Whitewater, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Whitewater is a city in Jefferson
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 74,021. Its county seat is Jefferson.-Geography:According to the U.S...

 and Walworth
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 102,228. Its county seat is Elkhorn.-Geography:According to the U.S...

 Counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. Located near the southern portion of the Kettle Moraine State Forest
Kettle Moraine State Forest
The Kettle Moraine State Forest is a state forest in southeastern Wisconsin, USA. The chief feature of the reserve is the Kettle Moraine, a highly glaciated area. The area contains very hilly terrain and glacial landforms, such as kettles, kames and eskers...

, Whitewater is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.

Geography

Whitewater is located at 42°50′6"N 88°44′10"W (42.834950, -88.736119).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of which 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (3.98%) is water. Most of the city lies in Walworth County.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

 of 2000, there were 13,437 people, 4,132 households, and 1,685 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 1,923.5 people per square mile (742.2/km²). There were 4,340 housing units at an average density of 621.3 per square mile (239.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.25% White, 2.34% African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.47% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.48% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.50% of the population.

There were 4,132 households out of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.2% were non-families. 32.7% 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 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 12.5% under the age of 18, 53.2% from 18 to 24, 15.7% from 25 to 44, 9.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,600, and the median income for a family was $48,185. Males had a median income of $33,078 versus $22,431 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $13,965. About 10.6% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

Whitewater was founded at the confluence of Whitewater Creek and Spring Brook, and named for the white sand in their beds. A gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...

 was built on Whitewater creek, the resulting pond now called Lake Cravath. The town grew quickly when the first railroad line in Wisconsin passed through in 1853, but struggled when the two largest employers left town.
In 2006, local historian Fred Kraege published a historical overview of the city, titled Whitewater, with Arcadia Press.

Local government

The City of Whitewater has a council-manager
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...

 form of government. Whitewater's Common Council is made up of one member from each of the five districts in the city and two members-at-large. The City Manager is Kevin Brunner. The Municipal Judge is Richard Kelly.

Council members

  • District 1: Jim Olsen
  • District 2: Javonni Butler
  • District 3: Jim Winship
  • District 4: Lynn Binnie
  • District 5: Patrick Singer, Council President
  • Member-at-Large: Jim Stewart
  • Member-at-Large: Marilyn Kienbaum


The Common Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at City Hall, with its meetings being broadcast live on Whitewater Public Television.

Culture

Annual events in Whitewater include an Open House in December, "Freeze Fest" in January, the Bridal Fair, Donkey Basketball and Farm Toy Show in February, Maxwell Street Day and the 4th of July Celebration in July. Adding to these annual events are the Minneiska Water Ski Shows Saturday evenings on Whitewater Lake. Twice weekly throughout the year free guided walks are held of the city. Departing from the Hwy 12 crossing of the Ice Age Trail, group biking tours depart several times a week from the area. September through April, Young Auditorium at the university features world class entertainment.

Churches


School District

The Whitewater Unified School District (WWUSD) contains 5 schools.

Schools

  • Whitewater High School (WHS)
  • Whitewater Middle School (WMS)
  • Washington Elementary School
  • Lakeview Elementary School
  • LINCS Charter School (Formerly Lincoln Elementary School)

Notable residents

Notable people associated with Whitewater include:
  • Stephen Ambrose
    Stephen Ambrose
    Stephen Edward Ambrose was an American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. He was a long time professor of history at the University of New Orleans and the author of many best selling volumes of American popular history...

    , author, historian
  • John Belushi
    John Belushi
    John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...

    , comedian, actor (attended UW–Whitewater)
  • Tom Bigelow
    Tom Bigelow
    Tom Bigelow , USA, is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.-Midget car racing:...

    , auto racer
  • Edward S. Curtis
    Edward S. Curtis
    Edward Sheriff Curtis was a photographer of the American West and of Native American peoples.-Early life:...

    , photographer, director, actor, cinematographer
  • James Oscar Green, Jr.
    James Oscar Green, Jr.
    James Oscar Green, Jr. was an officer in the United States Army during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Battle of Château-Thierry .His award citation reads:...

