Waunakee () is a village in Dane County,

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. The population was 14,879 at the 2020 census. It is part of the

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

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 ...

. Waunakee bills itself as "The Only Waunakee in the World".

History

When the

Chicago and Northwestern Railroad The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...

wanted to expand its line from

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, a door was opened for development of a town. The original location of the village was intended to be at Packham's Mill, about where Mill Road crosses the railroad track today two miles southeast of today's downtown Waunakee. However, two local settlers, Louis Baker and George Fish, platted a village on their land two miles further northwest along the railroad. Railroad officials agreed to moving a train depot to the new community in exchange for $1,500 and two miles of right of way. The village was founded in 1871 and formally incorporated in 1893. Baker and Fish did not want to take credit for naming the community, so they asked Simeon Mills and Mr. Hill of Madison to come up with a list. The name "Waunakee" has a Native American origin meaning "fair and pleasant valley." Robert F. Kennedy visited the village to campaign for his brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

for president in February 1960. Former First Lady

Barbara Bush Barbara Pierce Bush (June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018) was First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of President George H. W. Bush, and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She previously w ...

visited the village to campaign for her son George for president in October 2000. The landmark

Waunakee Railroad Depot The Waunakee Railroad Depot is a small wooden depot of the Chicago and North Western Railway built in 1896 in Waunakee, Wisconsin. In 1978 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The railroad is what made Waunakee. Before its ...

located in the central part of town is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. It now houses the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce offices.

Geography

Waunakee is located at (43.187253, −89.452244). 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 village has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. The village is bordered on the south and east by the town of Westport, the north by the town of

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, the northwest by the town of Dane, and to the west by the town of Springfield. Six Mile Creek, the main waterway through the community, runs west to east before making a southerly turn through the village on its way to Lake Mendota.

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 12,097 people, 4,344 households, and 3,316 families living in the village. 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 4,483 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.8%

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 ...

, 1.0%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% 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 people of any race were 2.2% of the population. There were 4,344 households, of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.7% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.20. The median age in the village was 37.9 years. 31.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 8,995 people, 3,203 households, and 2,379 families living in the village. The

was 1,509.9 people per square mile (582.7/km²). There were 3,295 housing units at an average density of 553.1 per square mile (213.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.07%

, 0.36%

, 0.08% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.24% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 0.96% of the population. There were 3,203 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were

living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.23. In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the village was $59,225, and the median income for a family was $67,894. Males had a median income of $45,053 versus $30,163 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 village was $25,952. About 0.4% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Waunakee is governed by a board consisting of a president and six trustees. The president and trustees are elected to two-year terms during spring elections.Waunakee Board of Trustees Overview
/ref> The Village President of Waunakee since April 2015 is Chris Zellner.Village Presidents by date
/ref> The current village trustees are Nila Frye (since 2020), Gary Herzberg (2001–2018; since 2019), Sam Kaufmann (since 2021), Erin Moran (since 2018), Phil Willems (since 2007), and Joe Zitzelsberger (2018–2020; since 2022). The village is represented in the Wisconsin State Assembly by Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) and in the State Senate by

Jon Erpenbach Jon B. Erpenbach (born January 28, 1961) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 27th District since 1999. Early life, education and career Erpenbach was born in Middleton, Wisconsin ...

(D-West Point). The village's representative on the Dane County Board is Tim Kiefer.

Economy

Waunakee added a local Village Center in 2006 that acts as a central nucleus for the community by offering a fitness center, senior center, meeting rooms, and a gymnasium. The Waunakee Business Park is a business park development that hosts large and small business operations. Recent years have seen two redevelopments and two new apartment buildings on Main Street, a reconstruction and new streetscape on both Main Street and Century Avenue, a mural on the Waunakee Furniture building, and annual public art displays.

Top employers

As of 2018 the top employers in the village are:

Transportation

Major highways

Interstate 39 Interstate 39 (I-39) is a highway in the Midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois, at I-55 to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) in the town of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, which is approximately south of Wausau. I- ...

/ 90/ 94 (concurrently) – has an exit for Waunakee at Wisconsin Highway 19, east of the city *

US Highway 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes th ...

– runs 4 miles west of Waunakee, with a connection via WIS-19 *

Wisconsin Highway 19 State Trunk Highway 19 (often called Highway 19, STH-19 or WIS 19) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It provides a more direct route from U.S. Highway 14 near Mazomanie east to Highway 16 at Watertown, passing around the nort ...

– heads west to Springfield Corners, U.S. 12, and Mazomanie; east to

I-39 Interstate 39 (I-39) is a highway in the Midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois, at I-55 to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) in the town of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, which is approximately south of Wausau. ...

