Appleton 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,
30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is
the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 72,623 at the 2010
census. Of this, 60,045 were in Outagamie County, 11,088 in Calumet
County, and 1,490 in Winnebago County. Appleton is the principal city of the
Appleton, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in
the Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin Combined Statistical Area.
History Fur traders seeking to do business with
Fox River Valley Native Americans were the first European settlers in Appleton.
Hippolyte Grignon built the White Heron in 1835 to house his family and serve as
an inn and trading post. Appleton was settled in 1847 and
incorporated as a village in 1853. John F. Johnston was the first resident and
village president. Home to Lawrence University, Appleton grew along with the
school. With the financial backing of Amos A. Lawrence, the Lawrence Institute
was chartered in 1847. Samuel Appleton, Lawrence's father-in-law from New
England who never visited Wisconsin, donated $10,000 to the newly founded
college library, and his name was given to the community in appreciation.
The community was incorporated as a city on March 2, 1857, with Amos Storey as
its first mayor. Early in the 20th century, it adopted the commission form
of government. In 1890, 11,869 people lived in Appleton; in 1900, there were
15,085; in 1910, 16,773; in 1920, 19,571; and in 1940, 28,436.
The paper industry, beginning with the building of the first paper mill in the
city in 1853, has been at the forefront of the development of Appleton. In order
to provide electricity to the paper industry, the nation's first
hydro-electric central station, the Vulcan Street Plant on the Fox River,
began operation on September 30, 1882. The power plant also powered the
Hearthstone House, the first residence in the world powered by a centrally
located hydroelectric station using the Edison system.
Shortly thereafter, in August 1886, Appleton was the site for another
national first, the operation of a commercially successful electric
streetcar company. Electric lights replaced gas lamps on College Avenue in
1912. Appleton also had the first telephone in Wisconsin, and the first
incandescent light in any city outside of the East Coast.
Appleton's Valley Fair Shopping Center, built in 1954, laid claim to being the
first enclosed shopping mall in the United States, although this claim is
disputed by other malls. In 2007 most of the structure was demolished, leaving
only its east wing and a movie theater. A Copps Food Center now stands in its
place. Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
24.82 square miles, of which, 24.33 square miles is land and 0.49 square
miles is water. A Dew point of 90 °F was observed at
Appleton at 5 p.m. on July 13, 1995. This is tied for the second highest Dew
point ever observed in the United States.
Climate Appleton has a humid continental climate
typical of Wisconsin. Summers are warm to hot and winters are rather cold in
comparison. Precipitation is relatively moderate compared to other areas close
to the Great Lakes, which means lesser snowfall in winter than in many other
cold areas. Demographics
Appleton is the principal city of the Appleton–Oshkosh–Neenah CSA, a Combined
Statistical Area which includes the Appleton and Oshkosh–Neenah metropolitan
areas, which had a combined population of 367,365 at the 2010 census.
= 2010 census = As of the census of 2010, there were
72,623 people, 28,874 households, and 18,271 families residing in the city.
The population density was 2,984.9 inhabitants per square mile. There were
30,348 housing units at an average density of 1,247.3 per square mile. The
racial makeup of the city was 87.5% White, 1.7% African American, 0.7%
Native American, 5.9% Asian, 2.2% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more
races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0% of the population.
There were 28,874 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18
living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a
female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder
with no wife present, and 36.7% were non-families. 29.5% of all households
were made up of individuals and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of
age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was
3.04. The median age in the city was 35.3
years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages
of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% 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 census of 2000, there were 70,087 people, 26,864 households, and
17,676 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,355.9 per
square mile. There were 27,736 housing units at an average density of 1,328.0
per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 91.48% White; 0.99% African
American; 0.57% Native American; 4.61% Asian; 0.03% Pacific Islander; 1.05%
from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any
race were 2.53% of the population. There were 26,864 households out of
which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were
married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband
present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of
individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18; 9.7%
from 18 to 24; 31.8% from 25 to 44; 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were
65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females
there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7
males. The median income for a household in the
city was $39,285, and the median income for a family was $44,097. Males had a
median income of $36,459 versus $22,890 for females. The per capita income for
the city was $17,478. About 7.3% of families and 9.5% of the population were
below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those
age 65 or over. = Crime =
FBI crime statistics for 2009 list the crime rate for Appleton as follows:
Government Appleton is governed via the
mayor-council system. The mayor is elected every four years in a citywide
vote. The council, known as the common council or city council, consists of 15
members, called alderpersons, all of whom are elected to two-year terms from
individual districts. The current mayor, Timothy Hanna, was re-elected in 2012 to
his fifth four-year term, having first been elected in 1996. The mayor appoints
