as well as a fixture of the Eau Claire community. The 475-member ensemble is the largest marching band in the Midwest.[62] The band has gone on multiple tours across the Midwest, and had many performances on the world stage.[63]
The Sculpture Tour Eau Claire is an ongoing outdoor sculpture exhibit along the streets of downtown Eau Claire. There are 53 sculptures, making this tour the second-largest of its type in the nation.[64]
Eau Claire has four amateurbaseball teams. TheEau Claire Express play in theNorthwoods League, anNCAA-sanctioned summer baseball league. Its home games are atCarson Park. The Eau Claire Cavaliers also play home games at Carson Park.[66] In addition to the Cavaliers, the Eau Claire Bears and the Eau Claire Rivermen play in the Chippewa River Baseball League.
Three of Eau Claire's high schools have baseball teams.[67]Eau Claire North H.S. won the 2011 and 2019 state championship.
Eau Claire also has a large youth baseball program, including a summer parks and recreation league, Little League (Nationals, American, Lowes Creek and Seymour). Eau Claire Little League teams have twice won the state championship (1998 Eau Claire Americans and 2012 Eau Claire Nationals) and advanced to Regional play in Indianapolis.[68] A Babe Ruth League (13- to 18-year-olds) won state tournaments at ages 13, 14 and 15 in 2012. Those teams all went on to win 3rd place at their regional tournaments.
The Chippewa Valley Predatorsfootball team competes in the Northern Elite Football League and plays its home games atCarson Park. The team was established in 2001.[69] The Northern Lights Cowboys compete in the Champions Amateur Football League and play their home games at Carson Park.[70]
As of 2023, the Eau Claire Cowboysfootball team competes in the Northern Lights Football League and plays its home games atCarson Park[71] It is also home to the two high school football teams along with the university.
The lit tennis courts inOwen Park are popular with university students.
There are several large parks in the city:Owen Park, along theChippewa River, is home to a large bandshell, where open-air concerts are held throughout the summer;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 (better known as Halfmoon Lake); andPhoenix Park on the site of the old Phoenix Steel plant at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers.[74] Phoenix Park hosts a weekly farmers market and open-air concerts during the summer.Riverview Park is a common summer swimming destination and one of the local boat landings. It has picnicking areas, grills, and public restrooms. There are also two dog parks in Eau Claire: Otter Creek Off-Leash Dog Park and Sundet Off-Leash Dog Park.[75]
Eau Claire is sometimes called the City of Bridges. There are fourteen road bridges and seven pedestrian bridges over the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers.[78][79] Eau Claire is also home to the Eau Claire Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier.[80]
In November 1909 a movement to change the city government from thealdermanic to the commission form was launched by the West Side Boosters, the forerunners of the Water Street, Eau Claire Business Men. The campaign that preceded the February 15 election was heated. Local rallies and mass meetings were held. The 20 members of the common council were about equally split about the change. The final vote was 1,867 for change and 995 against.
Since switching from a mayoral system in 1948, Eau Claire has had acity manager-city council form of government. The city council is a nonpartisan 11-member governing council consisting of five members elected from aldermanic districts in odd-numbered years, five members elected at large in even-numbered years, and an elected city council president, elected at large in odd-numbered years.[81]
The council's legislative meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.Public hearings are held on the Monday evenings before legislative sessions. All meetings are held in the City Council Chambers atCity Hall in downtown Eau Claire.[82] Meetings are televised live onpublic-access television channel 97 and digital cable channel 994 and simulcast on radio station WRFP 101.9 FM.[83]
Eau Claire schools are part of theEau Claire Area School District. The city has two public high schools:Memorial High School andNorth High School; and two public charter high schools: McKinley Charter School and Technology Charter School. There are 13 elementary schools and three middle schools in the Eau Claire Area School District.[85] In addition, there is the Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School, which follows the teaching ofMaria Montessori.[86] Eau Claire also has two private high schools:Regis High School andImmanuel Lutheran High School.
Eau Claire is home to two libraries: McIntyre Library on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus and L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library holds many events, such as children's storytimes, book clubs and makerspace labs.[87]
TheEau Claire Leader-Telegram is published five days a week (the Friday edition has extra weekend content), and dates to 1881.[88]Volume One is a biweekly magazine with a circulation of 15,000 and an estimated readership of 45,000.[89]
Mayo Clinic Health System's Eau Claire location, which has a level 2trauma rating and serves as the regional trauma center, offers a family medicine residency program.[98] It was also named the #4 best hospital in Wisconsin and recognized as a Best Regional Hospital in northwestern Wisconsin.[99] Eau Claire also has one other hospital which has a level 3 trauma rating,[100][101]Marshfield Medical Center. Both hospitals offer various specialty care units and services.
^Fettig, David (April 1993). "Amid the noise of its prominent closures, Eau Claire quietly continues to grow".Fedgazette.5 (2). Minneapolis: 6.ProQuest197615376.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^"Wisconsin Railroads 2009"(PDF). Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on August 23, 2014. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2010.
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