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History · Ainsworth

Ainsworth dates to 1904

Most of Ainsworth was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1984. Below: maps from 1973 on and old-book passages.

1904founded
0on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Ainsworth began

When was Ainsworth founded?

1904

Ainsworth dates its founding to 1904 (Wikipedia’s history). Its post office opened in 1893.

2020 census: 477122 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1893.

What stands out about Ainsworth’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Ainsworth are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ainsworth’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ainsworth’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story so far

Ainsworth, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Ainsworth yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Ainsworth is a town in Langlade County, Wisconsin, United States. The town was founded in 1904, and was named for Thomas Ainsworth, a civil engineer who supervised the construction of the Wolf River Dam in 1869 for the Keshena Improvement Company. The population was 477 at the 2020 census, up from 469 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated community of Pearson is located within the town. The township is served by the Pickerel Volunteer Fire Department, and the Pickerel Rescue Squad for ambulance services.

Ainsworth was established in 1904. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 469 in 2010, 477 in 2020.

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Ainsworth in 1922

Passages that mention Ainsworth, cut from the printed page as they were published.

The town of Ainsworth was once a part of Langlade township, Oconto County, in 1875-1879. (Langlade township then consisted of 44 and a third townships and extended to the state line, but was cut down to 27 townships just before New County was created in 1879). When Langlade County was organized Ain…
History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches1922 · page 185Read the page →
Read the text

The town of Ainsworth was once a part of Langlade township, Oconto County, in 1875-1879. (Langlade township then consisted of 44 and a third townships and extended to the state line, but was cut down to 27 townships just before New County was created in 1879). When Langlade County was organized Ainsworth was a part of Polar township. In November, 1883, it was detached from Polar township and be-

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Ainsworth township clings to the name Ainsworth in more than one way. Charles Ainsworth, a nephew of "Uncle Tom" has been successively chosen Township Treasurer since the organization of the township.
History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches1922 · page 184Read the page →
Read the text

Ainsworth township clings to the name Ainsworth in more than one way. Charles Ainsworth, a nephew of "Uncle Tom" has been successively chosen Township Treasurer since the organization of the township.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Ainsworth, 1893 to 1989

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1893Post officeThe Pearson post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1904
    FoundingAinsworth is established
  5. 1973On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1989Post officeThe Pearson post office closes
By decade

Ainsworth, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Ainsworth Wisconsin Town Hall2015Ainsworth Wisconsin Town HallWIMap-doton-Ainsworth2004WIMap-doton-Ainsworth
On the map

Ainsworth on the map, 1973 to 1990

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ainsworth. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Ainsworth on the 1973 USGS mapAinsworth on the 1990 USGS map1973Mole Lake sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Ainsworth.

Famous people

Famous people close to Ainsworth

Nobody well known was born in Ainsworth itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
A
Alexander H. SmithAmerican mycologist · b. 1904
John BradleyNavy corpsman in World War II, flagraiser at Iw… · b. 1923
D. Wayne LukasAmerican horse trainer · b. 1935
Ernest J. DawleyUnited States Army Major general · b. 1886
Joe PiskulaAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1984
J
Justin BergAmerican baseball player · b. 1984
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Another post office, Pearson, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Pearson
Gone or out of use
Arbutus SchoolschoolCloverdale SchoolschoolPearson Schoolschool
1cemetery inside Ainsworth
Pearson

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Nashville1 historic placeCElchoIts storyCUphamIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLangladeIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townPriceIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townNeva1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Ainsworth’s history

What year was Ainsworth founded?

In 1904, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Ainsworth’s post office opened in 1893.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.