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Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Coordinates:43°4′N88°2′W/ 43.067°N 88.033°W/43.067; -88.033
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Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Wauwatosa along the Menomonee River
Downtown Wauwatosa along theMenomonee River
Nickname:
Tosa
Location of Wauwatosa in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Location of Wauwatosa in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates:43°4′N88°2′W/ 43.067°N 88.033°W/43.067; -88.033
CountryUnited States
StateWisconsin
CountyMilwaukee
IncorporatedMay 27, 1897;127 years ago(1897-05-27)
Government
• MayorDennis McBride
•Congressional Rep.Gwen Moore(D)
Area
[1]
•City13.23 sq mi (34.27 km2)
• Land13.23 sq mi (34.26 km2)
• Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
673 ft (205 m)
Population
(2020)[2]
•City48,387
• Density3,637.86/sq mi (1,404.54/km2)
•Metro
1,753,355 (Milwaukee)
Time zoneUTC−6(Central)
• Summer (DST)UTC−5(CDT)
Area code414
FIPS code55-84675[3]
GNISfeature ID1576335[4]
Websitewww.wauwatosa.net

Wauwatosa(/ˌwɔːwəˈtoʊsə/WAW-wə-TOH-sə;coloquiallyTosa) is a city inMilwaukee County, Wisconsin,United States. The population was 48,387 at the2020 census.Wauwatosa is asuburblocated immediately west ofMilwaukeeand is part of theMilwaukee metropolitan area.It is named after thePotawatomiChief Wauwataesie and the Potawatomi word forfirefly.[6]

History

[edit]

The lushMenomonee Valleyof the Wauwatosa area provided a key overland gateway between the rich glacial farmland of southeastern Wisconsin and thePort of Milwaukee.In 1835, Charles Hart became the first Euro-American to settle here, followed that year by 17 other families. The following year a United States Road was built from Milwaukee through Wauwatosa, eventually reachingMadison.Charles Hart built a mill in 1845 on theMenomonee Riverwhich gave the settlement its original name of "Hart's Mill." The mill was torn down in 1914.[7]

TheTownof Wau-wau-too-sa was created by act of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature on April 30, 1840. As of the 1840census,the population of the Town of Wau-wau-too-sa or Wauwatosa was 342.[8]The town government was organized in 1842. The town's borders originally extended from the present-day Greenfield Avenue in the south to Hampton Avenue in the north, and from 27th Street in the east to theWaukesha Countyline in the west, encompassing sections of present-day Milwaukee, West Milwaukee andWest Allis,plus the southern part of formerNorth Milwaukee,which was wholly annexed into the city of Milwaukee in 1927. Most of the town was farmland through the remainder of the 19th century.

Wauwatosa in 1892

In 1849 theWatertown Plank Roadwas constructed through Wauwatosa, mainly following the old Madison territorial road. In 1851 Wisconsin's first railroad (laterThe Milwaukee Road) established Wauwatosa as its western terminus. The Village of Wauwatosa was incorporated from the central part of the Town of Wauwatosa in 1892, and was rechartered as the City of Wauwatosa on May 27, 1897.[9]

Robertson Ace Hardware Building; one of the original buildings in Wauwatosa

Expansion

[edit]

On November 25, 1952, the City of Wauwatosa more than doubled its size byanne xing8.5 square miles (22 square kilometers) of land west of theMenomonee River,the entire remaining portion of the Town of Wauwatosa,[10]which became the home to several large cold storage and regional food distribution terminals. Industrial plants owned by firms includingHarley-DavidsonandBriggs & Strattonwere also constructed.

In the past 40 years, western Wauwatosa has become anedge citywith an important commercial and retail district built up along Milwaukee's beltlineHighway 100and anchored by theMayfair Mall.

