Manitowoc ( ) is a city in
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Manitowoc County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 81,359. Its county seat is Manitowoc. The county was created in 1836 prior to Wisconsin's statehood and organized in 1848. Manitowoc C ...
, 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 on
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
at the mouth of the
Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626.
History
Purported to mean ''dwelling of the
great spirit
The Great Spirit is an omnipresent supreme life force, generally conceptualized as a supreme being or god, in the traditional religious beliefs of many, but not all, indigenous cultures in Canada and the United States. Interpretations of it v ...
'', Manitowoc derived its name from either the
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
word ''manidoowaak(wag)'', meaning spirit-spawn(s), or ''manidoowaak(oog)'', meaning spirit-wood(s), or ''manidoowak(iin)'', meaning spirit-land(s). In the
Menominee language
Menominee , also spelled Menomini (In Menominee language: ) is an endangered Algonquian language spoken by the Menominee people of what is now northern Wisconsin in the United States. The federally recognized tribe has been working to encourage ...
, it is called ''Manetōwak'', which means "place of the spirits". The
Menominee
The Menominee ( ; meaning ''"Menominee People"'', also spelled Menomini, derived from the Ojibwe language word for "Wild Rice People"; known as ''Mamaceqtaw'', "the people", in the Menominee language) are a federally recognized tribe of Na ...
ceded this land to the United States in the 1836
Treaty of the Cedars, following years of negotiations over how to accommodate the
Oneida,
Stockbridge-Munsee, and
Brothertown peoples who had been
removed from New York to Wisconsin. In 1838, an act of the Territorial Legislature separated
Manitowoc County from
Brown County, keeping the native name for the region.
["History"]
, ''City of Manitowoc'' site. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
The first Europeans in the area were French fur traders who arrived in 1673. The
Northwest Fur Company established a trading post in 1795. In 1835, before the transfer of land from the Menominee Nation to the United States, President
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...
authorized land sales for the region, drawing the interest of land speculators. William Jones and Louis Fizette were the two first recorded buyers on August 3, 1835, with the majority of the land being procured by the Chicago firm Jones, King, & Co. Benjamin Jones, brother of William, took the Wisconsin property as his share and is considered the founder of Manitowoc. Early immigrant groups included Germans, Norwegians, British, Irish, and Canadians.
The first school in Manitowoc was held in the Jones warehouse, with S. M. Peake instructing the twelve children of the community. The first religious organization in the county,
St. James' Episcopal Church, first met in 1841.
["Episcopal and Methodist Episcopal Churches"]
''A History of Manitowoc County'', Ralph G. Plumb, 1904. Manitowoc was chartered as a village on March 6, 1851
[ and on March 12, 1870, was incorporated as a city.][ Manitowoc replaced neighboring Manitowoc Rapids as the county seat of Manitowoc County in 1853. The current Manitowoc County Courthouse was built in the city in 1906.]
In 1847, Joseph Edwards built the first schooner
A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...
in the area, the ''Citizen'', a modest precursor to the shipbuilding industry that produced schooners and clippers used for fishing and trading in the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
and beyond the St. Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...
. In addition, landing craft
Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. ...
, tankers and submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
s became the local contributions to U.S. efforts in 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 ...
.
On September 5, 1962, a piece of the seven-ton Sputnik 4 crashed on North 8th Street. Sputnik 4 was a USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
satellite, part of the Sputnik program
Sputnik (Спутник, Russian for "satellite"NOTE: The Russian word "sputnik" can have many meanings: "satellite", "travelling companion", "fellow traveller", etc. However, in astronomy, it means only "satellite".) is a name for multiple sp ...
and a test-flight of the Vostok spacecraft
Vostok (, translated as "East") was a class of single-pilot crewed spacecraft built by the Soviet Union. The first human spaceflight was accomplished with Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961, by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
The Vostok programme ma ...
that would be used for the first human spaceflight
Human spaceflight (also referred to as manned spaceflight or crewed spaceflight) is spaceflight with a crew or passengers aboard a spacecraft, often with the spacecraft being operated directly by the onboard human crew. Spacecraft can also be ...
. It was launched on May 15, 1960.
