Town in Bayfield County
Town of Russell
- Population
- 1,553
- County
- Bayfield County
- Location
- 46.947, -90.847
The Town of Russell is a rural township at the northernmost tip of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula in Bayfield County, wrapping the shore of Lake Superior next to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Incorporated in 1912 after separating from the Town of Bayfield, it contains the unincorporated communities of Red Cliff and Little Sand Bay, and within its borders lies the homeland of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe). Its 2020 census population was 1,553 (up from 1,279 in 2010), and its economy centers on the Red Cliff tribal enterprises (led by Legendary Waters Resort and Casino), commercial fishing heritage, logging, and four-season Lake Superior and Apostle Islands tourism. Government runs through an elected town chair (Paul 'Rocky' Tribovich) and a town board, and the town owns and operates the Little Sand Bay Recreation Area and campground.
The record
6 records name Town of Russell
- 5 news
- 1 obituaries
- Real estate News August 12, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Lincoln County Sheriff’s Report: Aug. 10, 2026 News August 11, 2026 via tomahawkleader.com paywalled
- Lincoln County Sheriff’s Report: July 13, 2026 News July 14, 2026 via tomahawkleader.com paywalled
- Fire burns a home in Gleason News April 16, 2024 via wxpr.org
- Fire strikes a home in Lincoln County News February 1, 2023 via wxpr.org
- Harold H. Hyde Obituaries March 12, 2020 via mountainfuneralhomes.com
What the records show
42 of 46 independently verified
Authoritative data
- Population: 1553 (2020 census), 1575 (latest official estimate) via doa.wi.gov
- Area: 49.838 sq mi land, 50.236 sq mi water, at 46.946522, -90.846858 via www2.census.gov
- Bayfield County holds 337 named lakes and flowages via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
Overview
- Name: Town of Russell via townofrussellwi.gov
- Type: town (township) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Incorporation: incorporated 1912 via townofrussellwi.gov
- County: Bayfield County via townofrussellwi.gov
- Coordinates: 46.9144 N, 90.8497 W secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Land area: 49.9 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Elevation: 790 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Communities: Red Cliff, Little Sand Bay via townofrussellwi.gov
Population and demographics
- 2020: 1553 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Acs estimate: 1413 secondary source via censusreporter.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Median income: 48068 secondary source via censusreporter.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Per capita income: 23601 secondary source via censusreporter.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Median age: 34.9 secondary source via censusreporter.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Seasonal swing: unknown unverified via townofrussellwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Government and civic
- Chair: Paul Tribovich via bayfieldcounty.wi.gov
- Form: town board (chair + 4 supervisors) via bayfieldcounty.wi.gov
- Clerk: Jeff Benton via bayfieldcounty.wi.gov
- Townhall: 35900 State Highway 13, Bayfield, WI 54814 via townofrussellwi.gov
- Office hours: Mondays 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM via townofrussellwi.gov
- Notices: townofrussellwi.gov via townofrussellwi.gov
- Site: townofrussellwi.gov via townofrussellwi.gov
- Tribal: Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa via townofrussellwi.gov
Schools
- District: School District of Bayfield via nces.ed.gov
- Enrollment: 415 via nces.ed.gov
- Site: bayfield.k12.wi.us via bayfield.k12.wi.us
Economy and employers
- Casino: Legendary Waters Resort and Casino via legendarywaters.com
- Tribal center: Red Cliff business center via townofrussellwi.gov
- History: fishing, logging, tourism via townofrussellwi.gov
- Employers ranked: unavailable (ranked list) unverified via townofrussellwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Institutions and anchors
- Recreation area: Little Sand Bay Recreation Area via townofrussellwi.gov
- Nps visitor: Little Sand Bay visitor center (NPS) secondary source via townofrussellwi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
Business and commerce
- Community center: Town of Russell Community Center via bayfieldcounty.wi.gov
- Chamber: Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau inferred via bayfield.org Reasoned from other facts on this page, not reported directly.
Media
- Ashland: Ashland Daily Press via apg-wi.com
- Bayfield journal: Bayfield County Journal via apg-wi.com
Recreation and natural assets
- Apostle islands: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore via townofrussellwi.gov
- Little sand bay: Little Sand Bay beach and marina via townofrussellwi.gov
- Forest: birch-maple-pine forest via townofrussellwi.gov
Events and seasonal rhythm
- Seasonal: summer tourism season unverified via townofrussellwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Infrastructure and access
- Highways: WIS 13 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Nearest hub: Bayfield ~15 minutes south secondary source via townofrussellwi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Airport: ASX (Ashland) general aviation; DLH ~80 miles secondary source via legendarywaters.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Broadband: unknown unverified via townofrussellwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Local government
Every figure here traces to a primary public record, linked at the fact. We gather and cite; we do not author. See something off? Tell us.