Oconomowoc, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Oconomowoc
Location of Oconomowoc in Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Waukesha
Settled	1837
Founded by	John S. Rockwell
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	12.43 sq mi (32.19 km2)
• Land	11.75 sq mi (30.44 km2)
• Water	0.68 sq mi (1.76 km2)
Elevation	823 ft (251 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,203
• Density	1,445.07/sq mi (557.93/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	53066
Area code(s)	262
FIPS code	55-59250
Website	oconomowoc-wi.gov

Oconomowoc (say it like ə-KON-ə-mə-wok) is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. Its name comes from a Potawatomi word, "Coo-no-mo-wauk," which means "waterfall." In 2020, about 18,203 people lived there. The city is close to the Town of Oconomowoc and the village of Oconomowoc Lake, Wisconsin.

History of Oconomowoc

Before the 1700s, the Potawatomi people lived in this area. They were descendants of "mound builders." There are also stories that the Sauk Indian chief Black Hawk had a camp on Oconomowoc Lake.

The first white person known to be in the area was Amable Vicau. He was the brother-in-law of Solomon Juneau, who helped start Milwaukee. Vicau set up a trading post in 1827. Other white settlers began to arrive in 1830.

In April 1837, Charles Sheldon from New York claimed 160 acres of land. This land was on the east side of what is now Fowler Lake. A few days later, Philo Brewer built what many believe was the first house in Oconomowoc. The first recorded birth was Eliza Jane Dewey in 1840. The first recorded death was Jerusha Foster in 1841.

Oconomowoc became a town in 1844. People had to go to Summit to get their mail until 1845. Travel and communication quickly improved. The Watertown Plank Road connected Oconomowoc to nearby cities in 1850.

This growth helped more people settle there. By 1853, the town had 250 people. It had ten stores, three hotels, a gristmill, a sawmill, and a school. The first passenger train arrived from Milwaukee on December 14, 1854.

Many large houses were built around the lakes, especially Oconomowoc Lake and Lac La Belle. The population grew a lot. Oconomowoc became a city in 1865. By 1880, it had 3,000 people. In 1899, a golf tournament was held at the Oconomowoc Country Club.

In 2003, Oconomowoc gained Pabst Farms from the Town of Summit. This land used to belong to the Pabst family. It is now being developed for businesses and homes. In 2008, a gas line broke west of downtown. This caused an explosion that destroyed the First Baptist Church. The church was built in 1913.

Where is Oconomowoc?

Oconomowoc Fowler Lake Boardwalk

Oconomowoc City Beach

Oconomowoc is located at 43°6′31″N 88°29′49″W / 43.10861°N 88.49694°W / 43.10861; -88.49694. It is in the "Lake Country" part of Waukesha County. The city covers about 12.18 square miles (31.55 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with some water from its lakes.

Weather in Oconomowoc

Who Lives in Oconomowoc?

In 2010, there were 15,759 people living in Oconomowoc. There were 6,256 households and 4,270 families. The city had about 1,366 people per square mile (527 people per square kilometer).

Most people living in Oconomowoc were White (96%). About 1% were Asian, and 0.5% were African American. About 3.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, 34.8% of households had children under 18. Most households (56.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.48 people. The average family had 3.04 people.

The average age in the city was 38.6 years. About 26.3% of residents were under 18. About 14.7% were 65 or older. The city had slightly more females (52.3%) than males (47.7%).

Schools in Oconomowoc

The Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD) serves the schools in Oconomowoc.

• Elementary Schools (Pre-K to 4th grade): Greenland, Summit, Park Lawn, Meadow View, and Ixonia Elementary.
• Middle Schools (5th to 8th grade): Silver Lake and Nature Hill Intermediate schools. These schools opened in 2008.
• High School: Oconomowoc High School had 1,715 students in the 2018–2019 school year.

There are also Christian schools in Oconomowoc:

• St. Matthew's Lutheran School (3K–8th grade), part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
• Holy Trinity Lutheran School (2K–8th grade), part of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

The unique way "Oconomowoc" is said often helps people tell if someone is from Wisconsin or not.

Getting Around Oconomowoc

You can travel by car using highways 16, 67, and I-94. Highway 16 connects Oconomowoc to cities like Pewaukee and La Crosse. There's a bypass around Lac La Belle for Highway 16. Highway 67 runs from Beloit to Chillton. Interstate 94 connects Oconomowoc to Madison and Milwaukee.

Rail Travel

Amtrak's Empire Builder and Borealis passenger trains go through Oconomowoc. However, they do not stop there. The closest Amtrak station is the Milwaukee Intermodal. Freight trains are operated by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).

Oconomowoc used to have passenger and commuter train service at the Oconomowoc station.

Bus Service

Bus routes 904 and 905 are run by Waukesha Metro Transit. These routes start at the Collins & Cross Parking Lot station. They offer daily rides between Oconomowoc and Milwaukee.

La Belle Cemetery

La Belle Cemetery was the first cemetery in Oconomowoc. It opened in 1851 on land that is now Fowler Park. It later moved to Walnut Street. When that area became too full, Charles Sheldon gave land for a new cemetery. In 1864, the Wisconsin Legislature allowed burials to be moved to the current La Belle Cemetery on Grove Street.

Sister City

Oconomowoc has one sister city:

• Dietzenbach, Hesse, Germany

Historic Places

• Oconomowoc station

Famous People from Oconomowoc

See also

In Spanish: Oconomowoc (Wisconsin) para niños