Fond du Lac () is a city in

Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Fond du Lac County () is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 104,154. Its county seat is Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Fond du Lac. The county was creat ...

, United States, and its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

. It is located at the southern end of

Lake Winnebago Lake Winnebago (, , ) is a shallow freshwater lake in the north central United States, located in east central Wisconsin. At , it is the largest lake entirely within the state, covering an area of about by with of shoreline, an average depth ...

and had a population of 44,678 at the 2020 census. The city forms the core of the Fond du Lac metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Fond du Lac County and had 104,154 residents in 2020.

History

"" is French for the "bottom of the lake", so named because of its location at the bottom (south end) of

. Native American tribes, primarily the Winnebagos but also the

Potawatomi The Potawatomi (), also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains, upper Mississippi River, and western Great Lakes region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, ...

Kickapoo The Kickapoo people (; Kickapoo: Kiikaapoa or Kiikaapoi; ) are an Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe and Indigenous people in Mexico, originating in the region south of the Great Lakes. There are three federally recognized Kickapoo trib ...

, and

Mascoutin The Mascouten (also ''Mascoutin'', ''Mathkoutench'', ''Muscoden,'' or ''Musketoon'') were a tribe of Algonquian-speaking Native Americans located in the Midwest. They are believed to have dwelt on both sides of the Mississippi River, adjacent to ...

lived or gathered in the area long before European settlers arrived. Although the identity of the first European to colonize the southern end of

is uncertain, it was probably

Claude-Jean Allouez Claude Jean Allouez, SJ (June 6, 1622 – August 28, 1689) was a Jesuit missionary and French explorer of North America. He established a number of missions among the indigenous people living near Lake Superior. Biography Allouez was born in ...

, followed by French fur trappers. James Doty, a federal judge for the western part of the

Michigan Territory The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan. Detroit ...

, thought the land at the foot of Lake Winnebago might be a good location for a city, so he and his partners bought land in the area. In 1836, during the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, John Arndt proposed making Fond du Lac the new capital. The motion failed, and Doty convinced the legislature to choose

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

instead. Colwert, Fanna Pier and Alex Tomasik were the first white residents of the area. In 1835, the construction of the

Military Ridge Road The Old Military Road was a road built by the U.S. Army in 1835–36, connecting Fort Howard (Green Bay, Wisconsin, Green Bay) Wisconsin with Fort Crawford (Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, Prairie du Chien) via Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Fond du Lac, For ...

began. It passed through Fond du Lac, connecting the forts in Wisconsin and

Fort Dearborn Fort Dearborn was a United States fort, first built in 1803 beside the Chicago River, in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by U.S. troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secre ...

in Illinois. The first school in Fond du Lac was built in 1843. The first railroad came to the community in 1852. About 1856, the first English-language newspaper in Fond du Lac, the ''Fond du Lac Commonwealth'', was founded. Logging and milling were primary industries in the late 1880s, with access to the lake as the engine of the industry. From June 1944 to August 1944, the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds was the site of an Allied

prisoner of war camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, ...

that held 300 German

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

guarded by 39 U.S. soldiers. The prisoners worked on peas farms and in canneries that summer.

Geography

Fond du Lac is at (43.775, −88.445). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Fond du Lac lies on the southern shore of

. The east and west branches of the Fond du Lac River connect in the city and the river then flows into Lake Winnebago near Lakeside Park.

Climate

As with the rest of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

. The record low was −41 °F (−41 °C) on January 30, 1951. The record high was 111 °F (44 °C) on July 13, 1936; the days immediately before and after that date hit 109 °F and 110 °F, respectively.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the city population was 44,678. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 19,936 housing units at an average density of . Ethnically, the population was 8.6%

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. When grouping both Hispanic and non-Hispanic people together by race, the city was 82.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 4.5%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.0% Asian, 0.7% Native American, 4.1% from other races, and 6.3% from two or more races. The 2020 census population of the city included 1,109 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 609 people in student housing. According to the