A bug in the guidance system had pointed the capsule in the wrong direction, so instead of dropping into the atmosphere the satellite moved into a higher orbit. It re-entered the atmosphere on or about September 5, 1962. A cast was made from the original piece before the Soviets claimed it, and the cast was displayed at the Rahr West Art Museum. A customer in a nearby art gallery jokingly suggested that the city should hold a festival to celebrate the crash.[ The city held the first Sputnikfest in 2008, which was organized by the head of both museums.][
Manitowoc was historically a ]sundown town
Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, were all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States. They were towns that practiced a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combinati ...
that prohibited African Americans from staying overnight. In 1968, the policy forced a visiting Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poet ...
to stay at Holy Family College, just outside of Manitowoc, after a poetry reading.
Manitowoc is home to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and is one endpoint of the ferry route of the SS ''Badger'', which connects U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 or U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway located in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the U.S. Despite the "0" as the last digit in the number, US 10 is no longer a cross- ...
to Ludington, Michigan.
Since the late 1990s, several new shopping centers have opened in the city, mostly on the southwest side of the city along Interstate 43, including the new Harbor Town Center shopping complex. The downtown area has also seen a resurgence, with several new restaurants opening, and the recent announcement of new $100,000+ condominiums on the Manitowoc River, along with a completion of the riverwalk trail.
In December 2022, Manitowoc was designated Wisconsin's World War II Heritage City by the US National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
. In early 2023, an 87-unit apartment building south of the Manitowoc River was completed. Also in 2023, Mayor Justin Nickels stated he planned to continue adding amenities along the river. The bulk of the redevelopment in the city has been undertaken by the public/private partnership the Manitowoc County Economic Development Corporation.
Geography
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.
The city is located at , on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River.
The nearest other cities are Green Bay, away, Sheboygan away, Appleton away, and 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 ...
away. Together with Two Rivers and the surrounding towns
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
, the Manitowoc micropolitan area was, according to the 2000 census, home to 52,197 people. The city forms the core of 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 ...
's Manitowoc Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Manitowoc County (2000 population: 82,887).
Alverno
Alverno is a formerly unincorporated community located in the western parts of the city. Located slightly northwest of the I-43 Technology & Enterprise Business Park, the community contained some homes, a banquet place, and a railroad crossing on the northern side. The community is also the eastern terminus of a short county highway (County Road CS) at the intersection of Alverno Road and Custer Street.
Kellners Corners
Kellners Corners is also a formerly unincorporated community on the northwest side of the city at the intersection of Rapids Road (County Road R) and Menasha Avenue. This portion of Manitowoc is more residential with some businesses. Rapids Road was also the old alignment of US Highway 141 in Manitowoc until the completion of I-43 resulted in the portion of the old highway turned over to the county.
Climate
Manitowoc 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 ...
. Lake Michigan has a moderating effect on its climate compared to regions more inland, making it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than most nearby cities. Manitowoc has a yearly average high of and a yearly average low of . Manitowoc also has an extreme high and extreme low of and , respectively. The city receives an average of of precipitation every year, in the form of rain and snow, with rain being more prevalent in months April–November, and snow being more prevalent in months December–March. Precipitation is spread fairly evenly throughout the year, with the wettest month being August, with of precipitation, and the driest month being February, with of precipitation.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, the population was 34,626. 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 16,277 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.9% 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 ...
, 5.0% Asian, 2.4% 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 ...
or 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 ...
, 0.7% Native American, 2.6% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 7.2% 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.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 33,736 people, 14,623 households, and 8,600 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 15,955 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% 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 ...
, 1.0% 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 ...
, 0.6% Native American, 4.6% Asian, 2.1% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. 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 people of any race were 5.0% of the population.
There were 14,623 households, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the city was 41.7 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 27.2% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,053 people, 14,235 households, and 8,811 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,018.8 people per square mile (779.4/km2). There were 15,007 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile (343.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.13% 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 ...
, 0.59% 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 ...
or 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 ...
, 0.55% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.07% 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 ...
, 0.90% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 2.52% of the population were 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.
There were 14,235 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,203, and the median income for a family was $47,635. Males had a median income of $35,176 versus $22,918 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,954. About 5.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The city government consists of a mayor and a city council, with ten members elected from single member districts. The current mayor is Justin Nickels.
Business and industry
* The Manitowoc Company
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer which produces cranes and previously produced commercial refrigeration and marine equipment. It was founded in 1902 and, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets ...
, founded in Manitowoc but now headquartered in Milwaukee, grew out of the shipbuilding industry. It is a diversified manufacturer with interests in the construction
Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...
and food service industries. The acquisition of Grove Crane resulted in the relocation of crane manufacturing to Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, ending its crane manufacturing operations in Manitowoc.
