Fond du Lac, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
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South Main Street Historic District
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Location of Fond du Lac in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.
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 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Fond du Lac |
| Settled | 1836 |
| Incorporated (village) | March 1, 1847 |
| Incorporated (city) | April 6, 1852 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| Area | |
| • City | 20.54 sq mi (53.19 km2) |
| • Land | 19.23 sq mi (49.80 km2) |
| • Water | 1.31 sq mi (3.39 km2) 6.41% |
| Elevation | 760 ft (232 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 44,678 |
| • Density | 2,323.8/sq mi (897.2/km2) |
| • Metro | 104,154 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Zip Codes |
54935, 54936, 54937
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| Area code(s) | 920 |
| FIPS code | 55-26275 |
Fond du Lac is a city in Wisconsin, United States. It is the main city of Fond du Lac County. The city is located at the very bottom, or southern end, of Lake Winnebago.
In 2020, about 44,678 people lived in Fond du Lac. The city is the center of a larger area called the Fond du Lac metropolitan area. This area includes all of Fond du Lac County and had over 104,000 residents in 2020.
Contents
History of Fond du Lac
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The name "Fond du Lac" comes from French. It means "foot of the lake." This name was chosen because the city is at the southern end of Lake Winnebago.
Long before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes lived here. The Winnebago tribe was the main group. Other tribes like the Potawatomi and Kickapoo also gathered in the area.
French fur traders were likely the first Europeans to visit. Later, James Duane Doty, a federal judge, thought this area would be a good place for a city. He and his partners bought land here.
Early Settlements in the 1800s
In 1836, there was a plan to make Fond du Lac the capital of the Wisconsin Territory. But the idea failed, and Madison was chosen instead. The first white settlers in the area were Colwert, Fanna Pier, and Alex Tomasik.
In 1835, work began on the Military Ridge Road. This road went through Fond du Lac. It connected forts in Wisconsin and Illinois. The first school in Fond du Lac was built in 1843. The first railroad arrived in 1852. Around 1856, the first English newspaper, the Fond du Lac Commonwealth, started. Logging and milling were very important industries in the late 1800s. The lake helped these industries grow.
Fond du Lac in the 1900s
During World War II, from June to August 1944, the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds was a prisoner of war camp. It held 300 German prisoners. They were guarded by 39 U.S. soldiers. The prisoners worked on pea farms and in canneries that summer.
Historic Places in the City
Fond du Lac has 20 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include four historic districts. They are the South Main Street Historic District, North Main Street Historic District, Linden Street Historic District, and East Division Street–Sheboygan Street Historic District.
Many of these buildings were built after the lumber industry grew. Rich families built large homes in the area.
Geography and Climate
Fond du Lac is located at 43.775 degrees North latitude and -88.445 degrees West longitude.
The city covers about 20.54 square miles (53.19 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 19.23 square miles (49.80 square kilometers). The rest, about 1.31 square miles (3.39 square kilometers), is water.
Fond du Lac sits on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago. The east and west parts of the Fond du Lac River join in the city. The river then flows into Lake Winnebago.
Weather in Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
The coldest temperature ever recorded was -41°F (-41°C) in January 1951. The hottest temperature was 111°F (44°C) in July 1936.
People of Fond du Lac
In 2020, the city's population was 44,678. About 8.6% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Most people, about 82.4%, were White. About 4.5% were Black or African American. About 2.0% were Asian.
The average income for a family in the city was about $70,061. About 11.4% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 14.8% of those under 18.
Most adults in Fond du Lac have finished high school. About 23.1% have a college degree or higher.
German Community
Fond du Lac has a large German population. About 45% of the people have German heritage. In 2022, about 19,221 people identified as German American.
Mexican Community
The city also has a growing Mexican community. In 2022, about 2,113 people were Mexican American. This group makes up over 60% of the Latino population.
Religion in Fond du Lac
Many different religions are present in Fond du Lac. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has four churches here.
About one-third of the people in Fond du Lac are Roman Catholic. In 2000, six Catholic churches joined to form Holy Family Catholic Community. Some churches have closed, but others remain open.
The main house for the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is in Fond du Lac. This group of sisters started Marian University in the city.
Fond du Lac is also home to the main church of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac. This church is called St. Paul's Cathedral.
There is also a Jewish synagogue, Temple Beth Israel. Jewish people first came to Fond du Lac in the late 1800s. The synagogue was built in 1914.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has a meetinghouse in the city.
Economy and Jobs
The biggest employer in Fond du Lac is Mercury Marine. This company makes outboard motors for boats. It is the largest maker of these motors in the world. Mercury Marine has its main office in Fond du Lac. It employs about 2,500 people.
Other important companies include Giddings & Lewis, which makes machine tools. Brenner Tank builds transport tankers. Saputo Cheese makes cheese. J. F. Ahern is a company that works with mechanical and fire protection systems.
