Kaukauna () is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in Outagamie and Calumet counties,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, United States. It is situated on the Fox River, approximately north of

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

. The population was 15,462 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the

Appleton, Wisconsin Appleton ( mez, Ahkōnemeh) is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. One of the Fox Cities, it is situated on the Fox River, southwest of Green Bay and north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the c ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Kaukauna is a Native American word and in various languages means "portage", "long portage", "place where pickerel are caught", and "place of pike". This area was traditionally home to the

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iow ...

and Menominee peoples. The first Europeans in the area were the French. The first Catholic missionary in the area, Fr.

Claude Allouez Claude Jean Allouez (June 6, 1622 – August 28, 1689) was a Jesuit missionary and French explorer of North America. He established a number of missions among the indigenous people living near Lake Superior. Biography Allouez was born in Sain ...

, commented on the "apple trees and vine stalks in abundance" that he found the people of Kaukauna cultivating. Kaukauna became an outpost of trade in Green Bay and saw much intermarriage between French and Menominee people, leading to a

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Canadian Prairies, Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United State ...

culture which produced local leaders such as Augustin Grignon. In 1836, following years of negotiations about how to accommodate the

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida ...

, Stockbridge-Munsee, and Brothertown peoples who were removed from New York, the Menominee ceded over four million acres of land to the United States in the Treaty of the Cedars. Grignon of Kaukauna was one of the signatories of the treaty. Prior to 1880, and shortly afterwards, Kaukauna was known as "The Lion on the Fox". This nickname was changed to "The Electric City" upon the completion of the hydroelectric plant. When the city was incorporated in 1885, it was separated from the adjacent rural parts of the town. The first recorded land deed in Wisconsin was assigned to Dominique Ducharme in 1793. He obtained from the Menominee Indians for two barrels of rum and other gifts. These acres are the original site of the town of Kaukauna. The property was purchased by Charles A. Grignon (and recorded Dec. 18, 1828), who built a mansion on the river on Kaukauna's north side. The home, which bears Grignon's name, is operated as a museum by the Outagamie County Historical Society.

Geography

Kaukauna is located in southeastern Outagamie County, with a small portion extending south into Calumet County along State Highway 55 (Friendship Drive).U.S. Census Bureau
TIGERweb map service
accessed Sept. 9, 2015 According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city is divided into the North Side and South Side by the Fox River, which is spanned by four bridges.

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 15,462 people, 6,270 households, and 4,090 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 6,596 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.7%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.8% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 6,270 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age in the city was 34.6 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 12.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 12,983 people, 4,971 households, and 3,365 families living in the city. The

was 2,092.5 people per square mile (808.5/km²). There were 5,142 housing units at an average density of 320.2 persons/km² (828.8 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 95.48% White, 0.27%

, 0.75% Native American, 2.22%

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

n, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 4,971 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were

living together, 8.7% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 32.3% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.16. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males. The

median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

for a household in the city was $43,980, and the median income for a family was $50,187. Males had a median income of $38,880 versus $22,830 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $18,748. 4.8% of the population and 2.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.6% are under the age of 18 and 10.4% are 65 or older.

Transportation

Kaukauna is located at the intersections of several major roads.

Interstate 41 Interstate 41 (I-41) is a north–south Interstate Highway connecting the interchange of I-94 and U.S. Route 41 (US 41), located south of the Wisconsin– Illinois border at the end of the Tri-State Tollway in metropolita ...

, which forms the backbone of the Fox Cities' transit network, runs along the northern edge of the city and intersects

Wisconsin Highway 55 State Trunk Highway 55 (often called Highway 55, STH-55, or WIS 55) is a state highway in Wisconsin, United States. It travels south-to-north in the northeastern part of Wisconsin from an intersection with U.S. Route 151 (US ...

Wisconsin Highway 96 State Trunk Highway 96 (often called Highway 96, STH-96 or WIS 96) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs east–west in east-central Wisconsin from near Fremont to Denmark. Route description Starting at US 10 (exit 267) ...

