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Cedarburg, Wisconsin

Coordinates: 43°17′18″N 87°59′15″W / 43.28833°N 87.98750°W / 43.28833; -87.98750
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This article is about the city. For the adjacent town, see Cedarburg (town), Wisconsin.
City of Cedarburg, Wisconsin
City
Washington Avenue Historic District in downtown Cedarburg
Washington Avenue Historic District in downtown Cedarburg
Location of Cedarburg in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin.
Location of Cedarburg in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°17′18″N 87°59′15″W / 43.28833°N 87.98750°W / 43.28833; -87.98750
Country United States
State Wisconsin
CountyOzaukee
Incorporated1885; 139 years ago (1885)
Government
 • TypeMayor/Council
 • MayorMike O’Keefe
Area
[1]
 • Total4.88 sq mi (12.64 km2)
 • Land4.83 sq mi (12.52 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation
[2]
784 ft (239 m)
Population
 (2010)[3]
 • Total11,412
 • Estimate 
(2018)[4]
11,536
 • Density2,372.72/sq mi (916.07/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code
53012
Area code262
FIPS code55-13375[5]
GNIS feature ID1562869 [2]
Websiteci.cedarburg.wi.us

Cedarburg is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) north of Milwaukee and near the shores of Lake Michigan. The city is bordered by the village of Grafton to the east and the Town of Cedarburg elsewhere. The population was 11,412 at the 2010 census.

Toponymy

When the first settlers—many of whom were German speakers—arrived in the area, they found white cedar trees growing on the banks of Cedar Creek. One settler named Frederick August Leuning built a cabin near the creek's eastern bank in 1843, and called his home the "Cedarburg," meaning the "cedar castle" or the "fortress of the cedars." The named is a partial calque made by combining the German word "Burg," meaning "Castle" or "Fortress," with the English word "Cedar."[6] In December 1844, the early residents agreed to name the community Cedarburg.

Geography

Cedarburg is located at 43°17'56" North, 87°59'13" West (43.29896, -87.987209).[7] Cedar Creek runs through the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.87 square miles (12.61 km2), of which, 4.83 square miles (12.51 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[8] Several sites in Cedarburg are on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund National Priorities List of hazardous waste sites.[9]

History

The land that became Cedarburg was originally inhabited by the Potawatomi and Sauk tribes of Native Americans. The Potawatomi surrendered their land the United States Federal Government in 1833 through the Treaty of Chicago, which required them to leave Wisconsin by 1838.[10]

The first white settlement in the Cedarburg area was a community called "New Dublin," which later became Hamilton in the town of Cedarburg. The first resident was Joseph Gardenier, who built a log shanty on Cedar Creek as his headquarters for surveying for the construction of the Green Bay Road.[11] In 1848, Hamilton became the first stop on the stagecoach route between Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Most of Cedarburg's early settlers were German immigrants. Ludwig Wilhelm Groth is usually credited with being the first settler of Cedarburg. He purchased land from the government on October 22, 1842, and began platting the banks of Cedar Creek. In 1845, Frederick Hilgen and William Schroeder built a wooden gristmill on Cedar Creek. After eleven years of operation, they replaced the original structure with the five-story, stone Cedarburg Mill, which became the focal point of the new community. Five dams and mills were eventually built along the creek in what are now the city and town of Cedarburg, including the 1864 Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill, which was the largest woolen mill west of Philadelphia.

The first train line, which eventually became part of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, began running through the community in 1870. Cedarburg continued to grow and prosper due to its rail connections, while the surrounding communities of Hamilton, Decker Corner and Horns Corners remained more characteristically rural. Cedarburg incorporated in 1885. At the time, the population was approximately 1,000 people.

