Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
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Downtown Fort Atkinson in December 2007
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Location of Fort Atkinson in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Jefferson |
| Government | |
| • Type | City Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.80 sq mi (15.03 km2) |
| • Land | 5.66 sq mi (14.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2) |
| Elevation | 787 ft (240 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,579 |
| • Density | 2,222.4/sq mi (858.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Zip Code |
53538
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| Area code(s) | 920 |
| FIPS code | 55-26675 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1565151 |
| Website | www.fortatkinsonwi.net |
Fort Atkinson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. It sits along the Rock River, a few miles upstream from Lake Koshkonong. In 2020, about 12,579 people lived there. Fort Atkinson is the biggest city completely within Jefferson County. It is also part of a larger area that includes Milwaukee.
Contents
History
Fort Atkinson got its name from General Henry Atkinson. He was a U.S. commander during the Black Hawk War in 1832. This war was fought against a group of Native American peoples. The city grew where a fort called Fort Koshkonong once stood during that war. Today, you can see a copy of the original 1832 fort just outside of town. The first fort was built to control where the Rock and Bark rivers met.
The area grew quickly in the mid-1800s. Many pioneers moved there from the eastern parts of the U.S. They brought their culture from places like New York State.
You can learn about Fort Atkinson's past at the Hoard Historical Museum. The National Dairy Shrine Museum is also there. William Dempster Hoard started a famous dairy farm magazine in Fort Atkinson in 1885. The museums show how the dairy industry has changed over time.
The oldest human-made sites near Fort Atkinson are ancient earth mounds. These were built by Native Americans long ago. Early settlers called them the General Atkinson Mound Group. These mounds are from the Woodland Period in Wisconsin. They include effigy mounds, which are shaped like animals. There is also a 125-foot (38 m) long panther intaglio mound. This is the last one of its kind in Wisconsin.
Many old buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s are still in Fort Atkinson. You can find them in the Main Street and Merchants Avenue historic areas. Other important old places include the Fort Atkinson Water Tower and Jones Dairy Farm.
Geography and Climate
Fort Atkinson is located at 42°55′38″N 88°50′26″W / 42.92722°N 88.84056°W. The city covers about 5.80 square miles (15.02 km2) of land and water. Most of this area, 5.66 square miles (14.66 km2), is land. The rest, 0.14 square miles (0.36 km2), is water.
The city grew up along the Rock River. This river was important for travel and trade in the past. Sometimes, the downtown area floods when the river gets too high. The Bark River flows into the Rock River just east of the city. This can make the water levels rise even more. The Rock River eventually flows into the Mississippi River.
| Climate data for Fort Atkinson Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1941–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
72 (22) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
103 (39) |
102 (39) |
98 (37) |
88 (31) |
78 (26) |
67 (19) |
103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 45.6 (7.6) |
50.3 (10.2) |
65.0 (18.3) |
77.1 (25.1) |
85.1 (29.5) |
90.4 (32.4) |
91.1 (32.8) |
89.2 (31.8) |
86.9 (30.5) |
79.1 (26.2) |
63.9 (17.7) |
50.2 (10.1) |
93.2 (34.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 27.7 (−2.4) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
43.6 (6.4) |
56.9 (13.8) |
69.1 (20.6) |
79.0 (26.1) |
82.5 (28.1) |
80.6 (27.0) |
74.0 (23.3) |
60.9 (16.1) |
45.7 (7.6) |
33.2 (0.7) |
57.1 (13.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 19.2 (−7.1) |
22.7 (−5.2) |
34.1 (1.2) |
46.6 (8.1) |
58.3 (14.6) |
68.3 (20.2) |
72.1 (22.3) |
70.1 (21.2) |
62.6 (17.0) |
50.3 (10.2) |
37.2 (2.9) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
47.2 (8.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 10.7 (−11.8) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
24.7 (−4.1) |
36.2 (2.3) |
47.5 (8.6) |
57.7 (14.3) |
61.7 (16.5) |
59.6 (15.3) |
51.2 (10.7) |
39.7 (4.3) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
17.9 (−7.8) |
37.4 (3.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −11.6 (−24.2) |
−7.2 (−21.8) |
4.1 (−15.5) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
33.5 (0.8) |
44.3 (6.8) |
51.0 (10.6) |
49.7 (9.8) |
36.9 (2.7) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
−2.7 (−19.3) |
−15.8 (−26.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −33 (−36) |
−39 (−39) |
−21 (−29) |
−4 (−20) |
25 (−4) |
33 (1) |
39 (4) |
37 (3) |
28 (−2) |
11 (−12) |
−14 (−26) |
−29 (−34) |
−39 (−39) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.51 (38) |
1.43 (36) |
1.96 (50) |
3.56 (90) |
4.13 (105) |
4.98 (126) |
4.03 (102) |
3.86 (98) |
3.33 (85) |
2.84 (72) |
2.20 (56) |
1.71 (43) |
35.54 (903) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.7 (27) |
9.4 (24) |
4.0 (10) |
1.2 (3.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
2.1 (5.3) |
8.7 (22) |
36.4 (92) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 12.1 | 12.9 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 10.0 | 8.8 | 9.6 | 119.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.3 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 25.0 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People Living in Fort Atkinson
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 334 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,010 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,969 | −2.0% | |
| 1890 | 2,283 | 15.9% | |
| 1900 | 3,043 | 33.3% | |
| 1910 | 3,877 | 27.4% | |
| 1920 | 4,915 | 26.8% | |
| 1930 | 5,793 | 17.9% | |
| 1940 | 6,153 | 6.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,280 | 2.1% | |
| 1960 | 7,908 | 25.9% | |
| 1970 | 9,164 | 15.9% | |
| 1980 | 9,785 | 6.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,227 | 4.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,621 | 13.6% | |
| 2010 | 12,368 | 6.4% | |
| 2020 | 12,579 | 1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census
In 2020, the city had 12,579 people. There were about 2,222 people per square mile. Most residents, about 85.9%, were White. About 10.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
2010 Census
In 2010, Fort Atkinson had 12,368 people. There were 5,125 households, which are groups of people living together. About 31.4% of households had children under 18. The average age in the city was 38.4 years old.
