User:Tjrudebeck/Appleton, Wisconsin

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City of Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton skyline from the south bank of the Fox River.
Appleton skyline from the south bank of the Fox River.
Location of Appleton within Wisconsin
Location of Appleton within Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°15′56″N 088°24′06″W / 44.26556, -88.40167
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Counties Outagamie, Calumet, Winnebago
Surrounding Towns
Settled 1835
Incorporated 1857
Government
 - Type Mayor-Council
 - Mayor Timothy M. Hanna
Area
 - City 21.4 sq mi (55.3 km²)
 - Land 20.9 sq mi (54.1 km²)
 - Water 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²)  2.2%
Elevation 790 ft (241 m)
Population (2005)
 - City 70,217
 - Density 3,355.9/sq mi (1,296/km²)
 - Metro 360,000
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP Code 54911, 54915
Area code(s) 920
Website: www.appleton.org
DOT sign on WIS 125
DOT sign on WIS 125
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Hearthstone Historic House Museum
Hearthstone Historic House Museum
Looking east at Downtown Appleton
Looking east at Downtown Appleton
Looking east at Downtown Appleton
Looking east at Downtown Appleton
Looking west at Downtown Appleton
Looking west at Downtown Appleton

Appleton is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, on the Fox River, 100 miles (161 km) north of Milwaukee. It is the principal city of the Appleton, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin Combined Statistical Area with a combined population of around 350,000. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 70,087. It is the county seat of Outagamie County[1], but extends into both Calumet County and Winnebago County.

Contents

[edit] History

Appleton was settled in 1848 and incorporated as a village in 1853 and as a city in 1857. Early in the 20th century, it adopted the commission form of government, however that type of government has been abandoned in many cities. 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.

Home to Lawrence University, the City of Appleton grew along with the school. With the financial backing of Amos A. Lawrence, the Lawrence Institute was chartered in 1847. Samuel Appleton donated $10,000 to the newly founded college library, and in appreciation, his name was given to the community [1].

Appleton also had the first telephone in all Wisconsin, the first Chinese restaurant in Outagamie County, and the first incandescent light in any city beyond the East Coast. The first hydroelectric power was generated in Appleton, on the Fox River.

The Valley Fair Shopping Center, recognized as the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States, was built in Appleton in 1954, and will be mostly destroyed in 2006, pending the sale from the previous (now bankrupt) mall owners, Youthfutures INC.

[edit] Geography

Appleton is located at 44°15′56″N, 88°24′6″W (44.265536, -88.401655)[2].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 55.3 km² (21.4 mi²). 54.1 km² (20.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (2.20%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2005, there were 70,217 people, 26,864 households, and 17,676 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,296.0/km² (3,355.9/mi²). There were 27,736 housing units at an average density of 512.9/km² (1,328.0/mi²). 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 $47,285, and the median income for a family was $57,097. Males had a median income of $40,459 versus $25,890 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,478. About 3.3% of families and 5.5% 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.

[edit] Transportation

The city is a member of Valley Transit, a network of bus lines crisscrossing the Fox Valley.

Commercial air service is provided at Outagamie County Regional Airport.

[edit] Roads

The primary roads into the metro Appleton area are U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 10. Route 41 runs north-south on the west side of the city, and turns east-west across the north side of the city. Route 41 connects to Green Bay to the northeast and Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, and Milwaukee to the south. State highway 441 loops off route 41 across the south and east sides of the metro Appleton area. Route 10 is an east-west highway that connects to Manitowoc to the east, and Stevens Point/Wausau to the west.

State highway 125 is completely located with the city, and provides access from Highway 41 to downtown Appleton. Other secondary state highway into the Appleton metro area include WIS 47, WIS 96, WIS 15. Roads that route exclusively through suburbs of Appleton include U.S. Route 45, WIS 47, WIS 114, and WIS 76.

[edit] Education

Appleton is served by the Appleton Area School District. The district has three high schools, Appleton East, Appleton North and Appleton West. Xavier High School is the city's Roman Catholic high school and Fox Valley Lutheran High School is its Lutheran high school.

Appleton is home to Lawrence University, a private liberal arts college on the shores of the Fox River. The university was formed before the city was founded, and Appleton is named for a wealthy donor to the institution. The University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, a two-year collegiate campus of the University of Wisconsin System and the Fox Valley Technical College are also located in the city.

[edit] Religion

[edit] Notable Appleton residents

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] References

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links

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