Oconomowoc is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. Oconomowoc was derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk. This was the Pottawatomie term for distinguishing a waterfall in the vicinity. The population was 12,382 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Oconomowoc township. There is also the nearby Village of Oconomowoc Lake and Town of Oconomowoc.

History

The pioneering and developing of Oconomowoc began in 1837 when the first white man, Charles Sheldon, came to this area that the Potowatomi Indians called Coo-No-Mo-Wauk (where the waters meet, or river of lakes), which in time would become Oconomowoc, pronounced /o??k??n?m?w??k/.^[1]

Soon afterwards, tradesmen began to arrive. One such early settler was a young man by the name of John S. Rockwell. He built a gristmill, owned the first store and hotel, and donated sites to all the churches. He also started the fire department, the library, the elementary school, and a young ladies' seminary called Bord du Lac. Such works earned him the title "Father of Oconomowoc."

Oconomowoc entered a new era marked by the title "Newport of the West," which began in the 1870s and continued into the 1930s. Lured by Oconomowoc's lakes, families of wealth from Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee crowded the shores with palatial, colonnaded country mansions and lavish landscapes. At one time, Lake Road was referred to as Presidents' Avenue since Taft, Grant, Cleveland, Coolidge, McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt had all visited and enjoyed famous Draper Hall and the hospitality of its wealthy residents.

Today the summer mansions have become year-round homes and light industry helps support what was once primarily a vacation destination. The largely intact, late 19th century downtown and many historic houses are reminders of those years. Historic walking tours around Fowler Lake, either guided or self-guided, provide a snapshot of the grandeur of a century ago.

Oconomowoc is home to Olympia Resort and Spa, so named since there are five O's in Oconomowoc, the same number as rings in the Olympic Games logo.

On April 2, 2008, a gas line exploded just west of downtown, destroying the First Baptist Church on West Wisconsin Avenue. The church, which was first built in 1910, was completely destroyed, except for the frame of its bell tower. The cause of the explosion is unknown, but utility work was being done on Wisconsin Avenue in preparation for reconstruction of the street's entire length through downtown. ^[2]

Education

Oconomowoc is home to Oconomowoc High School. It is a member of the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference. The school sits on 53 acres and includes a sports complex. Over 1,400 students attended Oconomowoc High School in the 2005-2006 school year.

Culture

The Wizard of Oz premiered at the Strand Theatre in Oconomowoc on August 12, 1939.

Oconomowoc is mentioned in episodes of Law & Order, The Cosby Show and Married... with Children. Bobby Shaftoe, fictional U.S. Marine Corps hero of Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon, hailed from Oconomowoc. The protagonist in Dave Eggers' novel You Shall Know Our Velocity is beaten up by a townie in Oconomowoc.

Geography

Oconomowoc is located at 43°6?31?N, 88°29?49?W (43.108814, -88.497019)^[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.6 km²), where 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (6.81%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 12,382 people, 4,968 households, and 3,293 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,845.5 people per square mile (712.5/km²). There were 5,239 housing units at an average density of 780.9/sq mi (301.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.71% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. About 1.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Approximately 30.7% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. Some 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,250, and the median income for a family was $62,950. Males had a median income of $42,683 versus $29,057 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,716. About 0.8% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable Natives

Jane Wiedlin - Guitarist for The Go-Go's, born in Oconomowoc.