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates for 2016–2020, the median income for a household in the city was $54,587, and the median income for a family was $70,061. Male full-time workers had a median income of $49,226 versus $38,715 for female workers. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $28,555. About 8.1% of families and 11.4% 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 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. Of the population age 25 and over, 90.6% were high school graduates or higher and 23.1% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 42,203 people, 16,638 households, and 10,282 families residing in the city. The

was 2,501.3 people per square mile (965.9/km²). There were 17,519 housing units at an average density of 1,038.3 per square mile (401.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.59%

, 1.86%

, 0.51% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.27% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. 2.92% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 16,638 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $41,113, and the median income for a family was $50,341. Males had a median income of $35,682 versus $22,492 for females. The

for the city was $18,996. About 4.6% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the

, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Ethnic communities

Per the 2022

five-year estimates, the

German American German Americans (, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. According to the United States Census Bureau's figures from 2022, German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the pop ...

population was 19,221. Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the

Mexican American Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexico, Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the Unite ...

population was 2,113 comprising over 60% of the Latino population.

Religion

Fond du Lac's population is about one-third

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

. In 2000, the city's Catholic parishes merged into a single entity called Holy Family Catholic Community. The

motherhouse A motherhouse or mother house is the principal house or community for a Catholic religious community.YourDictionaryMotherhouse/ref> One example is the Missionaries of Charity's motherhouse in Kolkata, which functions as the congregation's headquart ...

of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is in Fond du Lac. The order founded and continues to sponsor Marian University. Fond du Lac was the

episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...

of the

Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac The Diocese of Fond du Lac was a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the northeastern third of Wisconsin. The diocese contained about 3,800 baptized members worshiping in 33 locations. It was part of Provi ...

from 1874 until it reintegrated into the Diocese of Wisconsin in 2024.

St. Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

is one of three mother churches of the Diocese of Wisconsin. The

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as Christian theology, theologically conservative, it was founded ...

has four churches in Fond du Lac: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, St. Peter's Lutheran Church, and Faith Lutheran Church.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

maintains a local

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

meetinghouse. Fond du Lac also has a synagogue, Temple Beth Israel. Although Jewish people first came to Fond du Lac in the late 19th century, the first synagogue was not established until 1914.

Economy

The largest employer in Fond du Lac is

Mercury Marine Mercury Marine is a marine engine division of Brunswick Corporation headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The main product line is outboard motors. It also produces the MerCruiser line of sterndrives and inboard engines, as well as a li ...

, a division of the

Brunswick Corporation Brunswick Corporation, formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is an American corporation that has been developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick has more than 13,000 employees in ...

. Mercury Marine, which has its world headquarters in Fond du Lac, is the largest maker of

outboard motor An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method ...

s in the world, employing approximately 2,500 people in its factory and offices. Other industry includes Giddings & Lewis, a manufacturer of machine tools, owned by the Fives Group; Brenner Tank, a builder of transport tankers; Chicago Tube & Iron, a division of Olympic Steel; Saputo Cheese; and J. F. Ahern, a mechanical and fire protection company. Fond du Lac is also home to a

Nielsen Corporation NIQ (also known as NielsenIQ, formerly known as ACNielsen or AC Nielsen) is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The company has approximately 30,000 employees and operates in more ...

data gathering center. Other businesses include

Charter Communications Charter Communications, Inc., is an American telecommunications and mass media company with services branded as Spectrum. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. With over 32 million customers in 41 states as of 2022, it is the ...

, Society Insurance and an office of

Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...

. Fond du Lac has one hospital, St. Agnes Hospital.

Arts and culture

Fond du Lac is the county seat of Fond du Lac County and the site of the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds. The Fond du Lac County Fair takes place annually in late July. Fond du Lac is also host to Walleye Weekend, an annual summer festival centered around the Mercury Marine National Walleye Fishing Tournament. Walleye Weekend, usually hosted on the second weekend in June is a "Free Family Fun Festival" held in Lakeside Park on the south shore of Lake Winnebago. An annual fall festival is also held in September, called Fondue Fest. The festival was first held in September 2007 when a collaboration project between The Melting Pot and Brenner Tank created and set the Guinness World Record for the world's largest fondue set. The festival has been held since. Fond du Lac has a children's museum, which displays rotating child-centric exhibits.

