Orfordville, Wisconsin
17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1893 and the latest in 1981. It stands in Orfordville Village. It lies in ZIP code area 53576. The Survey maps it on the Orfordville quadrangle. 1,473 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 889 feet above sea level.
On record in Orfordville
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 4 records
Orfordville Depotlisted 1988
Risum Round Barnlisted 1979
Samuel Smiley Houselisted 1982- Gempeler Round Barnlisted 1979
Population over time
2 figuresOrfordville grew from 1,442 to 1,473 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,442 | |
| 2020 | 1,473 | +31 (+2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
8 surveys from 17 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1893 USGS Brodhead quadrangle1:62500, 5 printings
- 1954 USGS Rockford quadrangle1:250000
- 1955 USGS Rockford quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Rockford quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1962 USGS Brodhead quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1962 USGS Orfordville quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1963 USGS Rockford quadrangle1:250000
- 1981 USGS Monroe quadrangle1:100000
In the county-history sources
2,043 words on this townshipThe History of Rock County, Wisconsin : Containing a History of Rock County, Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., an Extensive and Minute Sketch of Its Cities, Their Improvements, Industries, Manufactories, Churches, Schools, Societies, Etc., Etc., War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers, Etc., Etc., Etc., Also History of Wisconsin, Constitution of the United States and of Wisconsin, Condensed Abstract of Laws of Wisconsin, Miscellaneous, Etc., Etc, published 1879 names this settlement in its chapter on Orfordville Village. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
This mark of civilization was established in 1857, under the name of Orfordville, the first mail received being brought from Brodhead on horseback, on June 6, 1857, and it is said that Mr. William Drysdale was the recipient of the first letter delivered. The mail was then received three times per week, but the presence of the cars inaugurated a daily mail, which has since been increased to two per day, one from the east and one from the west. As showing how the business has increased, it may be stated that the receipts, which in the first year were about $80, are now about $600. Following is a list of the Postmasters: 1857-62, George Helmbolt; 1862-67, Burr Sprague; 1867-69, George Helmbolt; 1869, three months, John C. Lacy; 1869-70, Isaac Wright; 1870-7*2, George W. Stetson ; 1872-74, Giles Fisher ; 1874 - 79, L. C. Fisher, the present incumbent.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Fires near this place
12 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 12 fires within 5 miles of Orfordville between 1995 and 2020, burning about 54 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was 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 |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 4 |
| Debris and open burning | 4 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1805099 |
| 1 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1805092 |
| 6 April 2000 | Smoking | 44 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 29 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 82 |
| 23 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1804082 |
| 12 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 64 |
| 11 April 1998 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 9 March 2018 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 37 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Orfordville: 4 past producers, 2 producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egan Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Hanover Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| C. Johnson Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Footville Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Haugen Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Rock County Highway Department | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
41 since 1998Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Orfordville in 41 storm reports between 1998 and 2023: 23 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 5 lightning, 2 funnel cloud. 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Orfordville | $462,160 | Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding across much of the northwest half of the county. Water depths on road surfaces reached 3 feet or more and there were gravel washouts. Two hundred thirty-nine homes had minor damage, 9 homes had major damage, and 26 were destroyed (total of $7.46 million for all home property losses). Fifty-four businesses had minor damage, and 24 had major damage (total business losses were about $810 thousand. Crops losses were estimated at $15 million). Public sector damage was about $10.3 million. There were several roads and bridges that sustained damage. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $300,000 | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $125,000 | Law enforcement officials in Rock County reported trees and power lines down in a 23-mile wide swath from west northwest of Orfordville to northeast of Clinton due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 knots (75 mph). Corn crops, valued at $700,000, were also flattened. A home in downtown Janesville had a bedroom addition crushed when a tree fell on it. The winds also blew down a barn on Creek Road where it crosses Turtle Creek, as well as a giant 22-foot, 2,000 pound fiberglass pumpkin off of a 65-foot tall silo at Meyer's Farm Market north of Janesville. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $50,000 | Widespread tree damage was reported across southern Rock county. In northern Beloit, a 12 inch branch was snapped off of a tree. |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Lightning | Orfordville | $40,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $30,000 | Powerful thunderstorm winds knocked down large trees and power-lines in southwestern Rock County, mainly southwest of STH 213. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $25,000 | Powerful thunderstorm winds knocked down many large trees and some power-lines. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $20,000 | A swath of straight line wind damage, mainly to trees. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $20,000 | Rock County Highway Department workers reported the intersection of State Highway 11 and State Highway 213 in Orfordville was closed due to trees and power lines downed by powerful thunderstorm winds that gusted to an estimated 75 mph (65 knots). |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $15,000 | A swath of tree damage from Orfordville to the Town of Newark. An area of flattened corn just northwest of Orfordville. Wind driven hail was likely. |
| June 1998 | Lightning | Orfordville | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $10,000 | Public reported trees and power-lines down. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $10,000 | A trained spotter reported toppled large trees and and power lines down in the village of Orfordville due to thunderstorm winds. |
| July 2005 | Lightning | Orfordville | $8,000 | Lightning caused a storage shed to start on fire. |
| July 2012 | Hail | Orfordville | $6,000 | Hail up to 2 inches in diameter damaged the roof on a farm house 4 miles north of the town of Orfordville. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $5,000 | Law enforcement officials reported a few trees and power lines blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 mph (56 knots) 5 miles west of Orfordville. |
| July 2012 | Lightning | Orfordville | $3,000 | Law enforcement officials reported a telephone pole caught fire after being struck by lightning northwest of Orfordville. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $2,000 | Several branches and trees down. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $2,000 | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $1,000 | A tree down in Spring Valley Township. |
| November 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $1,000 | Sporadic tree damage across central Rock County. |
| July 2005 | Lightning | Orfordville | $1,000 | no account filed |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 2022 | Hail | Orfordville | - | A couple reports of 1 inch hail in Orfordville during this time. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | - | A trained spotter reported many large tree branches blown down by damaging thunderstorm winds estimated to be 58 mph (50 knots). |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | - | A trained spotter reported trees and power lines blown down by severe thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 mph (56 knots). |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | - | Powerful thunderstorms winds knocked down large trees. Several reports were received from this area from law enforcement officials and other trained spotters. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | - | Powerful thunderstorms winds knocked down several large tree branches while pea-size hail fell. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| July 2022 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| October 2004 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| October 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| October 2001 | Hail | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Funnel Cloud | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Funnel Cloud | Orfordville | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley | 3.6 miles | 17 | |
| Footville | 3.8 miles | 16 | |
| Hanover | 4.9 miles | 16 | |
| Cainville | 5.7 miles | 17 | |
| Newark | 6.0 miles | 17 | |
| Magnolia | 6.4 miles | 17 | |
| Avon | 7.1 miles | 17 | |
| Fellows (historical) | 8.8 miles | 16 |
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 Orfordville | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2680439 | The 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 1570857. 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.