department heads, subject to council approval. The city attorney is elected
every four years in a citywide vote. Appleton is represented by Reid Ribble
in the United States House of Representatives, and by Ron Johnson and
Tammy Baldwin in the United States Senate. Frank Lasee and Mike Ellis
represent Appleton in the Wisconsin Senate, and Alvin Ott, Dean Kaufert,
Dave Murphy, and Penny Bernard Schaber represent Appleton in the Wisconsin
State Assembly. Transportation
The city is the owner of Valley Transit, a network of bus lines serving the Fox
Valley. There are also several taxi operators in the city. Valley Transit
operates routes that generally operate from as early as 5:45 AM until as late
as 10:40 PM Monday through Saturday. Frequencies are usually every hour and
every half-hour on certain routes during peak morning and afternoon times on
weekdays. There is no service on Sunday. Greyhound and Lamers offer intercity
buses serving such locations as Green Bay, Madison, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac,
Milwaukee, and Chicago. = Roads =
= Rail = Appleton is criss-crossed by the former
main lines of the Chicago and North Western Railway and the Milwaukee, Lake
Shore and Western. A north-south branch of the former Wisconsin Central Railroad
passes on the west side of the city. All rail service is now operated by Canadian
National Railway. Appleton has no intercity passenger rail service,
although studies are being undertaken on the feasibility of extending Amtrak
service to the Fox Cities and Green Bay. = Airport =
The Appleton International Airport is located at the west end of College
Avenue, 2 miles west of US 41 and 6 miles west of downtown. It has
commercial airline service on Allegiant Airlines, Delta Connection and United
Express. Education
Appleton is served by the Appleton Area School District, which has three high
schools, four middle schools, seventeen elementary schools, and sixteen charter
schools. The district's main public high schools are Appleton East, Appleton
North, and Appleton West. The city also has three parochial high schools: Roman
Catholic Xavier High School, Fox Valley Lutheran High School, and Appleton
Christian School. Appleton is home to Lawrence University,
a private liberal arts college, Fox Valley Technical College, Globe
University, and Rasmussen College. The University of Wisconsin–Fox Valley, a
two-year campus of the University of Wisconsin System, is located in nearby
Menasha. The city and surrounding area are served
by the Appleton Public Library, which was chartered by the city in 1897 and as
of 2010 has a collection of over 600,000 items.
Economy = Largest employers =
As of 2011, the largest employers in the city were:
= Companies headquartered in Appleton = Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc.
Miller Electric Pierce Manufacturing
SECURA Insurance Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Air Wisconsin Health care
The city is served by two hospitals: Appleton Medical Center
St. Elizabeth Hospital Tourism
Appleton tourist attractions include the Hearthstone House, the four-story
mansion that was the first house in the world to be powered by hydroelectricity
at its completion in 1881. The History Museum at the Castle contains exhibits
on Fox River Valley history, including a gallery showcasing Edna Ferber, a Harry
Houdini exhibit, and other traveling exhibits. The Paper Discovery Center has
historic paper-making machines on display and an exhibit on the history of
paper. The Fox River Mall is the second-largest mall in Wisconsin. Other
local malls include Northland Mall and City Centre Plaza and Valley Fair Mall.
In 2013, Houdini Plaza, on the corner of College Avenue and Appleton Street, was
renovated. The project cost around $1.5 million with most of that paid by the
city itself. The plaza, known as the 'front yard' of downtown Appleton holds
roughly 55 events each year, including summer concerts and part of the downtown
farmers market. In the summer, Appleton hosts the Mile
of Music festival, a four-day festival that stretches across the downtown
College Avenue. The annual festival draws in tens of thousands of people and
contributes millions of dollars to the local economy.
Parks The city of Appleton has 24 neighborhood
parks and four community parks in its park system. The neighborhood parks
range in size from two acres to 16 acres, while the community parks range
in size from 25 acres to 139 acres. Memorial Park is the largest of the
community parks, covering 139 acres. The park's facilities include: seven
baseball/softball fields, playground equipment, an indoor ice skating rink, a
sledding hill, a picnic pavilion, a catch and release fishing pond, grills,
and a warming shelter. The park provides the firework display for the Appleton
community during the 4th of July holiday.
City Park, established in 1882, is the oldest park in the Appleton park system.
The Trout Museum of Art uses the park for its Art in the Park showcase. The
show features over 200 artists that draw over 25,000 art enthusiasts annually.
Pierce Park is the site of weekly Appleton City Band concerts held during
the summer, and of the annual Appleton Old Car Show and Swap Meet. Pierce Park
and Telulah Park each feature a disc golf course. Erb Park and Mead Park each
feature a public aquatics facility. Jones Park is the site of the finish
line for the Santa Scamper run held during the annual Appleton Christmas
Parade, and features an outdoor hockey rink in the winter.
Notable people Points of interest
The Trout Museum of Art Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Fox River Mall Fox Valley Technical College
Gardens of the Fox Cities Goodland Field
Hearthstone Historic House Museum The History Museum at the Castle
J. B. Courtney Woolen Mills John Hart Whorton House
Lawrence University St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church
Temple Zion and School Zion Lutheran Church
Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber
Rattlers References
Further reading Wisconsin Magazine of History, State
Historical Society of Wisconsin. These bound volumes of the magazine contain
several articles about the early history of Appleton. The best articles are,
"Lawrence College," by Samual Plantz, and "Appleton," by William Raney. For
additional articles, consult the index volumes under these subject headings:
Appleton; Grand Chute: Lawrence University; Smith, Reeder Williams,
Eleazar. External links
City of Appleton Fox Cities Chamber
Mile of Music "Appleton". The American Cyclopædia.
1879.