Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Not to be confused with Menomonie, Wisconsin or Menomonie (town), Wisconsin.

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Village
Location of Menomonee Falls in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°10′44″N88°7′2″W / 43.17889°N 88.11722°W / 43.17889; -88.11722
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Waukesha
Area [1]
• Total	33.30 sq mi (86.25 km2)
• Land	32.91 sq mi (85.23 km2)
• Water	0.39 sq mi (1.02 km2)
Elevation [2]	868 ft (261 m)
Population  (2020) [3]
• Total	38,527
• Density	1,155.12/sq mi (446.00/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	53051, [4] 53052
Area code	262
FIPS code	55-51000 [5]
GNIS feature ID	1569346 [6]
Website	menomonee-falls.org

Menomonee Falls is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States, and is part of the Greater Milwaukee area. The population was 38,527 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous village in Wisconsin. ^[7] It is the fourth largest community in Waukesha County.

History

Mill Pond Park, October 2009

Early 1800s

The area that became Menomonee Falls was first inhabited by Native Americans, including the people of the Menominee and Chippewa tribes. The town of Menomonee was created in December 1839. ^[8]

Late 1800s

The Menomonee Falls area continued to grow throughout the 1870s. By 1890, the population of the area was 2,480. ^[9] In 1892, a section of the town of Menomonee was incorporated as the village of Menomonee Falls. In 1894 the first village board was elected and the first village fire department formed. After becoming a village, many important buildings were built, including the village hall/fire station, Menomonee Falls High School, and the Wisconsin Sugar Factory. ^[9] The Wisconsin Sugar Factory employed as many as 500 laborers and produced up to 15 million pounds of sugar annually. ^[10]

Early 1900s

The first public telephone service was offered in 1902; a local electricity plant offered a substitute for kerosene lamps by 1907; water mains were installed in the 1910s; and the first sewer lines were laid in 1924. New neighborhoods were developed and the Menomonee Falls Public Library was built. ^[9] The village's second bank, the Farmers and Merchants Bank, was established in 1908 by attorney Samuel A. Connell. ^[11] By 1910, automobiles started being sold in the village, which led to an increase in paved roads. By 1919, Highway 15 connected Menomonee Falls to Milwaukee and Illinois and, by 1922, to Green Bay. ^[9]

In the early 20th century, a new municipal building was built to house village offices, the fire department, the police department, and a new Menomonee Falls Public Library. A subdivision named Hiawatha Heights added 58 single-family homes with 95% of the home buyers relocating from Milwaukee. ^[10] By 1940, the population had come to 3,674. ^[9] Along with all of this, the building of shopping areas had begun, including the Hiawatha Shopping Center, which today can be seen along Appleton Avenue, with Krueger's Entertainment and Pop's Custard as the main attractions. ^[9]

Mid-1900s

In the 1950s, more subdivisions were built, and US 41 was completed. This increased the attractiveness of Menomonee Falls as there was now an easy commute to Milwaukee jobs. ^[9] In 1958, the village of Menomonee Falls annexed the remainder of the Town of Menomonee, which increased the total area from 2 square miles to 32 square miles and the population from 4,500 to 12,000. ^[9]

In the 1960s, the school district built six new schools because of population growth in the baby boom era. In 1965, a can manufacturing plant with a capacity of 150 million cans per year was established in the village, owned by Containers, Inc., a joint venture of the Miller Brewing Company and Carnation Company. ^[12] "By the end of the 1960s, 48 percent of the population in the Village was 19 years old or under." ^[9] Both a better park system and better public services were developed. Several full-time police officers were hired, along with full-time firefighters. Shopping centers were developed and major employers established in the village, including Harley-Davidson and Wacker Neuson. Old structures were razed to make way for several new streets. ^[9]

Late 1900s

Near the end of the 20th century, Menomonee Falls continued to grow in population. Between 1990 and 2010, the population had grown by almost 9,000. ^[9] New subdivisions and apartments were built in the community. Reports in 2016 state, "As of 2016, the Village had an estimated 36,907 residents and had become an important economic hub of Greater Milwaukee area." ^[9] Major business developments include Kohl's Corporate campus and the Westbrook Corporate Center. A new village hall/municipal center was built and a new Library. ^[10]