* The city is the world headquarters of Lakeside Foods Company and Bio-Blend Fuels.
* Burger Boat Company
The Burger Boat Company, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States, is a builder of custom-designed, hand-built pleasure cruisers. The company also produces commercial vessels and has produced military vessels in the past. It is ...
, a yacht builder, is located in Manitowoc and produces approximately 2–3 yachts each year.
* Baileigh Industrial, a manufacturer of metal fabrication and woodworking machines
* Orion Energy Systems, specializing in energy-efficient commercial fluorescent and solar lighting
* Manitowoc Ice, a globally known commercial ice machine company, started in 1964 after The Manitowoc Equipment Works purchased a Minneapolis ice machine company named Kodiak. In 2022, Manitowoc Ice was acquired by Pentair, but the company continues to manufacture and distribute from the Manitowoc location.
Health care
The Manitowoc area is served by two main medical groups:
* Holy Family Memorial, with an inpatient medical center and more than 15 clinics in the county
* Aurora Health Care, with one main campus in Two Rivers, and several dozen health clinics throughout the county
Education
Manitowoc public schools are administered by the Manitowoc Public School District. High schools within the city include:
* Lincoln High School
* Roncalli High School
* Manitowoc Lutheran High School
Colleges
The city has two colleges and universities within its limits: the University of Wisconsin–Manitowoc and Lakeshore Technical College. Holy Family College closed in 2020.
Media
Newspapers
* '' Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter'' — 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
* '' Lakeshore Chronicle'' — printed on Sundays and Wednesdays only, also owned by Gannett Newspapers
Television and radio
Manitowoc is part of the Green Bay television market, although it is common for residents to receive stations over-the-air from 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 ...
, and across the lake from the Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
and Traverse City/Cadillac
Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...
markets. No television stations originate from Manitowoc, and the only full-time presence of Green Bay stations in the city are remote-operated weather cameras and WFRV-TV
WFRV-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on East Mason Street in Green Bay and a transmitter north of Morrison, Wiscon ...
featuring some ''Herald Times Reporter'' content in newscasts as part of a promotional agreement with Gannett's northeastern Wisconsin newspapers.
Comcast
Comcast Corporation, formerly known as Comcast Holdings,Before the AT&T Broadband, AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, not th ...
holds the city's cable franchise, inherited from the company's earlier purchase of Jones Intercable, and the city has the only presence of Comcast or Xfinity
Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, doing business as Xfinity, is an American telecommunications business segment and division of the Comcast Corporation. It is used to market consumer cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless servic ...
in the state of Wisconsin.
Manitowoc is classed as part of Nielsen Audio's Sheboygan/Manitowoc radio market and combined with Two Rivers, and stations from both Sheboygan and Green Bay are easily heard in the area. Since 2017, Seehafer Broadcasting has owned all six commercial radio stations broadcasting towards and licensed to Manitowoc and Two Rivers (several other stations are licensed to Manitowoc County communities, but they all instead target Green Bay and the Fox Cities
The Fox Cities of Northeastern Wisconsin are the cities, towns and villages along the Fox River as it flows from Lake Winnebago northward into Green Bay.
The Fox Cities communities, as defined by its Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visit ...
).
Fictional characters
Phil Coulson
Agent Phillip J. "Phil" Coulson ( ) is a fictional character portrayed and voiced by Clark Gregg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and longt ...
of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
stated he was born here in the thirteenth episode of the second season of the television show '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''
Paige Morgan in the movie '' The Prince & Me'' is from Manitowoc.
Religion
The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity have their mother house in Manitowoc.
In 2005 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay () is a Latin church diocese in the northeast region of Wisconsin in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Its mother church i ...
merged several Catholic parishes in the city into one parish, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, with a four-man pastoral team led by Father Dan Felton. In 2005, the ''Herald Times Reporter'' reported that the city has roughly 22,000 Roman Catholics.
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 ...
is a significant Christian synod in the city with four large churches and Manitowoc Lutheran High School. Two additional Wisconsin Synod churches are outside the city limits, with a Manitowoc address.
St. James' is an historic Episcopal church in the city.
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 ...
has a meetinghouse in Manitowoc.
Points of interest
* The Rahr West Art Museum is housed in a 19th-century mansion near downtown Manitowoc. Donated by the Rahr family in 1941 for use as a community civic art center, it has been since expanded numerous times. The Museum currently houses art ranging from the 15th–21st centuries, with paintings, sculptures, and a preserved Victorian home in its possession.