Historic districts

Fond du Lac has 20 listings on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, including four historic districts: the South Main Street Historic District, the North Main Street Historic District, the Linden Street Historic District, and the East Division Street–Sheboygan Street Historic District. Other listings include six houses, two

octagon house Octagon houses are eight-sided houses that were popular in the United States and Canada mostly in the 1850s. They are characterized by an octagonal (eight-sided) Floor plan, plan and often feature a flat roof and a veranda that circles the hous ...

s, a Moose temple, two hotels, a church, a fire station, a

train depot A train station, railroad station, or railway station is a Rail transport, railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passenger train, passengers, freight rail transport, freight, or both. It generally consists of at least one railwa ...

, an apartment building, a commercial building, and a prehistoric site. Most of the buildings listed in the register were a result of economic prosperity following the lumber industry boom in the Fox Valley and the newly rich building residences in the area.

Sports

The

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, a town on the outskirts of Appleton in the Fox Cities, and are nam ...

and Marian University have teamed up to create the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders baseball team in 2017. The Dock Spiders won the

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not ...

Championship in 2018 and 2020. The team uses Herr-Baker Field on the Marian University campus.

Parks and recreation

The largest park in Fond du Lac, Lakeside Park has more than of open recreational space on the south end of

. Year-round activities include a whitetail deer exhibit. Summer activities include flower displays, boating, picnics, and weddings within the park. April 15 to October 15, the Lakeside Park Lighthouse(built 1933) and its observation tower are open to people. Visitors can ride on a miniature train and an antique carousel. The park also has four jungle gyms and a petting zoo. A steam locomotive stands at the Main Street entrance to the park, donated by the Soo Line in 1955. Lakeside Park hosts a holiday event featuring a "dancing lights" display, decorations and music. Buttermilk Creek Park is a large, grassy, hilly park containing an amphitheater, tennis courts, two jungle gyms, and a sledding hill. Other parks include: Taylor Park and Pool, Butzen (Danbury) Park, Jefferson Park, Fairgrounds Park and Pool, and Playmore Park.

Government

Fond du Lac has a city manager-council form of government. The city council is composed of seven individuals, who are elected to two-year terms. The current city manager is Joseph P. Moore and the council president is Keith Heisler. Fond du Lac is represented by

Dan Feyen Daniel Joseph Feyen (born July 12, 1968) is an American Republican politician and retired printer from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Wisconsin's 20th Senate district since 2025; he prev ...

in the 18th district of the

Wisconsin Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those ...

, and by Jerry L. O'Connor and

Michael Schraa Michael Schraa (born April 17, 1961) is an American businessman and Republican politician from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He served six terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 53rd Assembly district from 2013 to ...

in the 52nd and 53rd districts of the

Wisconsin Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican Pa ...

. At a federal level, Fond du Lac falls within

Wisconsin's 6th congressional district Wisconsin's 6th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in eastern Wisconsin. It is based in the rural, suburban and exurban communities between Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. It also ...

and is represented by

Glenn Grothman Glenn Sholes Grothman ( ; born July 3, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected to his seat in 2014. Gro ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

Education

Fond du Lac is served by the Fond du Lac School District. Its schools include nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one STEM academy, and

Fond du Lac High School Fond du Lac High School ("Fondy High") is a comprehensive public high school in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin administered by the Fond du Lac School District. Opened in 2001, the school replaced the former Goodrich High School, which was the city's hig ...

. St. Mary's Springs Academy is Fond du Lac's Catholic school system. It educates students in K3 through grade 12. Fond du Lac also has four Lutheran primary schools, in addition to

Winnebago Lutheran Academy Winnebago Lutheran Academy, also known as WLA, is a private Lutheranism, Lutheran high school in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, associated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). History WLA was founded in 1925 by St. Peter's Luthera ...