Geography

Menomonee Falls Water Tower, May 2004

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 33.31 square miles (86.27 km²), of which, 32.92 square miles (85.26 km²) of it is land and 0.39 square miles (1.01 km²) is water. ^[13]

Neighborhoods

Fussville is a neighborhood of Menomonee Falls located at 43°09′06″N88°04′40″W / 43.15167°N 88.07778°W / 43.15167; -88.07778 (Fussville) . ^[14] Fussville was once a separate unincorporated community; it was annexed by Menomonee Falls sometime between 1950 and 1960. ^{[15] [16]}

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	366		—
1890	422		15.3%
1900	687		62.8%
1910	919		33.8%
1920	1,019		10.9%
1930	1,291		26.7%
1940	1,469		13.8%
1950	2,469		68.1%
1960	18,276		640.2%
1970	31,697		73.4%
1980	27,845		−12.2%
1990	26,840		−3.6%
2000	32,647		21.6%
2010	35,626		9.1%
2020	38,527		8.1%
2022 (est.)	39,107	[17]	1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [18]

2010 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2010, there were 35,626 people, 14,567 households, and 10,028 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,082.2 inhabitants per square mile (417.8/km²). There were 15,142 housing units at an average density of 460.0 per square mile (177.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 91.6% White, 3.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 14,567 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the village was 43.3 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 29.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Economy

The overall economy of Menomonee Falls employs 18,839 people and "is specialized in Management of Companies and Enterprises; Manufacturing; and Wholesale trade". ^[19] The largest industries in the Village are manufacturing, healthcare/social assistance, and retail trade which employ 3,917, 2,704 and 2,465 people respectively. Income per capita with adults and children included is $36,386 with the median household income in Menomonee Falls being $73,350. ^[20] The average male salary is $93,192 and average female salary is $61,294. ^[19] The unemployment rate is 4.00% with a job growth of 0.73%. Sales tax is 5.1% and income tax is at 6.27%. ^[20] Its poverty rate is 3.72%. ^[19]

Companies based in Menomonee Falls include Kohl's and Enerpac Tool Group.

Downtown

Menomonee Falls Downtown is a thriving hub of small businesses and resturaunts centered around the intersection of Appleton Avenue and Main Street. The downtown boasts over a dozen captivating murals, each one telling a unique story that captures the village's rich history, culture, and natural surroundings.

Top employers

According to Menomonee Falls's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, ^[21] the top employers in the village are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Kohl's	4,937
2	Froedtert Health	1,323
3	Harley-Davidson [22]	917
4	FIS Management Services LLC	655
5	Arandell Schmidt	625
6	Menomonee Falls School District	559
7	Wacker Neuson	550
8	Wells Fargo	531
9	Bradley Corporation	370
10	Village of Menomonee Falls	232

Parks and recreation

A 150-acre, 18 hole golf course, partially completed in the mid-1960s, sits at the south east corner of the village. ^[23]

In the mid-1950s, the village held an Annual Field Day, an annual all-village family fair, part of the village's recreation program. ^[24]

Government

Menomonee Falls has a governing body consisting of a board president and a six-member board of trustees. The current village board can be found here.

Education

Menomonee Falls, January 2014

Menomonee Falls School District, which covers much of Menomonee Falls, ^[25] operates Menomonee Falls High School, North Middle School, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Riverside Elementary School, Valley View Elementary School, and Shady Lane Elementary School. Saint Mary's Catholic School, Calvary Baptist School, Grace Lutheran School, Bethlehem Lutheran School, Zion Lutheran School, and Aquinas Academy are private schools in Menomonee Falls.

Southwestern portions of Menomonee Falls lie within the Hamilton School District, ^[25] which also serves all of the communities of Sussex, Lannon, and Butler, portions of Lisbon, and a small part of Pewaukee.