* The Wisconsin Maritime Museum was founded in 1970 as the Manitowoc Submarine Memorial Association, and has since grown to be one of the largest nautical museums in the country; it has recently been granted affiliation status with the Smithsonian. It has over of interactive and standing exhibits exploring maritime history with a particular emphasis on the Great Lakes. Perhaps the Museum's crown jewel however is the World War II era USS ''Cobia'', an authentic combat submarine similar to those built in Manitowoc during the war. There are daily tours of the vessel, which is moored in Manitowoc's harbor, allowing visitors a look at Manitowoc's role in the war and building 28 submarines for the U.S. Navy.
* The Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo, also known as Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, is a zoo in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868 and is the second oldest zoo in the United States. It is also one of a small number of zoos to offer fr ...
is a year-round zoo and is part of the Manitowoc Parks and Recreation Department. The Lincoln Park Zoo has tours and educational programs available for small and large groups.
* The Eighth Street Historic District encompasses the city's historic downtown and includes many buildings from the 1850s-1930s, including the beaux-arts style Manitowoc County Courthouse.
* The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, established in 2021 and the site of a large number of historically significant shipwreck
A shipwreck is the wreckage of a ship that is located either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. It results from the event of ''shipwrecking'', which may be intentional or unintentional. There were approximately thre ...
s, lies in the waters of Lake Michigan off Manitowoc.
Transportation
Public transportation in the city been provided by Maritime Metro Transit since 1978, covering both Manitowoc and Two Rivers, Wisconsin. MMT currently has a fleet of 12 buses serving over 40 stops on eight routes.
Manitowoc is the western port for the S.S. ''Badger'' ferry, that crosses Lake Michigan to Ludington, Michigan. The ferry ride is part of the route of U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 or U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway located in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the U.S. Despite the "0" as the last digit in the number, US 10 is no longer a cross- ...
.
The Manitowoc Mariners Trail is a paved recreational trail running along the shore of Lake Michigan between the cities of Manitowoc and Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
Highways
* northbound connects to Green Bay and southbound connects to Sheboygan, 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 ...
, and Beloit.
* travels east across Lake Michigan via the SS ''Badger'' to Ludington, Michigan, and west to Appleton.
* southbound connects to Chilton and Fond Du Lac.
* travels southward to Howards Grove and Sheboygan and northward to Sturgeon Bay, Two Rivers and Kewaunee.
Airport
Manitowoc County Airport (KMTW) serves the city and surrounding communities.
Notable people
* James Sibree Anderson
James Sibree Anderson (December 25, 1841 – May 9, 1927) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography
Anderson was born on December 25, 1841, in Kelvin Haugh, now part of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. He moved to what is now Kossuth, ...
, Wisconsin State Representative
* Thomas F. Anderson (1911–1991), biophysical chemist and geneticist
* Henry Baetz
Henry Baetz (July 27, 1830January 2, 1910) was a German American immigrant real estate and insurance agent. He was the 6th State Treasurer of Wisconsin, served in the American Civil War as a Union Army officer, and was wounded at Gettysburg.
...
, Treasurer of Wisconsin
* George W. Barker, U.S. Marshal for Vermont, Judge of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
* John A. Bentley, Wisconsin State Senator
* Steven Avery, Netflix Star
* Garey Bies, Wisconsin State Representative, born in Manitowoc
* Dale Bolle, Wisconsin State Representative
* Guila Bustabo, violinist, born in Manitowoc
* Matt Christman, co-host of ''Chapo Trap House
''Chapo Trap House'' (also referred to as ''Chapo'') is an American socialist political comedy podcast launched in March 2016 and hosted by Will Menaker, Felix Biederman, Matt Christman, and Amber A'Lee Frost. It is produced by Chris Wade.
The ...
''
* Gerald W. Clusen, U.S. Navy admiral
* Charles Daellenbach, musician, founder of Grammy Award-winning Canadian Brass, graduate of Lincoln High School
* Benjamin W. Diederich, Wisconsin State Representative
* John C. Egan, Squadron Commander in the 100th Bomb Group during 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 ...
* E. H. Ellis, former mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the head of Green Bay (Lake Michigan), Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the F ...
