Knellsville, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Knellsville, Wisconsin
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 Knellsville, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Knellsville, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Ozaukee |
| Elevation | 224 m (735 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 262 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1567569 |
Knellsville is a small place in Wisconsin, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community." This means it's not officially a city or a village with its own government. Instead, it's part of the larger Town of Port Washington in Ozaukee County.
You can find Knellsville right next to the City of Port Washington. It's located where two big roads meet: Interstate 43 and Wisconsin Highway 32. Even though the Town of Port Washington's main office (Town Hall) is in Knellsville, the nearby City of Port Washington helps by providing water and sewer services.
Contents
Knellsville's Story
Knellsville got its name from William Knell. He moved to this area in the early 1860s. He helped the community grow as a stop for stagecoaches. Stagecoaches were like old-fashioned buses that carried people and mail. This stop was on a route called the Green Bay Road. The community grew to help the farmers living in the countryside around Port Washington.
Farms and Factories
In the 1870s, dairy farming became very popular in Wisconsin. This means farmers started raising cows to produce milk. When farms in Port Washington began doing this, a cheese factory opened in Knellsville in 1878. It was called the Pauly Cheese Factory. This factory processed all the local milk. Later, Pauly's Cheese became a well-known brand across the country.
Knellsville grew to serve the farmers. It had stores, restaurants, a place to grind animal feed, and a metal workshop (foundry). In 1910, the Knellsville Canning Company opened. It processed local vegetables like spinach and beets.
Fur Farms in the Area
Even though dairy farming was the main type of farming, some places in Ozaukee County also had successful fur farms. These farms raised animals for their fur. One example was the Johannes Mink Ranch, which opened north of Knellsville in 1926. It was a 10-acre farm. At its busiest, it produced 6,000 mink furs each year.
Changes Over Time
After World War II, Knellsville started to become smaller. The Knellsville Canning Co. closed in 1955. The Johannes Mink Ranch sold its last furs in 1969.
Also, the City of Port Washington grew bigger. It started taking over more land from the town. People needed better ways to travel, especially to the new Interstate Highway System. Knellsville was near the edge of the city. So, in the mid-1960s, parts of southern Knellsville were taken down to build Interstate 43.
Planning for the Future
In 2006, the Town of Port Washington made a special plan for Knellsville. This plan was to help the area grow again. They set aside land for different uses:
- 109 acres (about 0.44 square kilometers) for factories and industrial buildings.
- 30 acres (about 0.12 square kilometers) for office buildings.
- 44 acres (about 0.18 square kilometers) for shops and businesses.
Because of this plan, Knellsville is special. Most unincorporated communities don't have clear borders. But the Town of Port Washington has given Knellsville a defined area for future growth.
Knellsville's Location
Knellsville has clear borders that help define it.
- Its western edge is along the Union Pacific railroad tracks. These tracks run next to Sauk Creek.
- The eastern border is the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, a popular path for walking and biking.
- The southern border is Interstate 43.
- The northern border goes east-west along County Road KW.
The City of Port Washington also has a neighborhood it calls Knellsville. As of 2009, this part of the city was still undeveloped farmland.
