Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Stevens Point is a city located in Portage County in central Wisconsin. It is the county seat and the largest city of the county. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 24,551. The city was incorporated in 1858. It was named after its founder, George Stevens, who ran several saloons on what is today known as "The Square". Loggers on the Wisconsin River found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and one could tell from far upstream whether Stevens' point was open for business.

Related Topics:
Portage County - Wisconsin - County seat - 2000 - 1858 - Saloon - Logger - Wisconsin River

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(A local legend also claims that Stevens Point is a bastardization of "Stevens Pint", a reference to Stevens' alleged practice of serving whiskey by the pint.)

Related Topics:
Pint - Whiskey

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Stevens Point is home to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), a small university known for (among other things) its graduate program in natural resources.

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Each year in April, WWSP, the campus radio station of UW - Stevens Point hosts a trivia contest that bills itself as the largest trivia contest in the world. Usually the contest features over 500 teams and over 10,000 participants. It has been featured in several newspapers, and was reported on by the BBC. It has been held annually since 1969.

Related Topics:
Trivia - BBC - 1969

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Together with surrounding communities, the Stevens Point micropolitan area was, according to the 2000 census, home to 48,123 people. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Portage County (2000 population: 67,182).

Related Topics:
Micropolitan - United States Census Bureau - Micropolitan Statistical Area

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