Kaukauna, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
City of Kaukauna, Wisconsin
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Kaukauna's south side downtown, as seen from Statue Park. The Fox River is in the foreground and the Civic Center is on the far right.
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| Nickname(s):
The Electric City, The Lion on the Fox
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Location of Kaukauna in Outagamie County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Counties | Outagamie, Calumet |
| Surrounding Towns | Kaukauna, Buchanan, Harrison, Vandenbroek |
| Settled | 1793 |
| Incorporated | 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • City | 8.23 sq mi (21.32 km2) |
| • Land | 7.82 sq mi (20.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.41 sq mi (1.07 km2) 4.96% |
| Elevation | 650 ft (198 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 17,089 |
| • Density | 2,076.4/sq mi (801.55/km2) |
| • Metro | 360,000 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
54130
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| Area code(s) | 920 |
| FIPS code | 55-38800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1567364 |
| Website | www.cityofkaukauna.com |
Kaukauna (
i/kəˈkɔːnə/) is a city in Wisconsin, United States. It is located in Outagamie and Calumet counties. The city sits right on the Fox River. It is about 100 miles north of Milwaukee. In 2020, about 17,089 people lived there. Kaukauna is part of the larger Appleton, Wisconsin area.
Contents
History of Kaukauna
The name Kaukauna comes from a Native American word. It can mean "portage," which is a place where boats or goods are carried over land. It also means "place where pickerel (a type of fish) are caught."
Early Native American and French Life
The Ho-Chunk and Menominee peoples lived here first. The first Europeans were the French. A Catholic missionary named Fr. Claude-Jean Allouez visited the area. He saw many apple trees and grapevines that the people of Kaukauna grew.
Kaukauna became an important trading spot. French traders and Menominee people often married. This created a special culture called Métis. Leaders like Augustin Grignon came from this mixed background.
First Land Deed and Treaties
In 1793, the first recorded land deed in Wisconsin was given to Dominique Ducharme. He bought 1,281 acres from the Menominee Indians. He traded two barrels of rum and other gifts for the land. This land became the original site of Kaukauna.
Later, Charles A. Grignon bought this property in 1828. He built a large house on the river. This house, called the Charles A. Grignon House, is now a museum. You can visit it to learn about the area's history.
In 1836, the Menominee people signed the Treaty of the Cedars. They gave over four million acres of land to the United States. This happened after many talks about moving other Native American groups. These groups included the Oneida, Stockbridge-Munsee, and Brothertown peoples from New York. Grignon of Kaukauna was one of the people who signed this important treaty.
Nicknames and City Status
Before 1880, Kaukauna was known as "The Lion on the Fox." This nickname changed to "The Electric City." This new name came after a hydroelectric plant was built. This plant used water power to make electricity. In 1885, Kaukauna officially became a city. It was then separate from the nearby rural areas.
Geography of Kaukauna
Kaukauna is in the southeastern part of Outagamie County. A small part of it also reaches into Calumet County. The city covers about 8 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
The Fox River flows through the city. It divides Kaukauna into two parts: the North Side and the South Side. Four bridges connect these two sides.
Climate in Kaukauna
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Population of Kaukauna
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 834 | — | |
| 1890 | 4,667 | 459.6% | |
| 1900 | 5,115 | 9.6% | |
| 1910 | 4,717 | −7.8% | |
| 1920 | 5,951 | 26.2% | |
| 1930 | 6,581 | 10.6% | |
| 1940 | 7,382 | 12.2% | |
| 1950 | 8,337 | 12.9% | |
| 1960 | 10,096 | 21.1% | |
| 1970 | 11,308 | 12.0% | |
| 1980 | 11,310 | 0.0% | |
| 1990 | 11,982 | 5.9% | |
| 2000 | 12,983 | 8.4% | |
| 2010 | 15,462 | 19.1% | |
| 2020 | 17,089 | 10.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 15,462 people living in Kaukauna. There were 6,270 households, which are groups of people living together. About 4,090 of these were families. The city had about 2,018 people per square mile.
Most people in Kaukauna were White (94.5%). Other groups included African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 2.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 33.9% of households had children under 18. Many households (50.2%) were married couples. The average age in the city was 34.6 years. About 25.8% of residents were under 18 years old.
Transportation in Kaukauna
Kaukauna is connected by several main roads. Interstate 41 runs along the northern edge of the city. This highway is a major route for the Fox Cities area. It connects with other important roads like Wisconsin Highway 55 and Wisconsin Highway 96.
The city is also part of Valley Transit. This service provides bus transportation. For air travel, people in Kaukauna use Appleton International Airport.
Economy of Kaukauna
Kaukauna has many different businesses, especially in industry and manufacturing. One important business is the Oscar Thilmany Paper Mill. This mill was built in 1883. Over the years, it has been owned by different companies. It is now part of Ahlstrom-Munksjo.
Another well-known product from the area is Kaukauna cheese. This cheese used to be made in the city. Now, it is made by the Bel/Kaukauna company in the nearby village of Little Chute.
Education in Kaukauna
The Kaukauna Area School District serves the city. Almost 4,000 students attend schools in this district. This includes children from kindergarten through 12th grade.
There are four public elementary schools and one middle school. Students then go to Kaukauna High School. Kaukauna also has two private (parochial) schools for younger children: St. Ignatius Catholic school and Trinity Lutheran School. There is also a private high school, St Ignatius Chesterton Academy.
Historic Places in Kaukauna
Several places in Kaukauna are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings and sites are important because of their history. They include:
- Capt. Matthew J. Meade House
- Charles A. Grignon House
- Charles W. Stribley House
- Fargo's Furniture Store
- Former United States Post Office
- Frank St. Andrews House
- Free Public Library of Kaukauna
- Holy Cross Church
- Julius J. Martens Company Building
- Kaukauna Locks Historic District
- Klein Dairy Farmhouse
- Kuehn Blacksmith Shop-Hardware Store
- Lindauer and Rupert Block
- Merritt Black House
- Nicolet Public School
- Norman Brokaw House
- St. Mary's Catholic Church
Famous People from Kaukauna
- Thomas Armstrong, Wisconsin State Representative
- Steve Badger, professional poker player
- Annastasia Batikis, baseball player
- Mark Belling, conservative talk-show host
- Thomas Cane, Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
- Eugene DeBruin, American pilot, MIA in the Vietnam War
- William J. Gantter, Wisconsin State Representative
- Augustin Grignon, fur trader and businessman
- Norbert Hayes, NFL player
- Ric Killian, North Carolina politician
- Jordan McCabe, Athlete & Internet Personality
- Lee Meyerhofer, Wisconsin State Representative
- Gordon Myse, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
- Arnold C. Otto, Wisconsin State Representative
- Peter Philipps, Wisconsin State Representative
- Gary J. Schmidt, Wisconsin State Representative
- Red Smith, NFL and MLB player
- William N. Vander Loop, Wisconsin State Representative
- David Viaene, NFL player
See also
In Spanish: Kaukauna (Wisconsin) para niños