Fond du Lac also has a data center for Nielsen Corporation. Other businesses include Charter Communications, Society Insurance, and an office for Anthem.
The city has one hospital, St. Agnes Hospital.
Arts and Culture
Fond du Lac is the county seat of Fond du Lac County. This means it is the center for county government. The Fond du Lac County Fair happens here every year in late July.
The city also hosts Walleye Weekend. This is a yearly summer festival. It is built around the Mercury Marine National Walleye Fishing Tournament. Walleye Weekend is a "Free Family Fun Festival." It takes place in Lakeside Park in June.
Another yearly event is Fondue Fest in September. This festival started in 2007. It celebrates when a local restaurant and company made the world's largest fondue set.
Fond du Lac has a children's museum. It has different exhibits for kids to explore.
Sports in Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac has a baseball team called the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. They started in 2017. The Dock Spiders won the Northwoods League Championship in 2018 and 2020. They play their games at Herr-Baker Field on the Marian University campus.
Parks and Recreation
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Lakeside Park is the biggest park in Fond du Lac. It has over 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) of open space. It is located at the south end of Lake Winnebago.
You can do many things at Lakeside Park all year round. There is a whitetail deer exhibit. In summer, you can see beautiful flower displays. People also enjoy boating, picnics, and weddings here. The Lakeside Park Lighthouse is open from April to October. You can go up its observation tower. Visitors can also ride a miniature train and an old-fashioned carousel. The park has four playgrounds and a petting zoo. A steam train engine is at the park's entrance.
Buttermilk Creek Park is a large, grassy park with hills. It has an outdoor theater, tennis courts, and two playgrounds. It also has a hill for sledding in winter.
Other parks in Fond du Lac include Taylor Park and Pool, Butzen (Danbury) Park, Jefferson Park, Fairgrounds Park and Pool, and Playmore Park.
Education and Learning
The Fond du Lac School District serves the city. It has many elementary schools for younger students. There are also three middle schools for grades 6-8. Fond du Lac High School is the public high school for grades 9-12.
St. Mary's Springs Academy is a Catholic school system. It teaches students from preschool through grade 12. Fond du Lac also has four Lutheran primary schools.
The original Fond du Lac High School was built in 1922. The current Fond du Lac High School was built on Campus Drive. Part of the old high school building is now used for the school district's offices and Riverside Elementary School.
There are also private high schools in Fond du Lac. These include Winnebago Lutheran Academy (Lutheran) and St. Mary Springs High School (Catholic). Fond du Lac Christian School and Trinity Baptist School are also K-12 schools.
Fond du Lac is home to three colleges:
- Marian University: A private Catholic university.
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus: A two-year college.
- Moraine Park Technical College: A two-year technical college.
Media and News
Fond du Lac has local newspapers and radio stations.
- The Reporter: This is a daily newspaper.
- Action Advertiser: A free newspaper published twice a week.
Radio stations include:
- KFIZ: One of Wisconsin's oldest radio stations. It broadcasts news and talk shows.
- WFON: This is KFIZ's sister station and plays country music.
- WFDL-FM: This station plays adult contemporary music.
There is also a television station, WIWN, which broadcasts from Milwaukee.
Getting Around Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac Area Transit is the city's public bus system. It started in 1973. It has eight bus routes that serve the city. There is also a special service for areas the bus does not reach.
For air travel, people use Fond du Lac County Airport for smaller planes. For bigger flights, they go to Appleton International Airport or Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
The Canadian National Railway operates the only railroad in Fond du Lac.
Major Roads
Fond du Lac is connected by several important highways:
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Interstate 41: This freeway goes north to Oshkosh and Green Bay. South, it goes to Milwaukee. It bypasses Fond du Lac on the west side.
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U.S. 41: This highway runs along with I-41 near Fond du Lac.
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U.S. 151: This highway goes south to Madison. North, it goes to Manitowoc. It now bypasses the city to the southeast.
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WIS 23 (Johnson St.): This road travels west towards Wisconsin Dells and east towards Sheboygan.
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WIS 175: This road travels south, running parallel to I-41 and US 41.
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US 45: This highway travels north along Lake Winnebago to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. South, it goes to West Bend.
Notable People from Fond du Lac
Many interesting people have come from Fond du Lac.
Sports Stars
- Colin Kaepernick: A famous NFL quarterback.
- Jim Gantner: A former MLB baseball player.
- Travis Diener: A former professional basketball player and current coach.
- Braelon Allen: A football player for the New York Jets.
Other Famous People
- King Camp Gillette: The inventor of the safety razor and founder of the Gillette Company.
- Edward L. Doheny: An oil tycoon.
- Jeanna Giese: The first person known to have survived rabies without a vaccine.
- Don Gorske: A Guinness World Record holder for eating the most Big Macs.
- Carl Kiekhaefer: The founder of Mercury Marine.
See also
In Spanish: Fond du Lac para niños