, a Lutheran (

) high school. Other private secondary schools include Fond du Lac Christian School, an

interdenominational Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

K–12 school, and Trinity Baptist School, a

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

K–12 school. Fond du Lac is the home of two colleges: Marian University, a private Catholic four-year university, and

Moraine Park Technical College Moraine Park Technical College (Moraine Park or MPTC) is a public technical college in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It was established in 1912 and is part of the Wisconsin Technical College System Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) is a sy ...

, a two-year

technical college An institute of technology (also referred to as technological university, technical university, university of technology, polytechnic university) is an institution of tertiary education that specializes in engineering, technology, applied science ...

in the

Wisconsin Technical College System Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) is a system of 16 public technical colleges administered by the state of Wisconsin. The system offers more than 500 programs, awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas, an ...

Media

Two newspapers cover Fond du Lac. '' The Reporter'' is a daily newspaper owned by

Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. ( ) is an American mass media holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. It owns the national newspaper ''USA Today'', as well as several ...

Newspapers, and the ''

Action Advertiser Action Advertiser, originally Action Advertising Co. and now officially known as Action Publications, is a newspaper based out of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin which features only "good news" along with retail, display and classified advertising. All Acti ...

'' is a free newspaper printed on Wednesdays and Sundays, also owned by Gannett. KFIZ is one of the oldest radio stations in Wisconsin and broadcasts out of Fond du Lac. KFIZ first went on the air in 1922 when Oscar Huelsman turned on the transmitter. Other stations licensed to the city include

WFON WFON (107.1 FM) is a radio station licensed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The station is owned by RBH Enterprises, Inc. History The station was originally owned by Lola Beckmann, and the original WFON studios were in the building that now houses a ...

, a country music sister station to KFIZ, and WFDL-FM, broadcasting adult contemporary music. WIWN is a television station (virtual channel 68, physical channel 5) carrying

Cozi TV Cozi TV (stylized on-air as COZI TV) is an American free-to-air television network owned by the NBC Owned Television Stations division of NBCUniversal. The network airs classic television series from the 1950s to the 2000s. The network originat ...

which transmits from Milwaukee rather than its

city of license In U.S., Canadian, and Mexican broadcasting, a city of license or community of license is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator. In North American broadcast ...

to receive market-wide coverage. Fond du Lac is part of the Green Bay television market.

KFIZ-TV KFIZ-TV, UHF analog channel 34, was an independent television station licensed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States that operated from August 1, 1968, to November 30, 1972. The station was a sister station to KFIZ-AM, and covered an 11-coun ...

was a general entertainment independent television station that carried

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

on a per-program basis (channel 34) from 1968 to 1972.

Transportation

Fond du Lac Area Transit is the city's local public transit operator. The first public transit in Fond du Lac was a privately owned streetcar service in the 1880s; it converted to buses from 1944 to 1967. After several private operators, the bus system ceased operations in December 1967. In August 1968 the Fondy Area Bus Cooperative was established to provide bus service by support of private citizens and businesses, in lieu of a municipal one; however, it asked the city for financial support in 1970. The current city-owned transit system began operations on January 15, 1973, following the successful passing of the referendum on November 7, 1972. It operates eight bus routes (with one of those routes operating only in the morning and afternoon to service K–12 schools), as well as a

Paratransit Paratransit (also community transport in the United Kingdom, or intermediate public transport) is a type of public transport service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. P ...

service and taxi service for areas that the bus system does not reach. Airport service for Fond du Lac is provided by

Fond du Lac County Airport Fond du Lac County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located 1 mile (2 km) west of the central business district of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. It is included in the Fe ...

, with commercial service at

Appleton International Airport Appleton International Airport , formerly Outagamie County Regional Airport, is an airport located in Greenville, Wisconsin, Greenville, Wisconsin, United States, west of Appleton, Wisconsin, Appleton. It is included in the Federal Aviation Ad ...

in Greenville and

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a civil–military airport south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States., effective April 17, 2025. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated ...

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

. Canadian National Railway operates the only railroad in Fond du Lac. Fond du Lac was the headquarters of the Wisconsin Central Railroad until 2001. It was part of the Soo Line until 1987.