In 2023, $250,000 was cut from the Menomonee Falls Public Library budget and three library board members were ousted with little to no transparency to the public. Fears mounted that the Board would close the library because residents are, according to Brad Jubber, the village board representative on the Library Board at the time, "affluent and can buy their own books. ^[26] "

Media

• The Menomonee Falls Express News ^[27]
• The Menomonee Falls Gazette (1971–1978) – comic strip publication
• The Menomonee Falls Guardian (1973–1976) – comic strip publication
• Menomonee Falls Now ^[28]

Infrastructure

As of 1967, the water supply for the village was provided by a set of four wells, providing a daily water capacity of five million gallons. ^[29]

Transportation

Milwaukee County Transit System bus routes 61 & 79 serve Menomonee Falls

Notable people

• Josh Bilicki, NASCAR driver
• Mark Borchardt, independent filmmaker
• Mel Eslyn, film producer
• Brett Hartmann, National Football League punter ^[30]
• George E. Hoyt, Wisconsin State Representative and Senator
• Andy Hurley, drummer of Fall Out Boy
• Elmer Klumpp, Major League Baseball player
• Cree Myles, influencer, writer and organizer
• Victor Nehs, Wisconsin State Representative ^[31]
• Justus Henry Nelson, Methodist missionary in the Amazon
• John H. Niebler, Wisconsin State Representative
• Vic Perrin, actor
• Richard Riehle, actor
• Lolita Schneiders, Wisconsin State Representative ^[32]
• Barry Schultz, professional disc golfer
• James Sensenbrenner, U.S. congressman
• Mike Solwold, NFL player
• Peter J. Somers, U.S. congressman
• Jessica Szohr, actress
• Bob Uecker, baseball radio broadcaster
• Joel Whitburn, music historian
• Mark Wilson, five-time winner on the PGA Tour

See also

• List of villages in Wisconsin

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 18, 2012.
4. "Menomonee Falls ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
7. Wisconsin Blue Book 2017-2018 (PDF). Madison: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 2017. p. 617.
8. "Waukesha County Outline Map" (Map). Waukesha County 1873. Harrison and Warner. 1873.
9. "Village History". Village of Menomonee Falls. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
10. "Village of Menomonee Falls". Encyclopedia of Milwaukee. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
11. "Bank Sets Open House". Waukesha Freeman Saturday Review. Waukesha, Wisconsin. June 12, 1965. p. 8, Col. 1. Retrieved June 9, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Start Work On Can Firm This Month". Waukesha Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. June 3, 1965. p. 14, Col. 6. Retrieved June 9, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
13. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
14. "Fussville". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
15. "Sussex-Lisbon Historic Society, Land Divisions Within Waukesha County". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
16. "Fussville" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
17. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
18. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
19. "Menomonee Falls, WI". Data USA. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
20. "Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin Economy". www.bestplaces.net. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
21. Village of Menomonee Falls CAFR
22. Shafer, Dan (July 18, 2017). "Harley-Davidson to cut 180 jobs, affecting Milwaukee-area, KC plants" . Milwaukee Business Journal . Retrieved July 19, 2017. She did not provide further details on how many will be affected at Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson's (NYSE: HOG) 912,000-square-foot plant in Menomonee Falls.
23. "Golf Course Is Offered To County". Waukesha Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. June 16, 1966. p. 2, Col. 4. Retrieved June 9, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
24. "Field Day Ends Rec Playground Season At Falls". Waukesha Daily Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. July 30, 1954. p. 9, Col. 5. Retrieved June 9, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
25. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Waukesha County, WI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved March 13, 2023.
26. Hess, Corri (June 6, 2023). "Menomonee Falls residents worried about future of community's library". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
27. Express News official website
28. Menomonee Falls Now official website
29. "Will Enlarge Water Capacity". Waukesha Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. May 10, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved June 9, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
30. Bret Hartmann
31. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1937,' Biographical sketch of Victor Nehs, pg. 206
32. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1995-1996,' Biographical Sketch of Lolita Schneiders, pg. 37

External links

• Official website
• Sanborn fire insurance map: 1910