Cedarburg, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Cedarburg, Wisconsin
City
Cedarburg City Hall, located in the Washington Avenue Historic District
Location of Cedarburg in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Ozaukee
Settled	1840s
Incorporated	1885; 139 years ago (1885)
Government
• Type	Mayor/Council
Area
• Total	4.88 sq mi (12.65 km2)
• Land	4.84 sq mi (12.52 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation	784 ft (239 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,412
• Estimate  (2019)	12,121
• Density	2,399.30/sq mi (926.40/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code	53012
Area code(s)	262
FIPS code	55-13375
GNIS feature ID	1562869
Website	ci.cedarburg.wi.us

Cedarburg is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about 20 miles (32 km) north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The city incorporated in 1885, and at the time of the 2010 census the population was 11,412.

Like many of Ozaukee County's cities and villages, the City of Cedarburg began as a mill town. German immigrants began building hydropowered gristmills and woolen mills along Cedar Creek in the 1840s. The community that sprang up around the mills is now downtown Cedarburg. The city was distinctly German into the early 20th century, with several Lutheran churches, a brewery, a European-style spa resort called Hilgen Spring Park, and many German cultural associations, including two Turner societies.

Cedarburg changed significantly during the period of post-World War II suburbanization. While the mills had all closed by the 1960s, the city experienced rapid population growth and the development of new commercial properties and housing subdivisions. In spite of the changes, more than 200 of Cedarburg's historic buildings have been preserved, and the city is home to eight listings on the National Register of Historic Places. The community profits from a vibrant tourist industry and hosts festivals and events throughout the year that attract visitors from other areas.

History

The first person to settle in the area was Joseph Gardenier, who built a log shanty on Cedar Creek, in what is now Hamilton. The shanty was his headquarters for surveying for the construction of the Green Bay Road. William Ludwig Groth (Ludwig Groth) is usually credited with being the first settler. He purchased land from the government on October 22, 1842, and began platting the banks of Cedar Creek. Frederick August Leuning, who immigrated to the area in 1843, built a cabin near Cedar Creek on what was later the east end of the city. He called the cabin "Cedarburg", which meant "the castle of cedars". Soon afterwards, he built the Columbia Mill on that site. In December 1844 it was agreed that the town be named Cedarburg. Groth envisioned a village along Cedar Creek and parceled out his land for those who would in the future build businesses and settle permanently. Groth eventually included all of north Cedarburg, everything above the interurban tracks to Bridge St. and from 3rd St. to Jefferson Ave. His untimely death in 1850 kept him from continuing land developments.

In 1845, Frederick Hilgen and William Schroeder saw what Groth had envisioned. After writing to Hilgen's brother-in-law, C. Frederick Boerner, they found financing for further development. Boerner loaned Hilgen and Schroeder thousands of dollars at half the going rate to develop the village of Cedarburg. They had built a gristmill on Cedar Creek. After eleven years of operation, they replaced the original structure with the five-story, stone Cedarburg Mill, which became the focal point of the new community. Five dams and mills were eventually built along the creek in what are now the city and town of Cedarburg. The Hilgen Spring Park, begun in 1854, was a 74-acre (300,000 m²) resort, that attracted visitors from all over the Midwest.

The Cedarburg Woolen Mill was founded in 1864 what in 1842 had been Groth's temporary brush house made of branches for protection from weather and wild beasts. By 1893, it was the largest woolen mill west of Philadelphia. In 1897, a generator was installed, producing the first electricity in the town. In 1901, the city contracted an electric plant with steam engines running two 75 kW generators, and in 1909 the Cedarburg Electric Light Commission was formed to run the utility. In 1923, responsibility for water and sewerage was given to the utility, and it was renamed the Light & Water Commission. The utility is still in business today, and is one of 82 municipally owned electric utilities in Wisconsin.

Tourism

Street scene, with buildings dating to the late 1800s.

