South Milwaukee, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Oak Creek Parkway
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| Motto(s):
Proud past. Promising future.
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Location of South Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Milwaukee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.84 sq mi (12.53 km2) |
| • Land | 4.83 sq mi (12.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,795 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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20,517 |
| • Density | 4,285.77/sq mi (1,654.89/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
53172
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| Area code(s) | 414 |
| FIPS code | 55-75125 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1574469 |
South Milwaukee is a city located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, in the United States. In 2020, about 20,795 people lived there. It sits right on the western shore of Lake Michigan. South Milwaukee grew as a "streetcar suburb," which means it was a town built along a streetcar line, making it easy for people to travel to and from the larger city of Milwaukee. It's about 5 miles (8 km) south of Milwaukee.
Contents
History of South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee was first planned in 1891 by a company called the South Milwaukee Company. They wanted to create a new industrial town near Milwaukee. It was named "South Milwaukee" because of its location south of the bigger city.
The area was part of the Town of Oak Creek at first. In 1892, South Milwaukee became a village, and then a full city in 1897. Many immigrants from places like England and Germany moved to South Milwaukee in the early 1900s.
Geography and Location
South Milwaukee is located at coordinates 42.911016 degrees North and -87.864030 degrees West. These numbers help pinpoint its exact spot on a map.
The city covers a total area of about 4.81 square miles (12.46 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 4.80 square miles (12.43 square kilometers), is land. Only a very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.03 square kilometers), is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 3,392 | — | |
| 1910 | 6,092 | 79.6% | |
| 1920 | 7,598 | 24.7% | |
| 1930 | 10,706 | 40.9% | |
| 1940 | 11,134 | 4.0% | |
| 1950 | 12,855 | 15.5% | |
| 1960 | 20,307 | 58.0% | |
| 1970 | 23,297 | 14.7% | |
| 1980 | 21,069 | −9.6% | |
| 1990 | 20,958 | −0.5% | |
| 2000 | 21,256 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 21,156 | −0.5% | |
| 2020 | 20,795 | −1.7% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 20,517 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 21,156 people living in South Milwaukee. These people made up 9,043 households. The city had about 4,407.5 people per square mile (1,701.7 people per square kilometer).
The average age of people in the city was 40.3 years. About 21.8% of the residents were under 18 years old. About 15.6% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.0%) and females (51.0%).
Economy and Industry
South Milwaukee was once home to the main office of Bucyrus International. This company was famous for building very large shovels and dragline excavators. These huge machines are used for moving earth.
One of their most famous machines was Big Muskie. It was known as the world's largest mobile earth-moving machine. Bucyrus shovels were also used to help build the famous Panama Canal.
In 2012, a company called Caterpillar Mining bought Bucyrus International. They paid $8.6 billion for the company. Caterpillar Mining wanted to become a "one-stop shop" for mining companies all over the world.
Parks and Fun Things to Do
South Milwaukee has a great park called Grant Park. This park is part of the Milwaukee County Park System. Grant Park offers many fun activities for everyone.
You can ride bikes on the Oak Leaf Bike trail. There are also tennis courts for playing sports. If it's a hot day, you can go swimming at the beach. The park also has an 18-hole golf course.
For nature lovers, there's the Seven Bridges Hiking Trail. This trail runs along the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan.
In 2005, the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center was built. It is right next to the new South Milwaukee High School. This center is open to everyone and hosts many different kinds of shows and entertainment.
Transportation Options
The city is served by the Milwaukee County Transit System. Route 15 runs through the southern part of South Milwaukee. This makes it easy for people to get around.
South Milwaukee also used to have passenger train service until 1971. The old train station, called the South Milwaukee Passenger Station, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, freight trains still use the tracks. The Union Pacific Railroad provides these services.
Famous People from South Milwaukee
Many interesting people have connections to South Milwaukee:
- William P. Atkinson, who was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
- Greg Brower, born in South Milwaukee, became a member of the Nevada State Senate and a former U.S. Attorney.
- Jerry Dreva, an artist and leader of a 1970s glam-rock group.
- John W. Grobschmidt, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
- Richard Grobschmidt, who lived in South Milwaukee and graduated from South Milwaukee High School, served in both the Wisconsin State Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate.
- Roger Sherman Hoar, a Massachusetts State Senator and author who lived in South Milwaukee.
- Jackie Kashian, a comedian born in South Milwaukee and a graduate of South Milwaukee High School.
- Reginald Lisowski, a professional wrestler known as "The Crusher."
- Kurt Nimphius, an NBA player born in South Milwaukee and a graduate of South Milwaukee High School.
- Jeff Plale, a Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner and former lawmaker.
- Phil Sobocinski, an NFL player, was born in South Milwaukee.
- George Sokolowski, a Wisconsin State Representative, was born in South Milwaukee.
- Gary George Wetzel, a Medal of Honor recipient, was born in South Milwaukee.
- Chester Yorton, a former Mr. America and Mr. Universe, grew up in South Milwaukee.
- Chuck Zehner, a former host of the PBS series Tracks Ahead, lived in South Milwaukee.
Images for kids
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Oak Creek Parkway
See also
In Spanish: South Milwaukee para niños
