Neenah, Wisconsin

For the homophonically named city in Ireland, see Nenagh.

Neenah
—  City  —
City of Neenah
Neenah Dam on the Fox River
Neenah Location within the state of Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°10′27″N 88°28′7″W
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Winnebago
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	George Scherck
Area
• Total	9.61 sq mi (24.89 km2)
• Land	9.23 sq mi (23.91 km2)
• Water	0.38 sq mi (0.98 km2)
Population (2010)
• Total	25,501
• Estimate (2011)	25,615
• Density	2,762.8/sq mi (1,066.7/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	54956
Area code(s)	920
FIPS code
GNIS feature ID
Website	Official website

Neo-classical style Equitable Fraternal Union Building with the old City Hall clock tower behind it on S. Commercial St. (Wisconsin Highway 114).

The Neenah Public Library, the clock tower, Shattuck Park, and the Neenah Centers.

Neenah Light on the Fox River

Neenah is a city on Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 25,470 at the 2010 census. The city is bordered by, but is politically independent of, the Town of Neenah. Neenah is the southwestern-most of the Fox Cities of Northeast Wisconsin. It is the smaller in population of the two principal cities of the Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah Combined Statistical Area. The city is on the banks of Lake Winnebago, Little Lake Butte des Morts, and the Fox River. Neenah is sometimes called a twin city with the City of Menasha. Neenah shares Doty Island with Menasha.

History

Neenah was named for the Winnebago word for "water" or "running water" by Governor James Duane Doty. It was the site of a Ho-Chunk village in the late 18th-century.

The area was first designated an industrial and agricultural mission to the Menominee Indians in 1835, and early settlement by Americans of European descent began a few years later, stimulated in large part by the proximity of the area to the Fox River.

A major paper mill was established here in 1873. It was here that the Kimberly-Clark corporation was formed in 1872.

Geography

Neenah is located at 44°10′26″N 88°28′6″W (44.174035, -88.468508).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.61 square miles (24.89 km²), of which, 9.23 square miles (23.91 km²) is land and 0.38 square miles (0.98 km²) is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 25,501 people, 10,694 households, and 6,700 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,762.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,066.7 /km²). There were 11,313 housing units at an average density of 1,225.7 per square mile (473.2 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.7% White, 1.3% African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population.

There were 10,694 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 37.1 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 24,507 people, 9,834 households and 6,578 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,971.7 people per square mile (1,146.9/km²). There were 10,198 housing units at an average density of 1,236.6 per square mile (477.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.08% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 2.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Thirty-five percent of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,773, and the median income for a family was $55,329. Males had a median income of $39,140 versus $25,666 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,280. About 3.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Neenah hosts significant steel and paper industries. Kimberly-Clark was founded in Neenah and maintains significant operations there, though its headquarters moved to Irving, Texas in the 1980s following a dispute over taxes between the CEO and the governor of Wisconsin. Business process outsource organizations have also contributed to the economic health of the city, such as Alta Resources, which is currently headquartered in Neenah.

Manhole covers manufactured at Neenah Foundry can be found throughout the central United States and parts of Europe.

Beyond steel and paper interests, Neenah serves as the headquarters of Plexus, a developer and manufacturer of electronic products. In addition to its headquarters, engineering and manufacturing operations are situated in Neenah. Also headquartered in Neenah are Clearwater Paper, Cobblestone Hotel Group, Bemis Co, Inc., Miron Construction, Menasha Corporation, NM Transfer and Checker Logistics.

Culture

Neenah's Bergstrom-Mahler Museum has a collection of glass art comprising over 3,000 pieces, concentrating in historic paperweights and Germanic glasswork.

Bergstrom-Mahler Museum

Notable people

• Jack Ankerson, NFL player
• George Bergstrom, designer of The Pentagon
• Robert D. Bohn, U.S. Marine Corps Major General
• John A. Bryan, U.S. diplomat
• Elmer J. Burr, Medal of Honor recipient
• Charles B. Clark, U.S. Representative
• Kenneth John Conant, architectural historian, professor at Harvard University
• Samuel A. Cook, U.S. Representative
• Philip Daly, Edmonton, Alberta Alderman
• Harold P. Forsythe, Navy Cross recipient
• Robert Frederick Froehlke, businessman and government official
• Jim Hall, professional boxer
• Marcus Lee Hansen, historian and Pulitzer Prize winner, born in Neenah
• Howard Hawks, film director
• William Hawks, film producer
• Frank Bateman Keefe, U.S. Representative
• Kris Kelderman, MLS player and assistant coach
• Peter Konz, NFL Player
• Wayne Kreklow, NBA player, head coach of the Missouri Tigers women's volleyball team
• Rich Loiselle, MLB player
• Roger Ream, educator
• Reid Ribble, politician
• Ernest J.G. Rusch, Distinguished Service Cross recipient
• John Schneller, NFL player
• John Strange, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
• Kenneth E. Stumpf, Medal of Honor recipient
• Konrad Tuchscherer, professor
• Ryan G. Van Cleave, author and educator
• Edwin Wheeler, politician and jurist
• John Whitlinger, tennis player, born in Neenah
• Tami Whitlinger, WTA player

Images

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  Neenah Post Office

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  Library

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  City hall

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  Theda Clark Medical Center

External links

• Official city website
• Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, world-famous paperweight museum
• Neenah Public Library Local History Collection University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
• Neenah Public Library Home Page