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Neillsville, Wisconsin

11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1953 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Neillsville City. It lies in ZIP code area 54456. It stands on O'Neill Creek. The Survey maps it on the Neillsville quadrangle. 2,384 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,037 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Neillsville within Clark County

On record in Neillsville

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 16 shown

Every listing in Clark County

Population over time

2 figures

Neillsville fell from 2,463 to 2,384 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20102,463
20202,384-79 (-3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 11 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

2,987 words on this township

History of Clark County Wisconsin, published 1918 names this settlement in its chapter on Neillsville City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

Neillsville, the county seat and metropolis of Clark County, is situated on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad, and is the distributing center of an important agricultural dairying and stock-raising district. The city presents a most attractive sight nestled among the green hills and in the midst of wide expanses of fertile acres, where the dark currents of Black River tossing over the rocks mingle its murmuring with that of Placid O'Neill Creek. On a railroad which brings three passenger trains each way each day - one each way a through train from the metropolis of one state to that of another - and with good improved roads leading out in each direction, north, east, south and west, to stretches of fine farms, with its court house surmounted by the blindfolded holder of Justice's scales and its other public buildings outlined against the sky or against the background of encircling hills, with its blocks of busy marts and its streets of beautiful homes, Neillsville can take pride in the fact that it is a truly representative American city, which has a history of which it may well be proud, and a prospect for future growth and development which is its pride, boast and hope.

Passage source: History of Clark County Wisconsin, published 1918.

The arrivals of 1856 include Richard Dewhurst and G. W. King, who were the first lawyers to settle in Neillsville; James Hewitt, who began operations by working on the first bridge erected across Black River, W. W. Lemon, who settled in the town of Levis; Daniel Gates, first locating at the mouth of Wedge's Creek, but moving to Neillsville in 1861; Robert Douglas, who built a blacksmith shop; Miles Murry, who erected a residence and a blacksmith shop. James R. McCalep came in this year, and put up a little frame building, and Phillip Reissman opened the first furniture store. In May, James and Edmund Furlong, the former with a family; James Lynch and family and Orson Gates were accessions to the place, Anson Green purchased Roix's Hotel. Gustavus Sterns settled at Molin's Rapids this year.

Passage source: History of Clark County Wisconsin, published 1918.

The panic of 1857 worked material injury to the progress of the village, as also to that of the county. Few came in from this year until after the close of the war. Financial stringency produced a practical suspension of the lumber interests, and consequent stagnation of business. There was comparatively no farming of consequence, and less trade. The value of farm products depreciated, and prices of commodities increased correspondingly. The effect of these anamalous conditions were perceptibly visible, not alone in Neillsville and Clark County, but also throughout this portion of the lumber district. Impoverishment, if not ruin, stared many in the face, and escape therefrom was only accomplished after trials no pen can adequately describe. To the close of the war, both increase in population and the number of improvements was nominal.

Passage source: History of Clark County Wisconsin, published 1918.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Neillsville City - it names this place 14 more 14 times.

Fires near this place

20 since 1998

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 20 fires within 5 miles of Neillsville between 1998 and 2020, burning about 83 acres in total. None started naturally. 3 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning7
Equipment and vehicle use4
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Arson/incendiarism3
Recreation and ceremony2
Other causes1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
1 September 2012Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesARNDT ROAD BALER FIRE
6 August 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesGUN CLUB FIRE
13 July 2012Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesOPELT AV.
18 May 2019Arson/incendiarismunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources15
18 May 2003Equipment and vehicle use60 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
9 April 2006Recreation and ceremony2.2 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
6 April 1998Debris and open burning2.1 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
4 April 2015Debris and open burning3.2 acresWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesTODD

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Clark County

Mines and quarries near this place

3 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Neillsville: 1 past producer, 1 unknown, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Kurasz PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Lidner PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Own CrewsSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown

Every working recorded in Clark County

Storms near this place

60 of 61 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Neillsville in 61 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 25 thunderstorm wind, 22 hail, 4 funnel cloud, 4 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
December 2021Tornado (EF2)Neillsville$200,000This EF2 tornado developed northeast of Neillsville and moved northeast before dissipating after crossing State Highway 73 just north of Schofield Road. A farm took a direct hit from the tornado where a barn was shifted off its foundation, a truck moved almost 100 feet and roof damage to the house occurred.
May 1996LightningNeillsville$80,000no account filed
September 2010FloodNeillsville$50,000O'Neill Creek was flooding in downtown Neillsville. This flooding impacted a few homes and businesses as the water made it to the base of four homes and was just inches from flooding a shopping center.
May 1993Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$50,000no account filed
December 2021Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$30,000Power lines and trees were blown down across Neillsville. The winds also scattered debris from damaged roofs.
May 1998HailNeillsville$18,000no account filed
April 2009HailNeillsville$15,000Parents of a NWS employee reported large hail at their home.
August 1996Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$15,000no account filed
July 2021Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$10,000Power lines and poles were blown down around Neillsville with almost 400 customers reported to be without power.
April 2020Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$5,000Some trees and power lines were blown down in the Neillsville area.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$5,000A semi-truck was blown off U.S. Highway 10 near Neillsville.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$5,000Power lines and trees were blown down in Neillsville.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$4,000Power poles and trees were blown down in Neillsville.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$3,000Thunderstorm winds blew the roof off an out building northeast of Neillsville. In Neillsville, a one foot diameter tree and a telephone pole were blown down along with tree branches in various parts of the city. Power outages lasted several hours.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$2,500no account filed
May 2021Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$2,000Trees were damaged by strong winds in and near Neilsville.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$2,000A billboard sign was broke in half by severe thunderstorm winds.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$2,000no account filed
June 2020Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$1,000Large tree branches were blown down in Neillsville.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$1,000no account filed
June 2005HailNeillsville$1,000no account filed
June 2004Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$800no account filed
September 2007Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$500Trees were blown down.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$300no account filed
July 2000Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$250no account filed
June 2018Thunderstorm WindNeillsville$200An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred near Neillsville. The wind gust blew down a tree branch and moved a parked ATV.
April 2026HailNeillsville-Law enforcement reported quarter sized hail 1 mile southeast of Neillsville.
May 2024HailNeillsville-The public reported nickel sized hail in Neillsville.
October 2023HailNeillsville-Broadcast media reported ping pong sized hail in Neillsville.
June 2023Funnel CloudNeillsville-A funnel cloud was reported near Neillsville.
April 2019FloodNeillsville-Runoff from rain and melting snow pushed the Black River out of its banks in Neillsville. The river crested around a half foot above the flood stage at 18.42 feet on April 18th.
March 2016Heavy RainNeillsville-A total of 2.07 inches of rain fell near Neillsville.
September 2016FloodNeillsville-Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Black River out of its banks near Neillsville. The river crested around three feet above the flood stage at 21.07 feet.
May 2014Heavy RainNeillsville-Near Neillsville, 2.25 inches of rain fell.
August 2014Heavy RainNeillsville-In Neillsville, 2.35 inches of rain was measured.
August 2011HailNeillsville-Half dollar sized hail fell in Neillsville.
September 2010FloodNeillsville-Locally heavy rains pushed the Black River near Neillsville out of its banks on September 23rd and 24th. The river exceeded the flood stage by almost a foot, cresting at 18.78 feet.
September 2010Heavy RainNeillsville-Storm total rainfall was 5.40 inches. On September 23rd a total of 3.80 inches of rain fell setting a record for any daily amount in the month of September.
September 1994Thunderstorm WindNeillsville-Thunderstorms producing torrential downpours developed over western and north-central parts of Wisconsin during the early morning on the 14th, again later in the evening and continued into the early morning hours of the 15th. Four day rainfall totals, from the 12th to the 16th, reached in excess of six inches. The highest rainfall reported was 13.10 inches near Phillips (Price County). The runoff from the four days of rain, drained into the Flambeau and Chippewa Rivers. The Flambeau River crested near Bruce (Rusk County) at 12.42 Feet on the morning of the 16th. The Chippewa River at Bruce (Rusk County) crested at 18.12 feet on the evening of the 17th. Flood stage is 12 feet. The Chippewa River crested during the evening of the 17th at Chippewa Falls (Chippewa County) at a level of 17.38 feet and flood stage is 16 feet. Several county highways were flooded across Rusk County, Chippewa County, and Eau Claire County as the rivers rose. A small portion of the University of Wisconsin Campus at Eau Claire was flooded due to the high water along the Chippewa River. On the 14th...minor flooding took place along the Trempealeau River. Several roads, including Highways 93 and 95 near Arcadia and Blair were closed through the 15th. Also, a dike near Arcadia was breached in a couple of places, but did not break. Lowland and agricultural flooding continued downstream at Dodge through the end of the week. In Trempealeau County rainfall totals of four to six inches were common along with isolated amounts of seven to eight inches. Flash flooding occurred on Tappen Coulee Creek near Blair forcing the closure of Highway 95 where two feet of water covered the road. On the 15th...severe thunderstorms uprooting trees and power lines and causing minor property damage occurred over western Wisconsin. In addition heavy rain flooded numerous basements and several roadways over northwest Wisconsin. A small dam on Glen Denning Creek near Danbury (Burnett County) gave way washing out a bridge on Highway 35. Traffic was rerouted for a month.
April 2017HailNeillsville-no account filed
August 2014HailNeillsville-no account filed
August 2014HailNeillsville-no account filed
May 2011HailNeillsville-no account filed
April 2009HailNeillsville-no account filed
April 2009HailNeillsville-no account filed
August 2006HailNeillsville-no account filed
June 2005Funnel CloudNeillsville-no account filed
April 2004HailNeillsville-no account filed
April 2004Thunderstorm WindNeillsville-no account filed
June 2004Thunderstorm WindNeillsville-no account filed
June 2004HailNeillsville-no account filed
June 2004HailNeillsville-no account filed
April 2002HailNeillsville-no account filed
April 2002HailNeillsville-no account filed
September 2002Thunderstorm WindNeillsville-no account filed
June 2001HailNeillsville-no account filed
July 1999Funnel CloudNeillsville-no account filed
July 1999Funnel CloudNeillsville-no account filed
May 1998HailNeillsville-no account filed
June 1997HailNeillsville-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Clark County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Sidney2.3 miles11
Kurth (historical)5.4 miles11
Christie6.0 miles11
Shortville6.2 miles12
Columbia7.2 miles11
Globe7.3 miles12
Granton7.4 miles11
Trow (historical)10.0 miles13

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on NeillsvilleAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1569781The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1570146. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.