West Salem, Wisconsin
17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1927 and the latest in 1993. It stands in Hamilton town. It lies in ZIP code area 54669. It stands on Neshonoc Creek. The Survey maps it on the West Salem quadrangle. 5,277 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 741 feet above sea level.
On record in West Salem
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 2 records
- Hamlin Garland HouseNational Historic Landmark · listed 1971
- Derwood and Myrtle Trimbell Houselisted 2022
Population over time
2 figuresWest Salem grew from 4,799 to 5,277 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 | 4,799 | |
| 2020 | 5,277 | +478 (+10%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
11 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.
- 1927 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:62500
- 1930 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1961 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:250000
- 1963 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1963 USGS West Salem quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1965 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:250000
- 1976 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:250000
- 1984 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:100000
- 1990 USGS La Crosse quadrangle1:100000
- 1993 USGS West Salem quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
11 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 11 fires within 5 miles of West Salem between 1992 and 2020, burning about 5 acres in total. None started naturally. None 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 | 9 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 81420 |
| 18 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2020053 |
| 17 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2020052 |
| 14 June 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2002887 |
| 1 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2020029 |
| 28 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2018035 |
| 27 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 2018034 |
| 24 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 42418 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
2 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of West Salem: 2 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: 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 | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klos Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Ronskog Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
48 since 1998Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names West Salem in 48 storm reports between 1998 and 2024: 22 thunderstorm wind, 21 hail, 3 heavy rain, 1 tornado. The reports record 14 injuries. 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 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | 13 hurt, $20,000 | Circus tent collapsed at fairgrounds. 500 people were in tent. 13 injured. |
| May 1998 | Tornado (F0) | West Salem | 1 hurt, $40,000 | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Hail | West Salem | $100,000 | Large hail damaged cars and homes. |
| June 2007 | Hail | West Salem | $100,000 | no account filed |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $70,000 | A path of straight line wind damage was found from the east of Lake Neshonoc to northwest of Bangor. Approximately 250 trees were damaged or uprooted, a barn was destroyed, another barn lost part of its roof and there was minor damage to a house and garage. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Salem | $65,000 | Public reported tennis ball sized hail and broken windows in West Salem. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Salem | $50,000 | Law enforcement reported baseball hail near West Salem. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Salem | $50,000 | Public reported tea cup sized hail near West Salem via picture. |
| June 2007 | Hail | West Salem | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $40,000 | Public reported several fallen trees near West Salem. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $35,000 | Public reported damage to large trees near West Salem. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Salem | $35,000 | Public reported hen egg sized hail near West Salem. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Salem | $35,000 | Public reported tennis ball sized hail in West Salem. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $14,000 | no account filed |
| August 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $10,000 | Numerous trees were blown down in West Salem along with power lines. A tree was split in half with the section that came down blocking a part of the street. Nearly 1,500 residences were without power after the storm. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $5,000 | In West Salem, thunderstorm winds caused two trees to lean over onto power lines and blew down a large tree limb that was partially rotted. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $3,500 | Tree down on a car in veterns park. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $3,000 | Trees were blown down and a large tree was split in half just west of West Salem. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $3,000 | A 2 foot diameter tree was blown down onto a garage in West Salem. |
| June 2007 | Hail | West Salem | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $1,000 | A large tree branch and several smaller branches were blown down in West Salem. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | West Salem | $1,000 | no account filed |
| September 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $500 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $400 | A large tree was blown down on Garland Street in West Salem. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | $250 | Thunderstorm winds blew several tree branches down taking out about a third of the tree. The diameter of the branches was measured at 10 inches. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | A trained spotter reported tree damage along Highway 16. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | An NWS employee reported fallen trees on Lake Neshonoc. |
| May 2022 | Hail | West Salem | - | Quarter sized hail was reported west of West Salem. |
| June 2021 | Flood | West Salem | - | Locally heavy rain caused street flooding to occur in West Salem. |
| June 2021 | Heavy Rain | West Salem | - | In West Salem, 2.17 inches of rain fell. |
| June 2020 | Hail | West Salem | - | Quarter sized hail fell just west of West Salem. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | A ten foot trailer was blown off of State Highway 16 north of West Salem. |
| May 2013 | Heavy Rain | West Salem | - | In West Salem, a total of 2.69 inches of rain fell. |
| May 2013 | Heavy Rain | West Salem | - | In West Salem, 1.79 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. |
| July 2013 | Hail | West Salem | - | Half dollar sized hail fell just west of West Salem. |
| July 2013 | Hail | West Salem | - | Hail up to 2 inches in diameter fell in West Salem. |
| September 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | An estimated wind gust of 60 miles per hour occurred in West Salem. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | A National Weather Service employee estimated a wind gust of 52 knots and measured 1.20 inches of rain. |
| August 2020 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| August 2020 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| September 2014 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | West Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | West Salem | - | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barre Mills | 4.3 miles | 16 | |
| Bangor | 4.8 miles | 15 | |
| Burns | 6.4 miles | 15 | |
| Holiday Heights | 6.8 miles | 18 | |
| Medary | 7.4 miles | 18 | |
| Cold Springs | 7.8 miles | 18 | |
| Saint Joseph | 8.1 miles | 16 | |
| Onalaska | 8.2 miles | 17 |
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 West Salem | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2402603 | 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 1576552. 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.










