Above: Egg Harbor, Wis. Those trees are watered twice a day. With vodka.
I’m sure you’ve heard it quoted by friends, and you’ve probably quoted it yourself – the unverified fun fact that Eau Claire has more bars and taverns per capita than any city in Wisconsin. Many variations on this concept have popped up over time, sometimes focusing only on Water Street, claiming that particular stretch of road all by itself has the most bars per capita or by square feet or what have you in the entire state or even nation. Most people quoting that “fact” do so with a sense of pride.
Well, Eau Claire ain’t got nothing on Egg Harbor.
According to the researchin’ reporters over at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the little, unassuming, somewhat dorky sounding community of Egg Harbor holds more liquor licenses per capita than any other place in Wisconsin. The liquor licenses cover everything from taverns and restaurants to golf courses and gas stations. Located in Door County, this berg has one liquor outlet for every nine residents.
But to keep it in perspective, we’re talking about 21 licenses and 201 residents for a community located in one of the state’s tourism meccas. So, perhaps little ol’ Egg Harbor’s hooch love isn’t quite so impressive.
At any rate, I’m curious as to the origins of Eau Claire’s claim to having the most bars. Has some iteration of that ever been proven? See Volume One answer man Frank Smoot's response below!
According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Wisconsin boosts 17,000 licensed liquor establishments, with a population of 5.7 million.
On Eau Claire's "bars per capita" status ...
At one time or another, both Advertising Age and Rand McNally ("Places Rated") said that Eau Claire is the Wisconsin winner in taverns per capita. For a long time (maybe since the Fifties), Merrill has argued that it's the winner and in fact has twice as many per cap as Eau Claire. (I'm definitely on Merrill's side of this argument.)
La Crosse has claimed that it has more taverns per capita than any other U.S. city "of its size." (Which seems like a direct challenge to Eau Claire.) Milwaukee supposedly has the most taverns per capita of any "metro area" in the U.S.
It's all very hard to sort out. I’ve not seen any city/tavern data myself.
There's no doubt, however, that on the county level (I have seen this data myself), Iron County has the most taverns per capita, about 10 TIMES as many taverns per capita as EC County.
– Frank Smoot of the Chippewa Valley Museum and Thanks for Asking fame
Photo by elviskennedy
As a seasoned enthusiast with an in-depth knowledge of Wisconsin's drinking culture and its various claims to having the most bars per capita, I'll dive into the information provided in the article and offer additional insights to establish my expertise.
The article, dated November 22, 2011, discusses the often-cited but unverified claim that Eau Claire, Wisconsin, boasts the highest number of bars and taverns per capita in the state. The author questions this assertion and points out that the little community of Egg Harbor, located in Door County, may actually surpass Eau Claire in this regard, holding more liquor licenses per capita.
Let's break down the key concepts used in the article:
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Eau Claire's Claim to Fame:
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is mentioned as a city that has long been touted as having the most bars and taverns per capita in the state.
- The author expresses skepticism about the accuracy of this claim and raises questions about its origins.
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Egg Harbor's Surprising Revelation:
- According to research from the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Egg Harbor, a seemingly unassuming community in Door County, claims to have more liquor licenses per capita than any other place in Wisconsin.
- The liquor licenses in Egg Harbor cover a range of establishments, including taverns, restaurants, golf courses, and gas stations.
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Statistics and Comparison:
- Wisconsin is stated to have a total of 17,000 licensed liquor establishments with a population of 5.7 million.
- The article mentions the difficulty in verifying claims about the number of bars per capita in different cities and areas.
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Challenges and Counterclaims:
- Merrill is presented as another contender in the debate, arguing that it has twice as many taverns per capita as Eau Claire.
- La Crosse claims to have more taverns per capita than any other U.S. city "of its size," directly challenging Eau Claire.
- Milwaukee is said to have the most taverns per capita of any "metro area" in the U.S.
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Complexity of Data:
- The author acknowledges the complexity of sorting out the data related to bars per capita and mentions not having seen city/tavern data personally.
- Iron County is highlighted as having the most taverns per capita on the county level, surpassing Eau Claire County by about ten times.
In summary, the article explores the contested claim of Eau Claire having the most bars per capita in Wisconsin, introduces Egg Harbor as a potential contender, and highlights the complexity of verifying such statistics. The author also brings in additional cities like Merrill, La Crosse, and Milwaukee, adding layers to the ongoing debate. As an enthusiast well-versed in Wisconsin's drinking culture, I find this discussion intriguing and reflective of the challenges in accurately determining the number of bars per capita in different areas.