Notable people

Politics and law

* William Aldrich, U.S. Representative from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

* Warren Braun, Wisconsin State Senator * Thomas Cale, U.S. Congressional Delegate from

Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; th ...

* Flora Cheney, Illinois State Representative * Theodore Conkey, Wisconsin State Senator * John P. Dobyns, Wisconsin State Representative * Harrison H. Dodd, Mayor of Fond du Lac *

Mary Beth Dolin Mary Elisabeth Dolin ( Brugger; January 25, 1936 – April 9, 1985) was an American-born Canadian politician in Manitoba, Canada. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in 1981 as a New Democrat, and was a cabinet minister in th ...

, Canadian politician *

F. Ryan Duffy Francis Ryan Duffy (June 23, 1888 – August 16, 1979) was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist from Wisconsin. He served 45 years in federal office, as a United States senator, United States district judge, and finally judge of the Unite ...

, U.S. Senator and Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals * William H. Ebbets, Wisconsin State Representative * Charles A. Eldredge, U.S. Representative * L. J. Fellenz, Wisconsin State Senator * Louis J. Fellenz, Jr., Wisconsin State Senator * Maurice J. Fitzsimons, Jr., Wisconsin State Representative * Rudolph W. E. Fritzke, Wisconsin State Representative * Edwin H. Galloway, Wisconsin State Representative *

Earl Gilson Earl Gilson (July 1, 1923 – September 4, 2004) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Gilson was born on July 1, 1923, in De Pere, Wisconsin. He graduated from high school in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin before attending Colorado Sta ...

, Wisconsin State Representative * J. Herbert Green, Wisconsin State Senator * Herbert J. Grover, educator and politician * Corwin C. Guell, Wisconsin State Representative * E. Harold Hallows, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court * Joseph H. Hardgrove, Wisconsin State Representative * William Hiner, Wisconsin State Senator and Mayor of Fond du Lac * Charles Hoeflinger, Wisconsin State Representative * Paul O. Husting, U.S. Senator * Edward H. Jenison, U.S. Representative from

* Raphael Katz, Wisconsin State Representative * Gaines A. Knapp, Wisconsin State Representative * Louie Augustus Lange, Wisconsin State Representative *

Peg Lautenschlager Peggy Ann Lautenschlager (November 22, 1955 – March 31, 2018) was an American attorney and Democratic politician who was the first chair of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission from 2016 to 2017, the 42nd Attorney General of Wisconsin from 2003 t ...

, Wisconsin Attorney General *

Rensselaer Morse Lewis Rensselaer Morse Lewis (November 9, 1820 – December 16, 1888) was an American merchant from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, who served a single one-year term in 1873 as a Liberal Reform Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Fond du Lac Co ...

, Wisconsin state legislator * William H. Loucks,

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

State Representative * John B. Macy, U.S. Representative, drowned on the steamer Niagara *

Scott McCallum James Scott McCallum (born May 2, 1950) is an American businessman and former politician. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 43rd governor of Wisconsin, ascending from the lieutenant governorship when Tommy Thompson resigned in 2001 to ...

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

* Earl F. McEssy, Wisconsin State Representative * Carlton W. Mauthe, Wisconsin State Representative * Robert W. Monk, Wisconsin State Senator *

Charles Henry Morgan Charles Henry Morgan (July 5, 1842 – January 4, 1912) was an American lawyer and politician from Missouri. He represented Missouri in the United States House of Representatives for five terms spread across four decades. He also served as a ...

, U.S. Representative from

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

* Ronald E. Nehring, Utah Supreme Court Associate Justice * Morgan Noble, Wisconsin State Representative *

William J. Nuss William John Nuss Jr. (June 12, 1914October 28, 1991) was a lawyer and politician. Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Nuss grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He went to University of Notre Dame and then received his law degree from Marquette Universit ...

, Wisconsin State Representative * Leo P. O'Brien, Wisconsin State Senator * George B. Perkins, Iowa state legislator and businessman *

Tom Petri Thomas Evert Petri (born May 28, 1940) is an American politician who was the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1979 to 2015; he is a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party. Early lif ...