The woolen mill closed in 1968 and sat vacant for several years, until an offer was made to buy the buildings. The prospective owner intended to tear them down and build a gas station and a mini-mart. Then mayor, Stephan Fischer, told him he would need a demolition permit. There was no such thing, but it bought enough time that the buildings could be saved. William Welty bought the buildings on the corner and street, opening a restaurant. Jim Pape then bought the mill buildings on the creekside, opening a winery. Known as the Cedar Creek Settlement, the rest of the space was rented out to shops, studios and restaurants.

This began a tourism boom in Cedarburg. As the city became a quaint and pleasant place to visit, more galleries and studios opened, as well as souvenir shops and other attractions. Business associations started weekend festivals, which attracted even more people to the city. In the summer months, local companies sponsor a concert series called Summer Sounds which takes place at Cedar Creek Park.

Since 1974, many buildings in the city of Cedarburg have been added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The individual sites, combined with the Historic Districts, include 216 buildings.

• Cedarburg Mill, added 1974 (NRHP ref #74000115)
• Columbia Historic District, 1992 (NRHP ref #91001980)
• Concordia Mill, 1974 (NRHP ref #74000116)
• Covered Bridge, the oldest remaining historic covered bridge in the state (NRHP Ref #73000092)
• Friedrich and Louisa Hilgen House, 1992 (NRHP ref #92001027)
• Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill, 1978 (NRHP ref #78000124)
• Washington Avenue Historic District, 1986 (NRHP ref #86000218)
• Wayside House, 1982 (NRHP ref #82000694)

Geography

Cedarburg is located at 43°17'56" North, 87°59'13" West (43.29896, -87.987209). Cedar Creek runs through the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.87 square miles (12.61 km²), of which, 4.83 square miles (12.51 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) is water. Several sites in Cedarburg are on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund National Priorities List of hazardous waste sites.

Demographics

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $56,431, and the median income for a family was $66,932. Males had a median income of $51,647 versus $30,979 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,455. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 11,412 people, 4,691 households, and 3,060 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,362.7 inhabitants per square mile (912.2/km²). There were 4,916 housing units at an average density of 1,017.8 per square mile (393.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 4,691 households, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 43.1 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

Attractions

• Cedar Creek Settlement
• Cedarburg Cultural Center
• Cedarburg General Store Museum
• Milwaukee Curling Club
• Ozaukee County Fair
• Ozaukee Historical Society
• Ozaukee Interurban Trail
• Strawberry Festival
• Washington Avenue Historic District
• Wine and Harvest Festival
• Winter Festival
• Oktoberfest
• Santa's Workshop
• Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts

Economy

Early industry

As is the case in many of the cities and villages in Ozaukee County, Cedarburg's earliest businesses were hydropowered mills. In 1843, Frederick Luening built the Columbia Mill, a gristmill, which was the first mill on Cedar Creek. Following the Columbia Mill in 1845, Frederick Hilgen and William Schroeder built another gristmill further upstream. Neither of these structures remain, but other 19th century mills do survive, including the 1853 Concordia Mill; the 1855 Cedarburg Mill, which replaced Hilgen and Schroeder's earlier grist mill; the 1864 Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill; and the 1871 Excelsior Mill, which was later retooled as the Cedarburg Wire and Nail Factory. Other early structures near the creek that survive include an 1848 brewery.

20th century industry

In the 20th century, Cedarburg had some manufacturing firms. Carl Kiekhaefer founded Mercury Marine in Cedarburg in 1939, and the company operated a plant on St. John Avenue until 1982. The building was demolished in 2005. Amcast operated an aluminum die-casting plant on Hamilton Road until 2005. Both companies polluted the soil and waters of Cedar Creek with PCBs, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is using Superfund money to clean up the sites.