Removal of cross

[edit]

In 1992, Wauwatosa received some national attention when the Wauwatosa Common Council, threatened with a lawsuit, decided to remove aChristian crossfrom the City's seal that had been adopted in 1957. The cross was replaced with the text "In God We Trust".[11]

The seal itself had originally been designed by 9-year old Suzanne Vallier as an entry in a contest among Wauwatosa schoolchildren. The quadrants of the logo's shield represented, from top left going clockwise: an arrowhead representing the Indians who were the original inhabitants of the city; the mill representing Hart's Mill which was the original name of the city; the cross representing the "city of churches"; and the symbol used on street signs representing the "city of homes".[12]

2020 shootings

[edit]

On February 2, 2020, Alvin Cole, a 17-year-oldAfrican-Americanmale, wasshot and killedatMayfair Mallby a police officer responding to a reported disturbance. According to authorities, Cole had been fleeing from police while carrying a stolen handgun. No charges were filed against the officer who fired the fatal shots, sparking protests.[13]

On November 20, ashootingoccurred at the mall, leaving eight people injured. The shooter fled the scene afterwards and remained at large for a day,[14]until the arrest of a 15-year-old suspect.[15]

Geography

[edit]

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 13.25 square miles (34.32 km2), all land.[16]

Eastern Wauwatosa is also known for its homes and residential streets, at one time just a short streetcar ride away from downtown Milwaukee. Prior to the arrival ofDutch elm disease,many of Wauwatosa's older residential streets had large gothic colonnades ofAmerican Elmtrees. In Wauwatosa, the Menomonee Valley made it easier to quarry portions of theNiagara Escarpment,which provided the necessary materials forcream-colored bricksand limestone foundations used in many homes and public buildings throughout the region.

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Wauwatosa, Wisconsin (Mount Mary University) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1946–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 60
(16) 		71
(22) 		86
(30) 		90
(32) 		95
(35) 		104
(40) 		108
(42) 		108
(42) 		100
(38) 		90
(32) 		78
(26) 		68
(20) 		108
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 29.7
(−1.3) 		33.6
(0.9) 		44.3
(6.8) 		56.0
(13.3) 		67.5
(19.7) 		77.9
(25.5) 		82.8
(28.2) 		80.7
(27.1) 		73.8
(23.2) 		60.9
(16.1) 		46.8
(8.2) 		35.2
(1.8) 		57.4
(14.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 21.9
(−5.6) 		25.1
(−3.8) 		35.1
(1.7) 		46.1
(7.8) 		57.5
(14.2) 		67.9
(19.9) 		73.1
(22.8) 		71.2
(21.8) 		63.6
(17.6) 		51.2
(10.7) 		38.5
(3.6) 		27.9
(−2.3) 		48.3
(9.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 14.1
(−9.9) 		16.7
(−8.5) 		25.9
(−3.4) 		36.3
(2.4) 		47.5
(8.6) 		57.9
(14.4) 		63.3
(17.4) 		61.7
(16.5) 		53.3
(11.8) 		41.6
(5.3) 		30.1
(−1.1) 		20.6
(−6.3) 		39.1
(3.9)
Record low °F (°C) −27
(−33) 		−25
(−32) 		−15
(−26) 		11
(−12) 		20
(−7) 		32
(0) 		40
(4) 		41
(5) 		27
(−3) 		16
(−9) 		−8
(−22) 		−22
(−30) 		−27
(−33)
Averageprecipitationinches (mm) 1.48
(38) 		1.49
(38) 		1.79
(45) 		3.71
(94) 		3.73
(95) 		4.84
(123) 		3.57
(91) 		3.68
(93) 		3.02
(77) 		2.73
(69) 		2.05
(52) 		1.73
(44) 		33.82
(859)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 11.0
(28) 		9.9
(25) 		5.3
(13) 		1.5
(3.8) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		2.0
(5.1) 		9.8
(25) 		39.5
(100)
Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) 10.1 8.6 8.9 11.7 13.0 10.9 9.6 9.5 8.5 10.6 9.1 9.9 120.4
Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) 7.3 6.2 3.4 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 5.6 24.7
Source:NOAA[17][18]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19002,842—
19103,34617.7%
19205,81873.9%
193021,194264.3%
194027,76931.0%
195033,32420.0%
196056,92370.8%
197058,6763.1%
198051,310−12.6%
199049,484−3.6%
200047,271−4.5%
201046,396−1.9%
202048,3874.3%
Note: Town of Wauwatosa annexed
by City of Wauwatosa in 1952–54.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $54,519, and the median income for a family was $68,030. Males had a median income of $46,721 versus $35,289 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $28,834. About 2.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

[edit]

As of thecensus[2]of 2010, there were 46,396 people, 20,435 households, and 11,969 families residing in the city. Thepopulation densitywas 3,501.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,352.0/km2). There were 21,520 housing units at an average density of 1,624.2 per square mile (627.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.6%White,4.5%African American,0.3%Native American,2.8%Asian,0.1%Pacific Islander,0.6% fromother races,and 2.2% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 20,435 households, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% weremarried couplesliving together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 39.8 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

Government

[edit]

Wauwatosa has amayor–council government.The mayor is elected to a four-year term.