, U.S. Representatives * Kate Hamilton Pier, lawyer *

John Abner Race John Abner Race (May 12, 1914 – November 9, 1983) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin. He was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and graduated from Fond du Lac High School and attended the University of W ...

, U.S. Representative * Michael K. Reilly, U.S. Representative * Henry Rollman, Wisconsin State Senator * Samuel M. Smead, Wisconsin State Senator * Thomas Wilson Spence, legislator and lawyer * Samuel B. Stanchfield, Wisconsin State Senator * George Eaton Sutherland, Wisconsin State Senator * Nathaniel Tallmadge, U.S. Senator from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

* David Taylor, judge * Alfred L. Thwing, Minnesota State Senator and judge * William K. Van Pelt, U.S. Representative * Thomas S. Weeks, Wisconsin State Representative * Owen A. Wells, U.S. Representative

Sports

* Ed Aspatore,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

player * Bob Blewett,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player * Ken Criter,

player *

Drake Diener Drake Richard Diener (born December 19, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played college basketball at DePaul University. College career Diener joined the DePaul Blue Demons in 2001, where he was nominated ...

, professional basketball player *

Travis Diener Travis Lyle Diener ( ; born March 1, 1982) is an American-Italian former professional basketball player who last played for Vanoli Cremona in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He also holds Italian citizenship, and has played for the Itali ...

, assistant coach for Marquette, former pro basketball player, cousin of

Jim Dilling Jim Dilling (born April 23, 1985) is a former American high jumper who was the 2007 USA Outdoor champion. Dilling stands 6'5" and weighs 195 lbs. His personal best (2.30 m) was attained during the 2007 season. Dilling currently resides in ...

, track & field high jumper * Paul Erickson,

player *

Jim Gantner James Elmer Gantner (born January 5, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Brewers (1976–92). Background Gantner was born on January 5, 1953, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and grew up in Ed ...

player * Bill Guilfoile, baseball public relations *

Bert Husting Berthold Juneau "Pete" Husting (March 6, 1878September 3, 1948) was an American baseball pitcher and attorney who served between 1933 and 1944 as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. During his Major League Baseball ca ...

player *

Colin Kaepernick Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he gained na ...

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

* Ann Klapperich, professional basketball player * Nubs Kleinke,

player * Polly Koch, professional football player * Cory Raymer, center for

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

and

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...

Eric Schafer Eric John Schafer (born September 20, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 1997 until 2016, he competed for the UFC. Background Schafer attended the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Schafer is a black belt in ...

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

fighter in

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...

* Robert Windsor,

player *

Braelon Allen Braelon Allen (; born January 20, 2004) is an American professional football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. Early life Allen attended and played foo ...

, football player for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

Military

* Edward S. Bragg, Union Army general,

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

, U.S. Ambassador *

Charles Henry De Groat Charles Henry De Groat (April 3, 1838 – August 15, 1904) was a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War who was nominated and confirmed for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in 1866. Biography De Groat ...

, Union Army general *

Charles Smith Hamilton Charles Smith Hamilton (November 16, 1822April 17, 1891) was a career United States Army officer who served with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Union Army general during the early part of the American Civil W ...

, Union Army Major General * Edward McGlachlin, Jr.,

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

Major General * Hugh J. McGrath,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient *

James Megellas James Megellas (March 11, 1917 – April 2, 2020) was a United States Army lieutenant colonel. During World War II, he was a rifle company platoon leader and is considered to be one of the most decorated combat Officer (armed forces), officers in ...

, U.S. Army officer who commanded company "H" of 3rd Battalion,

504th Parachute Infantry Regiment The 504th Infantry Regiment, originally the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (504th PIR), is an airborne forces regiment of the United States Army, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, with a long and distinguished history. The regiment was f ...

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Lyman M. Ward Lyman Munson Ward (October 6, 1836 – January 19, 1909) was an American farmer, Republican politician, and Union Army colonel in the American Civil War. He served four years in the Michigan House of Representatives, and received an honorary ...