* Charles E. Estabrook, Wisconsin Attorney General
* Peter Fanta, U.S. Navy admiral
* Amy Fote, principal dancer with Houston ballet, born and raised in Manitowoc
* Doug Free, offensive lineman for NFL Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, 2002 graduate of Lincoln High
* Raymond Gorte, Member of the National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American Nonprofit organization, nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. It is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), along with the National Academ ...
* Romy Gosz, polka musician, inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame and Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame
* Carl Hansen, Wisconsin State Representative
* Donald K. Helgeson, Wisconsin State Representative
* William H. Hemschemeyer, Wisconsin State Representative
* Solomon S. Huebner, college professor
* Peter Johnston, Wisconsin State Representative
* Edgar A. Jonas, 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 ...
* M. W. Kalaher, Wisconsin State Representative
* Eugene S. Kaufman, Wisconsin State Representative
* Norman Knudson, Wisconsin State Senator
* Erik Kowalski, musician
* Ardis Krainik, opera singer (1928–1997)
* Francis J. Lallensack, Wisconsin State Representative
* Lawrence W. Ledvina, Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer
* Frederic Ives Lord, airman (Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
)
* Stoney McGlynn, 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
* Andrew Miller, 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
* Robert Naumann, Wisconsin State Representative
* Garth Neustadter, Emmy Award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist
* William Henry Phipps, Wisconsin State Senator
* Franz Pieper, President of Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
* Reinhardt Rahr, Wisconsin State Representative
* Alexander W. Randall, 1886–1889 Postmaster General of United States
* Samuel W. Randolph, Wisconsin State Senator
* Joseph Rankin
Joseph Rankin (September 25, 1833January 24, 1886) was an Americans, American businessman and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician. He was elected to two terms as United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative for ...
, U.S. Representative 1883–1886
* Karl L. Rankin, U.S. diplomat
* Paula J. Raschke-Lind, Illinois State Representative
* George Reed, politician
* Angus B. Rothwell, Superintendent of Public Instruction
* Charles Eberhard Salomon, Union Army general
* Frederick Salomon, Union Army general
* Henry Schadeberg, U.S. Representative
* Emil P. Scheibe, Wisconsin State Representative
* Raymond J. Scheuer
Raymond J. Scheuer (November 8, 1887 – June 7, 1939) was an American politician and businessman.
Born in Mishicot, Wisconsin, Scheuer served in the United States Army during World War I. He worked in his family's brewery business, as the b ...
, Wisconsin State Assembyman
* Carl Schmidt, Wisconsin State Senator
* Charles Schuette, Wisconsin State Representative
* John Schuette, Wisconsin State Senator
* William L. Schultz, circus performer, teacher, writer
* Wilbur Schwandt, songwriter, " Dream a Little Dream of Me"
* Reuben D. Smart, Wisconsin State Representative
* Thorvald Solberg (1852–1949), first Register of Copyrights in United States Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office (USCO), a part of the Library of Congress, is a United States government body that registers copyright claims, records information about copyright ownership, provides information to the public, and assists ...
* Merta Sterling, actress
* Sheri Swokowski, Army officer and transgender rights activist
* Robert Tills, United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
, killed in Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
during 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 ...
* Susan Bowers Vergeront, Wisconsin State Representative
* Joseph Vilas, Wisconsin State Senator
* Henry Vits, Wisconsin State Representative
* Otto A. Vogel, Wisconsin State Representative
* R. T. Wallen, artist, born in Manitowoc and attended Lincoln High School
* Pat Willis, judge, born in Manitowoc
* Joseph Willott, Jr., Wisconsin State Representative
* Walter Wittman, Wisconsin State Representative
* Francis A. Yindra, Wisconsin State Senator
* Bob Ziegelbauer, Wisconsin State Representative and current County Executive
* Jacob Merten, Environmental Scientist and Software Developer
* Charlie Berens, Comedian and host of the Manitowoc Minute
Sister city
Manitowoc has one sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inte ...
:
* Kamogawa, Japan
See also
* List of sundown towns in the United States
Notes
References
External links
City of Manitowoc
Manitowoc Area Visitor & Convention Bureau
Manitowoc Local History Collection
at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
{{Authority control
Cities in Wisconsin
Cities in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Micropolitan areas of Wisconsin
Wisconsin populated places on Lake Michigan
County seats in Wisconsin
Populated places established in the 1830s
Inland port cities and towns in Wisconsin
World War II Heritage Cities
*
Sundown towns in Wisconsin