Rural, Wisconsin

Rural, Wisconsin
Unincorporated community
Rural, Wisconsin
Rural, Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin Rural, Wisconsin Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 44°18′47″N 89°09′11″W
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Waupaca
Elevation	267 m (876 ft)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	54981
Area code(s)	715 & 534
GNIS feature ID	1572728[1]

Rural (also Nepewan, Nepowan) is an unincorporated community in the Town of Dayton, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States.[2]

History

Starting in 1851, Yankee settlers were drawn to the area by its potential for milling using the Crystal River. Until the mid-1870s many settled in the area building Greek Revival styled houses on a semi grid pattern hoping that the expansion of the railroad would follow the well traveled path between Berlin and Stevens Point and provide and economic boom for the town. When it bypassed Rural for Waupaca to the north economic growth stopped and no new houses were built for 40 years.

Notable people

Rural was the home town of author and poet Margaret Ashmun (1885-1940) who was born in Rural.[3] The Ashmun family home still stands in Rural.[4] Wisconsin State Senator and lawyer George Hudnall (1864-1936) was also born in Rural.[5] Rural was also the birthplace and home town of Wisconsin state legislator Andrew R. Potts (1853-1932).[6]

Historic houses

Rural has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989. There are 15 of buildings contributing to the listing along with various structures and bridges.[7]

Images

Rural, Wisconsin

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  Weller Store in Rural, Wisconsin
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  Rural, Wisconsin welcome sign
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  Crystal River Inn Bed & Breakfast in Rural
• 
  The Radley House - Part of the Rural on the Crystal Historic District

• 
  The Radley House
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  Halfway House - served as a stagecoach stop
• 
  The Quint House
• 
  Rural Historical Society open Wednesdays and Sundays
• 
  Herbert Radley stands in front of the original building, a carpentry shop, which was built in 1898 over the mill race of the Crystal River so the current could generate power. The shop was moved across the road around 1901, was painted white, and became the General Store - Then known as The Rural Store.
• 
  The Weller Store today - original 1800s building on right, 1960s addition on left. The oldest retail building in the Village of Rural
• 
  Rustic Road R23 through Rural

Notes

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rural, Wisconsin
2. "Rural, Wisconsin". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
3. Margaret Ashmun
4. Main Street Market Place-Downtown Waupaca
5. Wisconsin Blue Book 1907,' Biographical Sketch of George Hudall, pg. 1097
6. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1917,' Biographical Sketch of Andrew R. Potts, pg. 512-513
7. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c621c283-baa5-4f8f-80b2-68dc7426b49b ^[bare URL]