, Union Army general * David E. Wood, Union army colonel

Other

* Jeanne Bice, television personality, founder of Quaker Factory clothing line *

Brigid Bazlen Brigid Mary Bazlen (June 9, 1944 – May 25, 1989) was an American film, television and stage actress. Although she made only three Hollywood films, '' The Honeymoon Machine'', ''King of Kings'', and '' How the West Was Won'', she is still reme ...

, actress *

Jonathon Brandmeier Jonathon "Johnny B" Brandmeier (born July 15, 1956) is a Chicago radio personality and musician. Career Born John Francis Brandmeier to a German father and a Lebanese mother, Brandmeier started his radio career in 1973 at WFON in Fond du Lac, W ...

, Chicago radio personality on WGN-AM *

Julia Colman Julia Colman (pen name, Aunt Julia; February 16, 1828 – January 10, 1909) was an American temperance educator, activist, editor and writer of the long nineteenth century. She served as superintendent of literature in the Woman's Christian Temper ...

(1828–1909), American temperance educator, activist, editor, writer * Emma Conley (1869–1928), home economist, state official, educator * Alice Arnold Crawford (1850–1874), poet * Edward L. Doheny, oil tycoon * Jeanna Giese, first person known to have been successfully treated for

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

without receiving a vaccine *

King Camp Gillette King Camp Gillette (January 5, 1855 – July 9, 1932) was an American businessman who invented a bestselling safety razor. Gillette's innovation was the thin, inexpensive, disposable blade of stamped steel. Gillette is often erroneously credit ...

, inventor of the

safety razor A safety razor is a shaving implement with a protective device positioned between the edge of the blade and the skin. The initial purpose of these protective devices was to reduce the level of skill needed for injury-free shaving, thereby reduci ...

and founder of the

Gillette Gillette is an American brand of safety razors and other personal care products including shaving supplies, owned by the multi-national corporation Procter & Gamble (P&G). Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was owned by The Gil ...

Company * Don Gorske,

Big Mac The Big Mac is a brand of hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced by a Greater Pittsburgh Region, Greater Pittsburgh area Franchising, franchisee in 1967 and expanded nationwide in 1968, and ...

enthusiast and Guinness World Record holder of most Big Macs eaten in a lifetime *

Gordon Hammes Gordon G. Hammes (born 1934 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) is a distinguished service professor of chemistry, emeritus, at Duke University, professor emeritus at Cornell University, and member of United States National Academy of Sciences. Hammes' r ...

, professor *

Carl Kiekhaefer Elmer Carl Kiekhaefer (June 4, 1906 – October 5, 1983) was the founder of ''Kiekhaefer Mercury'' (later Mercury Marine) and ''Kiekhaefer Aeromarine'' and also a two-time NASCAR championship car owner. Kiekhaefer Mercury founder Kiekhaefer wa ...

, founder of

and

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

team owner. * Ronald W. Langacker, professor of linguistics * Hal O'Halloran, radio announcer and singer *

Christian Patterson Christian Patterson (born 1972) is an American photographer known for his books and exhibitions ''Sound Affects'', ''Redheaded Peckerwood'', ''Bottom of the Lake'', and ''Gong Co.'' ''Redheaded Peckerwood'' was awarded the Rencontres d'Arles Aut ...

, artist * Pablo Ervin Schmitz Simon, Roman Catholic bishop *

Darold Treffert Darold A. Treffert (March 12, 1933 – December 14, 2020) was an American psychiatrist and research director who specialized in the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and savant syndrome. He lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He was on the s ...

, psychiatrist

References

External links

City of Fond du Lac

Fond du Lac Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Early Fond du Lac County People and Places
* Sanborn fire insurance maps
188418921898190219081915
*
Around the Corner with John McGivern – Fond du Lac
Video produced by ''

Milwaukee PBS Milwaukee PBS is the collective brand for two PBS member television stations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States: WMVS (channel 10) and WMVT (channel 36). Both stations are owned and operated by the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). ...

'' {{authority control Cities in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin Populated places established in 1843 1843 establishments in Wisconsin Territory Cities in Wisconsin