Economy
Fort HealthCare is the city's biggest employer. It is a hospital and health system. Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital has 82 beds. More than 100 doctors work there. Other important businesses include NASCO and Jones Dairy Farm.
The Fireside Dinner Theatre brings many visitors to the city. The rebuilt fort is also a popular place to visit.
Media
Fort Atkinson has its own daily newspaper, the Daily Jefferson County Union. There are also two radio stations, WFAW and WSJY. Students at Fort Atkinson High School run a small newspaper and website called "the Signal." It shares news about local events that affect students.
Healthcare
Fort Memorial Hospital is in Fort Atkinson. It is a hospital with 49 beds. The area has healthcare professionals who help people stay healthy.
Education
The Fort Atkinson School District has several schools. There are four elementary schools: Barrie, Rockwell, Purdy, and Luther. These schools teach students from kindergarten to 5th grade. Fort Atkinson Middle School (FAMS) is for grades 6 to 8. Fort Atkinson High School teaches grades 9 to 12. The high school's mascot is the Blackhawk. It is named after the Sauk leader Chief Blackhawk.
There are also Christian schools in Fort Atkinson. These include Crown of Life Christian Academy and St. Paul's Lutheran School. Saint Joseph's school is a private Catholic school for kindergarten through 8th grade.
The Dwight Foster Public Library was started in 1892. It is an important resource for the people of Fort Atkinson and nearby communities.
Transportation
You can get to Fort Atkinson using several main roads. These include Highway 12, Highway 26, Highway 89, and Highway 106. Highway 26 connects to Interstate 94 to the north. This road leads to downtown Milwaukee in about an hour. Highway 26 also connects to Interstate 90 to the south. This road goes to downtown Chicago in about 2.5 hours. Highway 12 takes you to the Madison area in about 45 minutes.
Fort Atkinson used to have a train stop. Now, there is no public transportation within the city.
Airport
Fort Atkinson has its own airport, the Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport (FAA LID: 61C).
Notable People
- Helmut Ajango, architect
- Kyle Borland, former professional football player
- Neal Brown, lawyer and politician
- Lucien B. Caswell, served in the Wisconsin State Assembly
- David Whitney Curtis, businessman and politician
- Palmer F. Daugs, Wisconsin State Representative
- Wallace Dollase, horse trainer
- Gerald L. Endl, Medal of Honor winner
- Charlie Grimm, major league baseball player and manager
- Charles Hammarquist, state legislator
- William D. Hoard, former Governor of Wisconsin
- Joel Hodgson, host and creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000
- David Keene political consultant
- Rosemary Kennedy, sister of John F. Kennedy
- Randall S. Knox, Wisconsin State Representative
- George Marston, San Diego community leader
- Archie McComb, Wisconsin State Representative
- Guy Moon, composer
- Keith Neubert, former professional football player
- Lorine Niedecker, poet
- John Offerdahl, former professional football player
- Craig Rice, mystery writer
- Jeff Sauer, ice hockey player and coach
- Josh Sawyer, video game designer
- Mark Seidl, Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge
- Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Court judge
- Charles A. Snover, Wisconsin State Senator
- Howard Weiss, 1938 Big Ten football MVP
- Horace B. Willard, Wisconsin State Representative
- Whitey Woodin, former professional football player
- Nick Zentner, professor and science communicator
See also
In Spanish: Fort Atkinson (Wisconsin) para niños
