Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Village
Lake Michigan shore in Whitefish Bay
Location of Whitefish Bay in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Milwaukee
Area
• Total	2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2)
• Land	2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	650 ft (198 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,954
• Density	7,053/sq mi (2,728/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	414
FIPS code	55-86700
GNIS feature ID	1576675

Whitefish Bay is a village located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, in the United States. It's a suburb just north of the city of Milwaukee, right along the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan. In 2020, about 14,954 people lived there. Whitefish Bay is part of the larger Milwaukee metropolitan area.

A Look Back: Whitefish Bay's History

Early Days and Native Americans

In the early 1800s, before many European settlers arrived, the Whitefish Bay area was home to several Native American groups. These included the Menominee, Potawatomi, and Sauk people. In 1832, the Menominee signed a special agreement called the Treaty of Washington. This agreement meant the land became part of the U.S. government's control.

By 1835, the area was organized as part of the Town of Milwaukee. For most of the 1800s, people in Whitefish Bay mainly worked in farming and fishing. Many of the first settlers who moved here were immigrants from Germany.

The Fun Park Era: Pabst Resort

In 1889, Frederick Pabst, who owned the famous Pabst Brewing Company, bought land in Whitefish Bay. He turned it into a fun place called the Whitefish Bay Pabst Resort. This resort had a hotel, a restaurant, a beer garden, and a stage for bands. Later, he even added a Ferris wheel and a carousel!

This park became very popular, with up to 15,000 visitors every weekend. Even President Theodore Roosevelt visited it once! People traveled to the park from Milwaukee by steamboat, which docked at the lakeshore. Others took a steam-powered tram called the Milwaukee & Whitefish Bay Railroad, which started in 1886. This tram was later replaced by electric streetcars in 1898. The Pabst Resort closed in 1914.

Becoming a Village: The School Story

In the early 1890s, the people living in Whitefish Bay really wanted a local school. The closest school was seven miles away! They asked the Town of Milwaukee for help, but the town didn't agree.

So, in 1892, the residents decided to take action. They officially formed their own village, called the Village of Whitefish Bay. This allowed them to create their own school district, separate from the Town of Milwaukee. At that time, Whitefish Bay was the very first village to be formed in Milwaukee County.

Growing Up: From Streetcars to Suburbs

In the early 1900s, Whitefish Bay grew into what's called a "streetcar suburb." This means people could easily travel to and from Milwaukee using the electric streetcars. The population grew a lot, from 512 people in 1900 to 9,651 in 1940. As more people moved in, new neighborhoods were built.

Even after the Pabst Resort closed, the land along the lakeshore was used for new homes. Seventeen fancy lakefront houses were built there. One famous home is the National Register of Historic Places-listed Herman Uihlein Mansion, built between 1917 and 1919. It belonged to the son of the president of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. In the early 1900s, the eastern part of Whitefish Bay became known as the "gold coast" because many wealthy families from Milwaukee built their homes there.

Whitefish Bay kept growing after World War II. Its population reached its highest point of 18,390 people in 1960. After that, the population slowly decreased, settling at around 14,000 people by the year 2000.

Where is Whitefish Bay?

Whitefish Bay is located at 43°6′42″N 87°54′3″W / 43.11167°N 87.90083°W / 43.11167; -87.90083. The village covers a total area of about 2.13 square miles (5.48 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

Who Lives in Whitefish Bay?

According to the census from 2010, there were 14,110 people living in Whitefish Bay. About 40.8% of the households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.63 people. The median age in the village was 39.6 years old. About 29.6% of the residents were under the age of 18.

Learning in Whitefish Bay: Schools

The Whitefish Bay School District manages several public schools and a community recreation center. These include:

• Whitefish Bay High School – This is a high school for students in grades 9 through 12. In 2024, it was ranked as the #1 high school in Milwaukee and Wisconsin by U.S. News Rankings.
• Whitefish Bay Middle School – This school serves students in grades 6 through 8.
• Cumberland Elementary School – This is an elementary school for children from age-4 kindergarten up to grade 5.
• Richards Elementary School – Another elementary school for children from age-4 kindergarten up to grade 5.
• Lydell School – This building is used as a community recreation facility.

There are also private schools in Whitefish Bay. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has two Catholic schools: Holy Family School and St. Monica School, both for kindergarten through grade 8. The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters also sponsor Dominican High School.

At the north end of the village, you'll find two Jewish grade schools: Milwaukee Jewish Day School and Hillel Academy. They share a building called the Max and Mary Kohl Education building.

Famous People From Whitefish Bay

See also

In Spanish: Whitefish Bay (Wisconsin) para niños