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Waupun, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Waupun, Wisconsin
Waupun water tower
Waupun water tower
Nickname(s): 
City of Sculptures, Prison City
Location of Waupun in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.
Location of Waupun in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
County Dodge, Fond du Lac
Area
 • Total 4.68 sq mi (12.12 km2)
 • Land 4.62 sq mi (11.97 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Elevation
892 ft (272 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 11,340
 • Estimate 
(2019)
11,199
 • Density 2,424.03/sq mi (935.86/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
53963
Area code(s) 920
FIPS code 55-84425
GNIS feature ID 1576324

Waupun is a city in Dodge and Fond du Lac counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 11,340 at the 2010 census. Of this, 7,864 were in Dodge County, and 3,476 were in Fond du Lac County. In Fond du Lac County, the Town of Waupun abuts the city of Waupun.

History

Waupun comes from the Ojibwe word "Waubun" which means "dawn of day." In fact Waupun was originally supposed to be named "Waubun" but the State of Wisconsin made a spelling error, and Waupun never bothered to change it.

Waupun was founded in 1839 by Seymour Wilcox, the first settler along the Rock River in what was then deciduous forested land. The territorial Census in 1847 showed Waupun Township to have a population of 956. In 1851, the city was chosen for the State Penitentiary, owing to the abundance of limestone for construction. The main building, constructed in 1854, is still in use. The population in 1940 was 6,725.

Geography

Waupun is located at 43°37′54″N 88°44′9″W / 43.63167°N 88.73583°W / 43.63167; -88.73583 (43.631577, -88.735835).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.44 square miles (11.50 km2), of which, 4.39 square miles (11.37 km2) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.

The relief of the city is moderate, ranging from 870 feet (270 m) at the Rock River, to its highest elevation of 941 feet (287 m) above sea level.

Waupun lies near the edge of the Horicon Marsh, the largest cattail marsh in the United States, and is the principal access point to wildlife viewing for the Horicon Wildlife Refuges.

The Fond du Lac County Park, on the edge of Waupun, has preserved a remnant stand of old-growth southern mesic forest, which once covered over 3 million acres (12,000 km2) of Southern Wisconsin. The Fond du Lac County Park also provides camping.

Transportation

The U.S. 151 expressway bypasses Waupun and has four exits into the city, with its former routing in the city signed as Business Highway 151. WI 26, WI 49, and Wisconsin 68 run through the city, along with county highways AW, I, M, and MMM. The city is also served by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 1,736
1870 1,935 11.5%
1880 2,353 21.6%
1890 2,757 17.2%
1900 3,185 15.5%
1910 3,362 5.6%
1920 4,440 32.1%
1930 5,768 29.9%
1940 6,798 17.9%
1950 6,725 −1.1%
1960 7,935 18.0%
1970 7,946 0.1%
1980 8,132 2.3%
1990 8,207 0.9%
2000 10,718 30.6%
2010 11,340 5.8%
2019 (est.) 11,199 −1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 11,340 people, 3,485 households, and 2,259 families living in the city. The population density was 2,583.1 inhabitants per square mile (997.3/km2). There were 3,703 housing units at an average density of 843.5 per square mile (325.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.7% White, 12.2% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 3,485 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% 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 2.91.

The median age in the city was 36.4 years. 17.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 11% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 61.0% male and 39.0% female.

Culture

Waupun is home to a collection of outdoor sculptures by Clarence Addison Shaler, a manufacturer, inventor, and sculptor from the area. In Shaler Park is the well-known "End of the Trail" statue, depicting a Native American slumped on a horse, representing the fate of native people. Other Shaler sculptures are found throughout the city, including The Dawn of Day, Who Sows Believes in God, the Pioneers, and The Recording Angel, among others.

Economy

Alto Dairy Cooperative, a farmer-owned dairy cooperative in Waupun was sold to Saputo Inc. in 2008.

National Rivet, a rivet manufacturer, has been based in Waupun for more than 90 years, along with its predecessor and subsidiary, the Shaler Company.

Education

Waupun is served by the Waupun Area School District. The school district includes several schools including SAGES, Meadow View Primary, Rock River Intermediate and Waupun High School. SAGES (School for Agriculture and Environmental Studies) is located in Fox Lake. Meadow View Primary, Rock River Intermediate and Waupun High School are all in Waupun. A private school, Central Wisconsin Christian High School, is also located in the city.

Notable people

  • Frank L. Bacon, Wisconsin State Representative
  • Thomas Bowen, Wisconsin State Senator
  • Henry Waldo Coe, frontier physician and politician
  • Glenn Robert Davis, U.S. Representative
  • Yasmin Farooq, 1996 Olympian (rowing cox)
  • Joe Hauser, baseball player
  • Hans Christian Heg, highest ranking Wisconsin soldier to die in the American Civil War
  • Edwin Hillyer, Wisconsin State Representative
  • Fred H. Hildebrandt, U.S. Representative from South Dakota
  • Orville W. Mosher, Wisconsin State Senator
  • Tom Mullica, magician and comedian
  • Magdalen Redman, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
  • David F. Simpson, Minnesota Supreme Court justice
  • Oliver Smith, stage designer
  • John van Hengel, Food Bank founder
  • Harriet Ware, pianist and composer
  • Ferdinand T. Yahr, Wisconsin State Senator
  • Chauncey W. Yockey, Wisconsin State Representative

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Waupun (Wisconsin) para niños

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