Tourism

Street scene, with buildings dating to the late 1800s

The Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill closed in 1968 and sat vacant for several years, until an offer was made to buy the buildings. The prospective owner intended to tear them down and build a gas station and a mini-mart. Then mayor, Stephan Fischer, told him he would need a demolition permit. There was no such thing, but it bought enough time that the buildings could be saved. William Welty bought the buildings on the corner and street, opening a restaurant. Jim Pape then bought the mill buildings on the creekside, opening a winery. Known as the Cedar Creek Settlement, the rest of the space was rented out to shops, studios and restaurants.

This began a tourism boom in Cedarburg. More galleries and studios opened, as well as souvenir shops and other attractions. Business associations started weekend festivals, which attracted even more people to the city. As of 2020, the city hosts Winter Festival in February, Strawberry Festival in June, Wine and Harvest Festival in September, and German-themed Oktoberfest in October, as well as Christmas events in November and December. In the summer months, local companies sponsor a concert series called Summer Sounds which takes place at Cedar Creek Park.

Many Cedarburg residents who do not work in the tourist industry commute for work, reflecting the larger trend of Ozaukee County as a majority-commuter community.

Education

Cedarburg's public schools are operated by the Cedarburg School District. The district has three elementary schools, serving grades kindergarten through fifth grade: Parkview Elementary, Thorson Elementary, and Westlawn Elementary. Each elementary school serves a different neighborhoods of the city. Webster Middle School serves the entire district for grades six through eight, and Cedarburg High School serves grades nine through twelve.

The district serves the City of Cedarburg, the Town of Cedarburg, and some neighboring parts of the City of Mequon and the Village of Grafton. The district is governed by a seven-member elected school board, which meets on the third Thursday of each month at Cedarburg High School. The district also a superintendent. Todd Bugnacki, the current superintendent, has held the position since 2015.

The district frequently appears on lists of the best schools in the state.

The city also has two parochial schools that serve students from kindergarten through eight grade: First Immanuel Lutheran School and St. Francis Borgia Catholic School.

Transportation

Cedarburg is located approximately three miles west of Interstate 43 exit 89. The city is also located south of the intersection of Wisconsin Highway 60 and Washington Avenue.

Cedarburg has limited public transit compared with larger cities. Ozaukee County and the Milwaukee County Transit System run the Route 143 commuter bus, also known as the "Ozaukee County Express," to Milwaukee via Interstate 43. The bus stops at the park-and-ride lot by Cedarburg's interstate on- and offramps. The bus operates eight trips to Milwaukee on weekday mornings and nine trips from Milwaukee on weekday evenings, corresponding to peak commute times. Ozaukee County Transit Services' Shared Ride Taxi is the public transit option for traveling to sites not directly accessible from the interstate. The taxis operate seven days a week and make connections to Washington County Transit and Milwaukee County Routes 12, 49 and 42u.

The City of Cedarburg has sidewalks in most areas, as well as the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, which is for pedestrian and bicycle use, and connects the city to the neighboring communities of Grafton and Mequon, and continues north to Sheboygan County and south to Milwaukee County.

Cedarburg grew from a rural hamlet into an incorporated city in part because of its 19th century rail connections. From 1907 to 1948, Cedarburg was connected to Milwaukee and Sheboygan by an interurban passenger rail line, which fell into disuse following World War II and was converted into a bicycle and pedestrian trail in the 1990s. The Wisconsin Central Ltd. railroad provides freight rail service to Cedarburg as part of its Saukville subdivision. While Cedarburg has not had passenger rail in many decades, passenger rail is offered by Amtrak in nearby Milwaukee at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.

Notable people

Dick Grunert, writer and director

Images for kids

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  The 1855 Cedarburg Mill building, with a 1926 Wadham's filling station on the right.

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  The 1864 Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill, which currently houses shops, restaurants, and a winery.

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  An interurban tram leaving the Cedarburg station, c. 1907.

• 

  The millpond on Cedar Creek, upstream from the Bridge Road dam.

• 

  The Ozaukee Interurban Trail goes over Cedar Creek on the interurban bridge, a former railroad truss bridge in downtown Cedarburg.

See also

In Spanish: Cedarburg (Wisconsin) para niños