The Wisconsin village of Spring Valley

has the rural charm of rolling...

BY MOLLY MILLETT

Pioneer Press

The Wisconsin village of Spring Valley has the rural charm of rolling hills, family farms and freshly made cheese, but its simple pleasures haven't attracted the growth experienced by its neighbors.

Communities such as Baldwin and Hammond have made western Wisconsin the fastest growing area in the state, but Spring Valley lies a little farther out — about 50 miles from St. Paul.

Still, the village has grown in recent years, including adding two housing developments. And many residents do commute, whether west to Minnesota or to other locations in Wisconsin, such as 18 miles to Menomonie or 22 miles to River Falls.

Those who choose to settle in the Spring Valley area appreciate the affordable housing — a hobby farm can be had for less than the cost of an urban condo with a good ZIP code — as well as the open spaces and fresh air.

The area also is home to Crystal Cave, a regional attraction that is open from April to October; a cheese factory that draws visitors from miles around; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Eau Galle Lake and Dam recreation area, where people use the equestrian trails or camp, fish and swim.

Molly Millett can be reached at mollymillett@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5505.

SPRING VALLEY, WIS.

Location: Six miles off Interstate 94 in Pierce County

Distance to St. Paul: 50 miles

Distance to Eau Claire: 40 miles

Recent population estimate: 1,283

Population (2000): 1,189

Ambience: Small-town Wisconsin

Local buzz: "The weather," the village clerk says.

History: The area first saw commercial activity in 1857, when logging crews arrived, according to the village Web site. Spring Valley was born in 1891, with the birth of the "pig iron" (raw iron) industry. Flooding of the Eau Galle River, a tributary of the Chippewa River, was a continual problem, and after a big flood in 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed a flood control plan. A dam was completed in 1968.

Did you know? Frank Lloyd Wright visited Spring Valley in 1943, according to Pierce County, "and offered to design a new village-as-a-mall (it would have been the first one ever)." Instead of rebuilding on higher ground, the residents turned to the Army to get a flood control plan in place.

Nature highlight: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Eau Galle Reservoir and Dam recreation area consists of a 150-acre reservoir surrounded by two day-use areas, a beach, two boat launches, one campground and several miles of hiking and equestrian trails. Eau Galle Reservoir has many largemouth bass, crappies, bluegills and sunfish. Only non-gasoline-powered boats are allowed.

Where to find the locals: Drinking coffee at Deb's Country Inn.

Cheese alert: Spring Valley is near the Cady Cheese Factory, which produces Colby, baby Swiss, cheddar and other varieties and has a cheese and gift shop on site. For more information, visit www.cadycheese.com.

Library: Spring Valley Public Library

Hospital: Spring Valley Medical Clinic serves residents; the Baldwin Area Medical Center, a hospital, is about 15 miles away.

School district: The school district of Spring Valley has an elementary school and a combined middle school and high school.

Restaurant: Sneakers Pub and Eatery

Shopping: Spring Valley has a grocery store and services that include a bank, hardware store, bakery, drugstore and post office. For bigger shopping trips, residents drive to Menomonie, River Falls, Eau Claire or St. Paul.

Regional attraction: Crystal Cave is a unique geological feature in western Wisconsin. Estimated to be 1 million to 1.5 million years old, it was discovered by a farm boy in 1881 and is open for tours from April through October. For more information, visit www.acoolcave.com.

Recreation highlight: The 18-hole Spring Valley Golf Course

Culture: Spring Valley Stagehands Theater, housed in an old movie theater.

Employers: Include the school district, Spring Valley Health Care Center, Oak-Dale Hardwood Products.

Owner-occupied housing: 72.8 percent

Average home sales price in 2006 within the Spring Valley School District boundaries (information courtesy of Jim Helmer of Edina Realty in River Falls): $196,000

Real-estate snapshot: A 24-acre hobby farm with a house and four outbuildings is priced at $269,900. The two-story white farmhouse was built in 1920, features a wrap-around porch-deck and is more than 2,200 square feet. There are four bedrooms, two bathrooms and new windows. The property also has a large dairy barn, pole shed, lean-to feeder building and storage building. The house has central air conditioning, a central vacuum system, a family room on the main level and a full basement.

Annual celebration: Dam Days, held the third weekend in September, includes a parade, tractor pull, talent show and card tournament.

Median age: 38

Median household income: $38,482

Racial breakdown: White, 98.8 percent; Hispanic, 0.6 percent; American Indian, 0.2 percent; Asian, 0.1 percent; African-American, 0.1 percent; two or more races, 0.8 percent.

Percentage of population 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher: 19 percent (compared with national average of 24.4 percent)

Mean travel time to work: 26.8 minutes

For more information: www.springvalleywi.com, www.piercecountywi.com/springvalley.html