Oconomowoc
| Oconomowoc | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Location in Wisconsin
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1865 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Wisconsin | ||
| County : | Waukesha County | ||
| Coordinates : | 43 ° 7 ′ N , 88 ° 30 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 ) | ||
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Inhabitants : - Metropolitan Area : |
12,382 (status: 2000) 1,751,316 (status: 2010) |
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| Population density : | 711.6 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 18.6 km 2 (about 7 mi 2 ) of which 17.4 km 2 (about 7 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 263 m | ||
| Postcodes : | 60010, 60011 | ||
| Area code : | +1 847, 224 | ||
| FIPS : | 55-03844 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1570737 | ||
| Website : | www.oconomowocusa.com | ||
| Mayor : | Maurice Sullivan | ||
Oconomowoc is a city in Waukesha County , Wisconsin , United States and part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area . The name Oconomowoc is derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk , the Potawatomi expression for a waterfall in the vicinity. At the 2000 census , the place had 12,382 inhabitants. It is the birthplace of Gwen Obertuck , a singer and actress, and of Jane Wiedlin , who is dedicated to pop music.
geography
The city has an area of around 18 km², of which around 17 km² is land and a good 1 km² is water.
history
The development of Oconomowoc began in 1837 when the first European , a man named Charles Sheldon, came to the area to build his hunting lodge. At that time the Indians of the Potawatomi tribe were already living in a kind of settlement they called Coo-No-Mo-Wauk ( where the waters meet or the river of the lakes ). From this settlement came Oconomowoc, pronounced [oˈkɑnəməˌwɔk] .
With the growth of the city came the arrival of traders . One such settler was John S. Rockwell. He built a flour mill and opened the first shop and hotel. After his death he bequeathed his fortune to the churches. Thanks to his initiative, the fire brigade , library, elementary school and a seminar for young women were founded. Because of his merits he earned the name "Father of Oconomowoc".
In the period between the 1870s and the 1930s, the city developed and was then called "Newport of the West" . The beautiful scenery inspired wealthy families from Chicago , St. Louis and Milwaukee to build country houses on the shores of the lake. Back then, Lake Road was popularly known as Presidents' Avenue because Presidents William Howard Taft , Ulysses S. Grant , Grover Cleveland , Calvin Coolidge , William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt visited Draper Hall regularly and enjoyed the hospitality of the residents.
Twin cities
Since 2009 Oconomovoc twin city of the district town of Dietzenbach in Hessen (Germany).