/ 90/ 94 and Sun Prairie *

Wisconsin Highway 113 State Trunk Highway 113 (often called Highway 113, STH-113 or WIS 113) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs in north–south in south central Wisconsin from Madison to Baraboo, The highway uses the Merrimac Ferry, the las ...

– heads north to Dane, Lodi,

Merrimac Ferry The Merrimac Ferry is a cable ferry that crosses the Wisconsin River between Columbia and Sauk Counties in Wisconsin. Its western point is located near the village of Merrimac on State Highway 113 and United States Bicycle Route 30. The east ...

, and

Baraboo Baraboo is a city in the Midwest and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The largest city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo Micropolitan Statistical Area. Its 2020 population was 12,556. It is sit ...

; south to

Airport

The Waunakee Airport (FAA ID 6P3) is a privately owned general aviation airport south of the village center. A number of homes are located along the runway, and many have hangars, allowing the airport to function as an airpark. Commercial air service is provided by Dane County Regional Airport.

Railroad

Wisconsin and Southern railroad The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad is a Class II regional railroad in Southern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois currently operated by Watco. It operates former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) and Chicag ...

line runs through town en route to Dane, Lodi,

, and Reedsburg.

previously served passengers until 1963.

Education

Waunakee is served by the Waunakee Community School District, whose schools include: * Arboretum Elementary School (serves eastern/southeastern part of school district) * Heritage Elementary School (serves southern and central part of school district) * Prairie Elementary School (serves northern and western part of school district) * Waunakee Intermediate School * Waunakee Community Middle School * Waunakee Community High School The three public elementary schools serve students from kindergarten through 4th grade, the intermediate school 5th and 6th grades, the middle school 7th and 8th grades, and the high school grades 9 through 12. Private schools include St. John the Baptist Catholic School and Madison Country Day School. Warrior Stadium is the home of the high school lacrosse, football and track teams. It consists of a synthetic turf field.

Notable people

Martha Bablitch Martha Bablitch (née Virtue; October 28, 1944 – April 4, 2007) was a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Biography Martha Jean Virtue was born on October 28, 1944 in Lawrence, Kansas to John and Maxine (née Boord) Virtue. Martha grew up i ...

, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals; lived in Waunakee * John Bennett,

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, w ...

long jump silver medalist; lived in Waunakee * Ernest J. Briskey, Vice President, Technical and Administration of

Campbell Soup Company Campbell Soup Company, trade name, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has gro ...

; Dean of Agricultural Science of

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...

; lived in Waunakee *

Ron Dayne Ronald Dayne (born March 14, 1978) is a former professional American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. Dayne played college football for the University of Wisconsin and won the 1999 Heisma ...

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...

winner (1999),

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vo ...

r, NFL player; lived in Waunakee * Bernice Fitz-Gibbon, advertising executive; born outside of Waunakee * Edward E. Fitzgibbon, Wisconsin State Representative; born and lived outside of Waunakee * Pat Ford, ice hockey player; lives in Waunakee * Lawrence Johnson, NFL cornerback; lives in Waunakee * Kenneth A. Koon,

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army N ...

general; native of Waunakee *

Mike Moh Mike Moh (born August 19, 1983) is an American actor and martial artist of Korean descent. A sixth degree black belt in American Taekwondo, Moh is perhaps best known for his roles as martial arts legend Bruce Lee in the 2019 film ''Once Upon a Ti ...

, martial artist/actor; lives in Waunakee * David D. O'Malley, Wisconsin State Representative; lived in Waunakee * Cy Pieh,

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player; born in Waunakee * Robert Campbell Reeve, founder of

Reeve Aleutian Airways Reeve Aleutian Airways was an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It ceased operations on December 5, 2000. History Founding In February 1946, Bob Reeve received a call informing him that some ex USAAF C-47s and Douglas ...

; born in Waunakee * Jack Salzwedel, chairman and CEO of American Family Insurance; lives in Waunakee *

Kelly Sheffield Kelly Sheffield (born July 14, 1970) is an American college volleyball coach and the current head coach for the women's volleyball team at the University of Wisconsin. He is also a former head coach of Dayton Dayton () is the List of cities ...

Wisconsin Badgers women's volleyball The Wisconsin Badgers women's volleyball is the volleyball team representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Division I women's program. The university has a rich volleyball tradition, with origins dating back to 1974. They wo ...

coach; lives in Waunakee * Georgia Thompson, civil servant; lived in Waunakee * J.B. Van Hollen, former

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

of Wisconsin; lives in Waunakee

References

External links

Village of Waunakee

''Waunakee Tribune'' newspaper
* Sanborn fire insurance map
1894
{{authority control Madison, Wisconsin, metropolitan statistical area Villages in Dane County, Wisconsin Villages in Wisconsin