West Allis, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Allis, Wisconsin
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West Allis Historical Museum
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Location of West Allis in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Milwaukee |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.40 sq mi (29.54 km2) |
| • Land | 11.38 sq mi (29.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 728 ft (222 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 60,325 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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59,484 |
| • Density | 5,262.28/sq mi (2,031.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Zip Code |
53214, 53227, 53219
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| Area code(s) | 414 |
| FIPS code | 55-85300 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1576439 |
West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It's a suburb located just west of Milwaukee. In 2020, about 60,325 people lived there. This makes West Allis the eleventh-largest city in Wisconsin.
Contents
History of West Allis
West Allis got its name from Edward P. Allis. He owned a big manufacturing company in Milwaukee in the late 1800s. In 1901, his company became Allis-Chalmers.
How West Allis Began
In 1902, Allis-Chalmers built a huge new factory. It was located west of their old plant. This area was first called Honey Creek. Later, it was known as North Greenfield. When the new Allis factory was built, the area officially became the Village of West Allis. It grew quickly and became a city in 1906.
Growth and Change Over Time
Allis-Chalmers was the biggest factory around. This helped West Allis become Milwaukee's largest suburb in the early 1900s. The city's population grew five times bigger between 1910 and 1930.
After 1965, Allis-Chalmers started to have problems. By 1985, the company had far fewer workers. Allis-Chalmers went out of business in 1987. Their last office in Milwaukee closed in 1999. Since then, West Allis has worked to bring in new companies, like Quad Graphics.
Geography and Climate
West Allis is located at 43.00 degrees North latitude and 88.02 degrees West longitude. The Root River and Kinnickinnic River both flow through the city.
Land and Water Area
The city covers about 11.41 square miles (29.54 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 11.39 square miles (29.48 square kilometers). Only a small part, about 0.02 square miles (0.06 square kilometers), is water.
Weather in West Allis
West Allis has a climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm, and winters are cold and snowy.
| Climate data for West Allis, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–2011) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
67 (19) |
82 (28) |
92 (33) |
95 (35) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
101 (38) |
99 (37) |
91 (33) |
75 (24) |
70 (21) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.8 (−0.7) |
33.9 (1.1) |
45.1 (7.3) |
56.8 (13.8) |
69.8 (21.0) |
79.9 (26.6) |
84.7 (29.3) |
83.0 (28.3) |
76.5 (24.7) |
61.9 (16.6) |
47.5 (8.6) |
36.2 (2.3) |
58.8 (14.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 22.8 (−5.1) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
35.9 (2.2) |
46.6 (8.1) |
58.7 (14.8) |
69.0 (20.6) |
73.9 (23.3) |
72.4 (22.4) |
65.4 (18.6) |
52.0 (11.1) |
38.9 (3.8) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
49.1 (9.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 14.7 (−9.6) |
17.1 (−8.3) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
36.5 (2.5) |
47.6 (8.7) |
58.1 (14.5) |
63.1 (17.3) |
61.9 (16.6) |
54.3 (12.4) |
42.0 (5.6) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
39.4 (4.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−15 (−26) |
−12 (−24) |
13 (−11) |
26 (−3) |
36 (2) |
38 (3) |
41 (5) |
32 (0) |
20 (−7) |
−6 (−21) |
−21 (−29) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.23 (57) |
2.15 (55) |
2.53 (64) |
3.70 (94) |
4.32 (110) |
5.03 (128) |
3.73 (95) |
4.34 (110) |
3.69 (94) |
3.08 (78) |
2.31 (59) |
2.25 (57) |
39.36 (1,000) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 13.5 (34) |
13.6 (35) |
8.3 (21) |
2.1 (5.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.4 (3.6) |
13.3 (34) |
52.3 (133) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.2 | 10.9 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 13.8 | 12.7 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 8.7 | 12.3 | 10.9 | 12.2 | 134.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 8.0 | 8.2 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 8.4 | 33.1 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People and Population
West Allis has grown a lot over the years. Here's how its population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 6,645 | — | |
| 1920 | 13,745 | 106.8% | |
| 1930 | 34,671 | 152.2% | |
| 1940 | 36,364 | 4.9% | |
| 1950 | 42,959 | 18.1% | |
| 1960 | 68,157 | 58.7% | |
| 1970 | 71,723 | 5.2% | |
| 1980 | 63,982 | −10.8% | |
| 1990 | 63,221 | −1.2% | |
| 2000 | 61,254 | −3.1% | |
| 2010 | 60,411 | −1.4% | |
| 2020 | 60,325 | −0.1% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 59,484 | −1.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in West Allis?
In 2010, there were 60,411 people living in West Allis. They lived in 27,454 households. The city had about 5,304 people per square mile.
Most residents (87%) were White. About 3.3% were African American, and 2.0% were Asian. About 9.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
About 25.8% of households had children under 18. Many households (36.3%) were married couples. About 38.6% of households were individuals living alone. The average household had 2.17 people.
The average age in West Allis was 37.7 years. About 20.5% of residents were under 18. About 14.6% were 65 or older. The city had slightly more females (51%) than males (49%).
Fun Things to Do in West Allis
West Allis has some exciting places and events.