    , Distinguished Service Cross
    Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
    The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...

     recipient
  • Kim Hixson
    Kim Hixson
    Kim Hixson was a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 43rd Assembly District 2007-2011. He chaired the Colleges and Universities Committee and was a member of the Education, Financial Institutions, Work Force Development, and Consumer Protection committees...

    , Wisconsin politician
  • Tom Hulce
    Tom Hulce
    Thomas Edward "Tom" Hulce is an American actor and theater producer. As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Mozart in the movie Amadeus and his role as "Pinto" in National Lampoon's Animal House. Additional acting awards included a total of four Golden Globe...

    , actor
  • Jeff Jagodzinski
    Jeff Jagodzinski
    -United Football League:-External links:*...

    , NFL assistant coach, former head coach of the Boston College Eagles
    Boston College Eagles football
    The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...

  • Dale Markham
    Dale Markham
    Dale Markham was a player in the National Football League for the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals in 1980 and 1981 as a tackle and defensive end. He played at the collegiate level at the University of North Dakota.-References:...

    , NFL player
  • Benjamin McCready
    Benjamin McCready
    Benjamin Donald McCready is an American portrait painter.Ben McCready was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has painted more than 600 commissioned portraits. Notable portrait clients include President Gerald R. Ford, President Ronald W. Reagan, President George H. W. Bush, President James Earl...

    , painter
  • Stephen Nass
    Stephen Nass
    Stephen L. Nass is a Wisconsin politician and legislator.Born in Whitewater, Wisconsin, Nass graduated from Whitewater High School before receiving a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in 1978. He also received a M.S.Ed...

    , Wisconsin politician
  • David Obey, Wisconsin politician
  • Leon Pescheret
    Leon Pescheret
    Leon Rene Pescheret was a designer, etcher, and illustrator born in Chiswick, England in 1892.He studied interior design at the Art Institute of Chicago. Among his design projects was the Memorial Union at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He authored the book The Principles and Practice of...

    , painter, architect
  • Elaine Roe
    Elaine Roe
    Second Lieutenant Elaine A. Roe was an officer in the United States Army during World War II. She was awarded the Silver Star for her actions during Operation Shingle...

    , U.S. Army officer, one of the first four women to be awarded the Silver Star
    Silver Star
    The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

  • Henry Edgar Roethe
    Henry Edgar Roethe
    Henry Edgar Roethe of Fennimore, Wisconsin was the Republican candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in 1914.-Biography:Born in Whitewater, Wisconsin, he moved to Fennimore, Wisconsin where he bought and published a newspaper. Roethe served in the Wisconsin State Assembly 1907-1910, 1913-1914. From...

    , Wisconsin legislator
  • Eric Studesville
    Eric Studesville
    Eric Studesville is an American football coach. In December 2010, Studesville became the interim head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He replaced Josh McDaniels after 12 games in the 2010 NFL Season...

    , NFL assistant coach
  • Eleazer Wakeley
    Eleazer Wakeley
    Eleazer Wakeley was a Nebraska and Wisconsin politician and jurist.Born in Homer, New York, Wakeley and his family moved first to Pennsylvania and then to Elyria, Ohio, where he studied the law and was admitted to the Ohio bar. His father was Solmous Wakeley, who served in the Wisconsin Legislature...

    , Justice of the Nebraska Territory
    Nebraska Territory
    The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854...

     Supreme Court
  • Bob Wickman
    Bob Wickman
    Robert Joe Wickman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wickman played for the New York Yankees , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves , and Arizona Diamondbacks . He batted and threw right-handed...

    , major league pitcher (attended UW–Whitewater)
  • Morris Pratt
    Morris Pratt
    Morris Pratt was the founder of the Morris Pratt Institute of spiritualism. He built a college in Whitewater, Wisconsin for the study of psychic phenomenon that became known by residents as the "Spook Temple".- Birth :...

    , psychic and spiritualist.

External links

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