Abrams is a town in Oconto County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,960 at the 2020 Census. The census-designated place of Abrams is located in the town. It is located near U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 141 8 mi south-southeast of Oconto Falls. Abrams has a post office that has been operating since 1882 with ZIP code 54101. As of the 2020 census, the census-designated place had a population of 358.

History

Abrams was first settled in 1854 when Richard B. Yeaton built a sawmill on the Pensaukee River. A community formed and he called the place West Pensaukee. The town was planned to be named Pumpkin Pine. It was renamed Abrams in the 1880s after W. J. Abrams, a former state representative and former mayor of Green Bay. Abrams owned land where a railroad depot was built. The town of Abrams was platted and established in 1917. By the 1890s, there were nearly 30 homes, multiple hotels, 3 general stores, a train depot, and multiple sawmills. Most of the earliest white settlers were from New England. By 1910, a bank and telephone service was added to the town. Fires nearly destroyed the town twice, one being the Peshtigo Fire and the other being a fire in 1923. The mystery of a murder of a local tavern keeper still haunts the town as it has never been solved.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.6 mi2, 37.5 mi2 of which (99.71%) is land, and 0.1 mi2 of which (0.29%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 1,960 people. The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.3% other race, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.

Notable people