Sheboygan, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sheboygan, Wisconsin
City
Sheboygan City Hall
Seal
Nickname(s):  "Malibu of the Midwest", "Bratwurst Capital of the World", "The City of Cheese, Chairs, Children & Churches"
Location of Sheboygan in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
Sheboygan, Wisconsin Location in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin Sheboygan, Wisconsin Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Counties	Sheboygan
Settled	1780s
Incorporated (city)	1846
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
• Body	Common Council
Area
• City	15.83 sq mi (41.00 km2)
• Land	15.64 sq mi (40.51 km2)
• Water	0.19 sq mi (0.49 km2)
Population  (2020)
• City	49,929
• Density	3,066.82/sq mi (1,184.14/km2)
• Metro	118,034
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (Central)
ZIP Codes	53081–53083
Area codes	920
FIPS code	55-72975

Sheboygan (ⁱ/ʃɪˈbɔɪɡən/) is a city in Wisconsin, United States. It is the main city of Sheboygan County. In 2020, about 49,929 people lived there. Sheboygan is on the western shore of Lake Michigan, where the Sheboygan River meets the lake. It is about 50 miles (80 km) north of Milwaukee.

Sheboygan's History

The Sheboygan Civil War Monument, located in Fountain Park

Before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes lived in the Sheboygan area. These included the Potawatomi, Chippewa, Ottawa, Winnebago, and Menominee tribes. The Menominee people called this place Sāpīwǣhekaneh, which means "at a hearing distance in the woods."

In 1831, the Menominee gave this land to the United States. This made the land available for new American settlers. Many early settlers came from New York and New England in the 1830s. The first big industry was lumbering. Trees were cut down and sent to eastern markets using the Great Lakes.

Sheboygan officially became a city in 1846. However, much of the town was planned out in 1836 by people who invested in land.

By 1849, many German immigrants moved to Sheboygan. They came after some political changes in Germany in 1848. Between 1840 and 1890, Dutch and Irish immigrants also settled here. Later, in the early 1900s, people from Greece, Eastern Europe, and Lithuania came. In the late 1900s, Hmong refugees from Laos also made Sheboygan their home.

In 1898, Sheboygan made history. It elected Fred C. Haack and August L. Mohr as aldermen. They were the first two candidates from the Social Democratic Party to be elected to public office in the United States.

Geography and Climate

Sheboygan covers about 15.83 square miles (41.00 km²). Most of this is land, with a small part being water. The city is located at 43°45' north latitude and 87°44' west longitude.

Sheboygan's Climate

Sheboygan has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. This is typical for Wisconsin. Being near Lake Michigan helps to make the temperatures a bit milder than places further inland.

People of Sheboygan

Sheboygan is home to many different groups of people. The city's population was 49,929 in 2020.

Different Communities

Sheboygan has several important ethnic communities.

Hmong Community

The first Hmong families came to Sheboygan in 1976. They were refugees from Laos. By 1990, about 2,000 Hmong people lived in the city. In 2006, the Sheboygan Hmong Memorial was built. It honors Hmong soldiers and civilians who helped the United States during a war in Laos. Today, the Hmong community is the second largest ethnic group in Sheboygan.

German Community

Sheboygan is well-known for its large German population. About 40% of the people in Sheboygan have German heritage.

Mexican Community

Sheboygan also has a growing Mexican community. In 2022, there were about 4,589 Mexican Americans living in the city. This group makes up most of the Latino population in Sheboygan.

Arts and Fun Activities

Downtown 8th Street

Sheboygan has many places for art and fun.

Museums and Landmarks

You can visit the Above & Beyond Children's Museum and the Sheboygan County Historical Museum. The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is a modern art museum. It also has a special place called the Art Preserve for unique art environments.

The Lottie Cooper was a ship that sank near Sheboygan in 1894. Its wreckage is now on display in Deland Park. This is the only display of its kind on the Great Lakes. The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary is also nearby. It protects many old shipwrecks in Lake Michigan.

Music and Events

The historic Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts hosts many shows. Sheboygan was also home to The Chordettes, a famous singing group from the 1950s.

Sheboygan is famous for its bratwurst sausages. Every year, the city hosts Brat Days. This festival includes a bratwurst eating contest!

Parks and Recreation

Lake Michigan beach at King Park

Sheboygan has many great parks. These include Ellwood H. May Environmental Park and the Sheboygan Indian Mound Park. Quarry Beach is another popular spot.

The Blue Harbor Resort is a fun place to visit. It has a water park and is located right on Lake Michigan.

Trails for Biking and Walking

The city has many trails for biking and walking. There's a trail along Highway 23 and a lakefront trail. Sheboygan has even won an award for being a "bicycle-friendly" community.

Surfing in Sheboygan

Sheboygan is a surprising place for surfing! It's even called "The Malibu of the Midwest." People say it's one of the best places to surf in the Great Lakes region. From 1988 to 2012, Sheboygan hosted the Dairyland Surf Classic. This was the biggest lake surfing competition in the world.

Education in Sheboygan

Mead Public Library

The Sheboygan Area School District manages the public schools in Sheboygan.

High Schools

Sheboygan has several high schools:

• Sheboygan North High School
• Sheboygan South High School
• Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School
• Sheboygan County Christian High School
• George D. Warriner High School
• Sheboygan Christian School
• Étude High School
• Sheboygan Central High School

The school district also has its own FM radio station, WSHS (91.7). Since 1996, students have taken part in "Rockets for Schools." In this program, they build and launch large rockets.

Colleges

For higher education, Sheboygan has:

• University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Sheboygan Campus
• Lakeshore Technical College (a smaller campus)

Media and News

Sheboygan has a daily newspaper called The Sheboygan Press. There are also other local news websites and weekly papers.

You can listen to several radio stations in the area. These include talk radio, country music, and pop music stations. Sheboygan also gets TV and weather warnings from stations in Green Bay and Milwaukee.

City Infrastructure

Shoreline Metro transfer point

U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Sheboygan County Memorial Airport

Getting Around Sheboygan

Interstate 43 is the main highway that runs north and south into Sheboygan. Highway 23 is the main road coming from the west. Other state highways also pass through the city.

Shoreline Metro provides public bus service. It travels throughout Sheboygan and to nearby towns like Kohler and Sheboygan Falls. Buses all meet at the Metro Center downtown. You can also take buses to other cities like Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Sheboygan has a county airport called Sheboygan County Memorial Airport. It is located a few miles northwest of the city.

Hospitals

Sheboygan has two hospitals. These are Aurora Medical Center - Sheboygan County and St. Nicholas Hospital.

Famous People from Sheboygan

Sister Cities

Sheboygan has special connections with cities in other countries. These are called sister cities:

• Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Tsubame, Niigata, Japan

Sheboygan often has student exchange programs with Esslingen.

See also

In Spanish: Sheboygan (Wisconsin) para niños