In 1897, the woolen mill purchased an electrical generator, which produced the first electric light in the town. In 1901, the city contracted an electric plant with steam engines running two 75 kW generators, and in 1909 the Cedarburg Electric Light Commission was formed to run the utility. In 1923, responsibility for water and sewerage was given to the utility, and it was renamed the Light & Water Commission. The utility is still in business today, and is one of 82 municipally owned electric utilities in Wisconsin.[12]

In the early 20th Century, Cedarburg was a stop on the Milwaukee Interurban Line, which ran through the city from 1908 until 1948. The Ozaukee County line declined and ceased operation following World War II due to increased use of personal automobiles and better roads.

Cedarburg grew rapidly during the post-war suburbanization and economic prosperity. The population increased by more than 84% between 1950 and 1960, from 2,810 to 5,191. This period of population growth witnessed the growth of new industries and housing developments.[13]

Tourism

Street scene, with buildings dating to the late 1800s

The woolen mill closed in 1968 and sat vacant for several years, until an offer was made to buy the buildings. The prospective owner intended to tear them down and build a gas station and a mini-mart. Then mayor, Stephan Fischer, told him he would need a demolition permit. There was no such thing, but it bought enough time that the buildings could be saved.[14] William Welty bought the buildings on the corner and street, opening a restaurant. Jim Pape then bought the mill buildings on the creekside, opening a winery. Known as the Cedar Creek Settlement, the rest of the space was rented out to shops, studios and restaurants.[15]

This began a tourism boom in Cedarburg. As the city became a quaint and pleasant place to visit, more galleries and studios opened, as well as souvenir shops and other attractions. Business associations started weekend festivals, which attracted even more people to the city. In the summer months, local companies sponsor a concert series called Summer Sounds which takes place at Cedar Creek Park.[16]

Since 1974, many buildings in the city of Cedarburg have been added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The individual sites, combined with the Historic Districts, include 216 buildings.[17]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880945—
18901,36144.0%
19001,62619.5%
19101,7779.3%
19201,738−2.2%
19302,05518.2%
19402,2459.2%
19502,81025.2%
19605,19184.7%
19707,69748.3%
19809,00517.0%
19909,8959.9%
200010,90810.2%
201011,4124.6%
2018 (est.)11,536[4]1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $56,431, and the median income for a family was $66,932. Males had a median income of $51,647 versus $30,979 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,455. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

Hilgen's and Schroeder's 1855 Cedarburg Mill, and a 1926 Wadham's pagoda

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 11,412 people, 4,691 households, and 3,060 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,362.7 inhabitants per square mile (912.2/km2). There were 4,916 housing units at an average density of 1,017.8 per square mile (393.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 4,691 households of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13% 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.

The median age in the city was 43.1 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

Education

Public schools

  • Cedarburg High School
  • Parkview Elementary School
  • Thorson Elementary School
  • Webster Middle School
  • Westlawn Elementary School

Parochial schools

  • First Immanuel Lutheran School
  • St. Francis Borgia School

Attractions

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "2017 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Mar 28, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  4. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ Harold E. Hansen. Sketches of Cedarburg: Celebrating 100 Years. Cedarburg: Cedarburg Commemorative Corp., 1985, p. 1.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  8. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  9. ^ Environmental Protection Agency. EPA adds Cedarburg, Wis., site to Superfund list
  10. ^ "Early history of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin". University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  11. ^ "Town of Cedarburg". History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Publishing. 1881. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  12. ^ Cedarburg Light & Water Archived December 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Encyclopedia of Milwaukee: Cedarburg". University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  14. ^ Steffes, Judy (November 9, 2007). "Cedarburg has formula for model downtown". BizTimes.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  15. ^ "History Cedarburg Woolen Mill Cedar Creek Settlement". Ozaukee County. Archived from the original on August 3, 2007. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  16. ^ "Summer Sounds". Cedarburg Music Festivals. Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  17. ^ Cedarburg Wisconsin
  18. ^ Wisconsin Covered Bridges List
  19. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  20. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1893,' Biographical Sketch of Frederick W. Horn, pg. 634
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cedarburg.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cedarburg, Wisconsin.
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