- Wisconsin State Fair Park: This park hosts the yearly Wisconsin State Fair. It also has the Milwaukee Mile, which is a famous race track.
- Art in the Post Office: The West Allis Post Office has two cool murals. They are called Wisconsin Wild Flowers – Spring and Wisconsin Wild Flowers – Autumn. An artist named Frances Foy painted them in 1943.
- Candy Cane Lane: During December, this area lights up with amazing Christmas displays. It's on Oklahoma and Montana Avenues, from 92nd to 96th Street. People have been decorating since 1984. This fun event has raised over $2.2 million for the MACC Fund, which helps kids with cancer.
- City's 100th Birthday: On June 15, 2006, West Allis celebrated its 100th anniversary. The party included a parade, fireworks, and a family festival.
Sports and Recreation
West Allis is home to some important sports facilities.
- Pettit National Ice Center: This is one of only two indoor speed skating rinks in the United States. Many athletes train here.
- Milwaukee Mile: This is the oldest racing facility in the world. It has hosted many exciting races over the years.
Getting Around West Allis
West Allis has several ways to get around.
- Bus Service: The city is served by many MCTS bus routes. These include Routes 18, 28, 44U, 51, 53, 54, 56, 64, 76, and 92.
- Highways: Major highways like Interstate 94 and Interstate 41/Interstate 894 run through West Allis.
- Trails: Parts of the Hank Aaron State Trail go through the city. This trail is great for walking and biking.
- Railroads: The Union Pacific Waukesha Subdivision runs through West Allis. This line used to go all the way to Lancaster, Wisconsin.
Schools in West Allis
The West Allis – West Milwaukee School District serves the city. Here are some of the schools:
- Elementary Schools:
- Franklin Elementary School
- Hoover Elementary School
- Horace Mann Elementary School
- Irving Elementary School
- Jefferson Elementary School
- Longfellow Elementary School
- Madison Elementary School
- Mitchell Elementary School
- Pershing Elementary School
- Walker Elementary School
- Wilson Elementary School
- Intermediate Schools:
- Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School
- Lane Intermediate School
- West Milwaukee Intermediate School
- High Schools:
- West Allis Central High School
- Nathan Hale High School
- James E. Dottke High School
There are also two private grade schools in West Allis run by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod:
- Good Shepherd Lutheran School
- Lamb of God Lutheran School
Important Businesses
West Allis has been home to several important businesses.
- Allis-Chalmers: This was a very large manufacturing company, but it is now closed.
- Siemens Power Corporation: This company is now located on the land where Allis-Chalmers used to be.
- Quad Graphics: This is a large printing company.
- TV Stations: Several TV stations have studios in West Allis. These include WDJT-TV (Channel 58, CBS), WMLW-TV (Channel 49, IND), WBME-CD (Channel 41, Me-TV), and WYTU-LD (Channel 63, Telemundo). They are all Weigel Broadcasting stations.
- West Allis Speedskating Club: This club helps train speedskaters.
Famous People from West Allis
Many notable people have connections to West Allis.
- Jared Abbrederis (born 1990), a former National Football League player.
- Arthur J. Balzer (1895–1962), who served as a Wisconsin state representative.
- Gary J. Barczak (born 1939), another Wisconsin state representative.
- Jeannette Bell (born 1941), a former mayor of West Allis.
- Dave Cieslewicz (born 1959), a former mayor of Madison, Wisconsin.
- Tighe Dombrowski (born 1982), a professional soccer player.
- Michael Gableman (born 1966), a lawyer and former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.
- Jerry Golsteyn (born 1954), a former NFL player.
- Jaida Essence Hall, a famous drag queen.
- Donald J. Hying (born 1963), a Roman Catholic bishop.
- Jeff Jagodzinski (born 1963), an NFL assistant coach.
- Dan Jansen (born 1965), a world champion speedskater and Olympic gold medalist.
- Mehryn Kraker (born 1994), a former WNBA player.
- Mike Krsnich (1931–2011), an MLB player.
- Rocky Krsnich (1927–2019), an MLB player.
- Harvey Kuenn (1930–1988), an MLB player and manager.
- Liberace (1919–1987), a famous entertainer and pianist.
- Alex McRae, a professional baseball pitcher.
- Chellsie Memmel (born 1988), a world champion gymnast and Olympic silver medalist.
- James Melka (born 1962), an NFL player.
- Billy Mitchell (1879–1936), a distinguished U.S. Army general.
- Nick Pearson (born 1979), an Olympic athlete and national champion speedskater.
- Tony Staskunas (born 1961), a Wisconsin legislator.
- Owen Turtenwald (born 1989), a Hall of Fame "Magic the Gathering" player.
- Ricky Wagner (born 1989), a former NFL player.
- Jane Wiedlin (born 1958), rhythm guitarist of The Go-Go's and actress.
- Tony Willman (1907–1941), a professional race car driver.
Images for kids
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West Allis Historical Museum
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Location of West Allis in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
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The exciting Wisconsin State Fair
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The Pettit National Ice Center is a great place for ice skating.
See also
In Spanish: West Allis (Wisconsin) para niños