, and two county roads that serve as major thoroughfares in the city. US 10 is just to the south of Kaukauna, and Wisconsin Highway 441 is just to the west. Kaukauna is a member of Valley Transit, which provides bus service. Kaukauna is served by Appleton International Airport for airport service.

Economy

The city has diverse industrial and manufacturing businesses, including the Oscar Thilmany Paper Mill, constructed in 1883. The name dropped off the mill when it was purchased by HammerMill in 1969, which was in turn bought by International Paper in 1986. In 2005,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

-based equity firm Kohlberg & Company bought the mill, changed the name back to Thilmany, and created a company of the same name. It is now owned by KPS Capital Partners, and was renamed Expera Specialty Solutions in 2013. In 2018, it was sold to Ahlstrom-Munksjo. Kaukauna cheese, once made in the city, is now manufactured by the Bel/Kaukauna corporation in the neighboring

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

Little Chute Little Chute is a village in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,449 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is immediately east of the city of Appleton, Wisconsin and runs alon ...

Education

Kaukauna is served by the Kaukauna Area School District, whose enrollment totals almost 4,000 students between kindergarten and 12th grade. There are four public elementary schools, one middle school, and Kaukauna High School. Two

parochial Parochial is an adjective which may refer to: * Parishes, in religion ** Parish churches, also called parochial churches * Parochial schools, primary or secondary schools affiliated to a religious organisation * Parochialism Parochialism is the ...

schools for children through the eighth grade exist in Kaukauna St. Ignatius Catholic school and Trinity Lutheran School.

National Register of Historic Places

Locations in Kaukauna that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: * Capt. Matthew J. Meade House * Charles A. Grignon House * Charles W. Stribley House * Fargo's Furniture Store * Former United States Post Office * Frank St. Andrews House * Free Public Library of Kaukauna * Holy Cross Church * Julius J. Martens Company Building * Kaukauna Locks Historic District * Klein Dairy Farmhouse * Kuehn Blacksmith Shop-Hardware Store * Lindauer and Rupert Block * Merritt Black House * Nicolet Public School * Norman Brokaw House * St. Mary's Catholic Church

Notable people

* Thomas Armstrong, Wisconsin State Representative * Steve Badger, professional poker player *

Annastasia Batikis Annastasia Batikis 'Stash''(March 15, 1927 – March 12, 2016) was a center fielder who played for the Racine Belles of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the season. Listed at , 125 lb., she batted and threw left ...

, baseball player *

Mark Belling Mark Belling (born July 4, 1956) is an American conservative talk radio host for 1130 WISN in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is also a local newspaper columnist, former television host, and was a guest host for Rush Limbaugh. A native of Wisconsin' ...

, conservative talk-show host * Thomas Cane, Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals *

Eugene DeBruin Eugene Henry DeBruin (April 1, 1933 – c. 1968) was a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant, and a member of Air America serving in Laos during the Second Indochina War. DeBruin was working as a "kicker" for Air America in 1963 when his C-46 was ...

, American pilot, MIA in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

* William J. Gantter, Wisconsin State Representative * Carl Giordana, athlete and activist * Augustin Grignon, fur trader and businessman *

Norbert Hayes Norbert Patrick Hayes (November 21, 1896 – July 13, 1945) was an American football end and fullback for the Racine Legion and the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Marquette. See al ...

, NFL player * Ric Killian, North Carolina politician *

Jordan McCabe Jordan Ray McCabe (born September 3, 1998) is an American basketball assistant coach at West Virginia. He previously played college basketball for West Virginia and UNLV. Early life At age 12, while attending Beaver Lake Middle School in Samma ...

, Athlete & Internet Personality * Lee Meyerhofer, Wisconsin State Representative * Gordon Myse, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals * Arnold C. Otto, Wisconsin State Representative * Peter Philipps, Wisconsin State Representative * Gary J. Schmidt, Wisconsin State Representative * Red Smith, NFL and MLB player * William N. Vander Loop, Wisconsin State Representative * David Viaene, NFL player

References

External links

City of Kaukauna
* {{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Outagamie County, Wisconsin Populated places established in 1793 1793 establishments in the Northwest Territory Cities in Calumet County, Wisconsin Appleton–Fox Cities metropolitan area