Kewaunee, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kewaunee, Wisconsin
City
Looking east to the Kewaunee harbor and Lake Michigan
Location of Kewaunee in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Kewaunee
Government
• Type	Municipality
Area
• Total	3.73 sq mi (9.66 km2)
• Land	3.53 sq mi (9.15 km2)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2)
Elevation	610 ft (186 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,837
• Density	803.5/sq mi (310.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	54216
Area code(s)	920
FIPS code	55-39350
GNIS feature ID	1567445

Kewaunee is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, in the United States. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Kewaunee is the main city, or county seat, of Kewaunee County.

In 2020, about 2,837 people lived there. The name Kewaunee comes from the Menominee language. It means Kewāneh, which is an old name for a type of duck. Kewaunee is also part of the larger Green Bay area.

History of Kewaunee

Kewaunee has a long history, starting with Native American tribes.

Early Native American Settlements

Long ago, in the 1600s, Kewaunee was home to a Potawatomi village. French missionaries and explorers visited this village.

• In 1674, a French missionary named Jacques Marquette celebrated a special day there.
• Later, in 1679, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle also visited.
• Another French Jesuit, Jean-François Buisson de Saint-Cosme, stopped by in 1698.

Over time, the Potawatomi people moved to other areas. The Menominee people then lived in the Kewaunee region. In 1795, a trader named Jacques Vieau set up a short-lived trading post here. The United States officially gained this land from the Menominee nation in 1831.

Founding the Modern City

The current city of Kewaunee began in 1836. There were rumors of gold in the Kewaunee River. This led to a small "gold rush" of new settlers. However, no gold was found. The settlers who stayed built a sawmill. They also improved the local harbor for the lumber industry. In 1852, Kewaunee became the county seat when Kewaunee County was formed. In the late 1800s, many families from Czech and German backgrounds moved to Kewaunee.

Geography of Kewaunee

Kewaunee is located at 44°27′32″N 87°30′34″W / 44.45889°N 87.50944°W / 44.45889; -87.50944. The city covers a total area of about 3.73 square miles (9.66 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.53 square miles (9.15 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.2 square miles (0.52 square kilometers), is water.

Major Highways

Two main highways pass through Kewaunee:

• 

  Wisconsin Highway 42 sign
  WIS 42 goes north to Algoma, Wisconsin. South, it continues to Two Rivers and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
• 

  Wisconsin Highway 29 sign
  WIS 29 connects Kewaunee with Green Bay, Wisconsin to the west.

Population and People

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the population of Kewaunee was 2,837 people. The city had about 803.5 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Kewaunee were White (91.5%). Other groups included Black or African American, Asian, and Native American. About 4.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 2,952 people living in Kewaunee. There were 1,278 households, which are groups of people living together. About 25.3% of households had children under 18. Many households (45.9%) were married couples. The average age in the city was 45.8 years. About 19.8% of residents were under 18 years old. The city had a nearly equal number of males (50.4%) and females (49.6%).

Economy of Kewaunee

Kewaunee has some important businesses that help the local economy.

• The Kewaunee Nuclear Generating Station was a power plant located nearby. It stopped operating on May 7, 2013.
• Kewaunee Fabrications is a company that makes things out of metal. It used to be a shipbuilding company from 1941 to 1945.

Fun Places to Visit

Kewaunee has several interesting places to see and explore:

• 

  Kewaunee Lighthouse
  Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse: A historic lighthouse on the pier.
• Kewaunee Marshland Walk: A trail where you can explore wetlands and nature.
• Tallest Grandfather Clock: A very tall grandfather clock that is a local landmark.
• Tug Ludington: A historic tugboat that you can visit.
• Ahnapee State Trail: A long trail perfect for biking, walking, or running.

Notable People from Kewaunee

Many interesting people have come from Kewaunee, including:

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Kewaunee para niños