Williams Bay, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Williams Bay, Wisconsin
Village
Skyline over Geneva Lake
Location of Williams Bay in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Walworth
Area
• Total	2.78 sq mi (7.20 km2)
• Land	2.78 sq mi (7.20 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	879 ft (268 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	2,564
• Estimate  (2019)	2,639
• Density	949.28/sq mi (366.55/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	262
FIPS code	55-87200
GNIS feature ID	1576761

View of Williams Bay from Cedar Point Park

Yerkes Observatory

Williams Bay is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. It is one of three municipalities on Geneva Lake. The population was 2,564 at the 2010 census.

History

Williams Bay is one of three municipalities on Geneva Lake. It was named for Captain Israel Williams of Massachusetts, a War of 1812 infantry captain who, with several of his sons, settled in the area in 1835. Much of the surrounding area was settled in the early 19th century by surveyors plotting roadways from the East. It was a vacation spot for wealthy Chicagoans displaced by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

It is probably best known internationally for being home to the University of Chicago's Yerkes Observatory, which houses the world's largest refracting (lens) telescope, the great 40-inch. Construction of the Observatory began in 1895 and the 40-inch saw first light in May 1897. The Observatory's first Director was George Ellery Hale, who went on to establish Mount Wilson Observatory in Southern California.

Officials and students of Chicago-based George Williams College frequently met just west of the town of Williams Bay and later established a camp in the village on the shores of Geneva Lake. George Williams College folded in 1985 and is now part of Aurora University, which today maintains the campus.

Geography

Williams Bay is located at 42°34′27″N 88°32′37″W / 42.57417°N 88.54361°W / 42.57417; -88.54361 (42.574208, -88.543690).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.80 square miles (7.25 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,564 people, 1,061 households, and 706 families living in the village. The population density was 915.7 inhabitants per square mile (353.6/km²). There were 1,985 housing units at an average density of 708.9 per square mile (273.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.3% White, 0.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of the population.

There were 1,061 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the village was 43.5 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Transportation

Wisconsin Highway 67 passes through the village's central business district. Wisconsin Highway 50 forms a portion of the village's northern boundary.

No public transportation presently serves Williams Bay, but until the 1960s it was the terminus of the Chicago and North Western Railway. The line also had stops in Como, Lake Geneva, Genoa City, Richmond, and McHenry, Illinois. The Williams Bay Boat Ramp and Beach now stand on the site of the former railroad station, and a gravel area for sailboat rigging marks the site of the roundhouse. Part of the railroad right-of-way serves as a walking trail in the Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy.

Recreation

Williams Bay has a lake-side nature conservancy, Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy, along with a beach and a public boat launching facility.

Points of interest

Williams Bay is home to the Yerkes Observatory. The Observatory was designed by architect Henry Ives Cobb, the Greco-Roman facade to the Observatory has much intricate stonework and carvings. The Observatory runs public tours of the interior, including the 40-inch refractor, each Saturday morning. The Belfry Theater, Wisconsin's first summer stock theater, was an active seasonal repertory company from the 1930s through the 1970s, and its buildings still stand at highways 50 and 67.

Education

The Williams Bay School District serves the village, in addition to portions of the towns of Delavan, Geneva, Linn, and Walworth. Public schools include Williams Bay Elementary and Williams Bay High School. One private school, Faith Christian School, serves students in grades K-12.

George Williams College of Aurora University is located along the lake. The GWC campus consists of 137 acres and hosts a conference center and the Music by the Lake summer concert series. Undergraduate academics at GWC focus on service-related degree programs.

Notable residents

See also

In Spanish: Williams Bay (Wisconsin) para niños