The Common Council is composed of 16aldermen,two from each of eight districts. They serve four-year terms, with one member from each district up for election every other year. The aldermen set policy and have extensive financial control, but are not engaged in daily operational management.

Politics

[edit]

Wauwatosa is mostly in the5th Wisconsin congressional districtfor the United States House of Representatives, with small parts of northern Wauwatosa in the4th house district.

Wauwatosa voters have supported Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian candidates.

Wisconsin gubernatorial election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2022[20]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Tony Evers 18,544 69.80%
Republican Tim Michels 7,838 29.50%
Others 184 0.7%
United States Senate election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2022[20]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Mandela Barnes 18,099 68.11%
Republican Ron Johnson 8,406 31.63%
Others 68 0.26%
United States presidential election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2020[21]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Joe Biden 20,880 66.03%
Republican Donald Trump 10,104 31.95%
Libertarian Jo Jorgensen 399 1.26%
Others 237 0.76%
Wisconsin gubernatorial election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2018[22]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Tony Evers 15,705 57.26%
Republican Scott Walker 11,276 41.11%
Others 448 1.63%
United States Senate election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2018[22]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Tammy Baldwin 17,126 62.63%
Republican Leah Vukmir 10,162 37.16%
Others 57 0.21%
United States presidential election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2016[23]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Hillary Clinton 16,316 56.87%
Republican Donald Trump 10,034 34.98%
Libertarian Gary Johnson 1,332 4.64%
Others 918 3.2%
United States Senate election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2016[23]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Russ Feingold 15,038 52.31%
Republican Ron Johnson 13,147 45.73%
Others 563 1.96%
Wisconsin gubernatorial election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2014[24]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Scott Walker 12,875 51.83%
Democratic Mary Burke 11,713 47.16%
Others 252 1.01%
United States presidential election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2012[25]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Barack Obama 15,220 50.61%
Republican Mitt Romney 14,511 48.25%
Others 344 1.14%
United States Senate election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2012[25]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Tommy Thompson 14,588 49.24%
Democratic Tammy Baldwin 14,516 49.00%
Others 522 1.76%
Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, June 2012[26]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Scott Walker 14,059 53.63%
Democratic Tom Barrett 12,033 45.90%
Others 125 0.47%
Wisconsin gubernatorial election in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2010[27]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Scott Walker 12,579 51.84%
Democratic Tom Barrett 11,541 47.56%
Others 144 0.06%

Transportation

[edit]

Wauwatosa is served byMCTSRoutes 21, 22, 28, 31, 33, 66, 76 and 92. It is also served byWaukesha Metroroute 1 and MCTS's BRT route, Connect 1 at the Milwaukee County Regional Center.

Interstate 41runs on the westside of the city.

The westernmost portion of theHank Aaron State Trailruns through the city.[28]

TheCanadian Pacific Kansas City(Milwaukee Road) Main line from Chicago to Miles City, which previously extended to Washington runs through Wauwatosa. The line had commuter service between Milwaukee and Watertown until 1972.

Education

[edit]

Wauwatosa is served by the Wauwatosa School District:[29]

  • High Schools:Wauwatosa West,Wauwatosa East
  • Middle Schools:Whitman, Longfellow
  • Elementary Schools:Eisenhower, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, McKinley, Roosevelt, Underwood, Washington, Wilson
  • Additional school-district services are provided to juvenile residents of the Milwaukee County Grounds—atChildren's Hospital of Wisconsinand the Milwaukee County's Children and Adolescent Services Center—through the River Hills School on the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex grounds. County juveniles in secure detention receive educational services through the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School within the Milwaukee County Children's Court building

Catholic elementary schools in the city include St. Bernard, St. Joseph, St. Jude and Christ King. Lutheran Schools include Our Redeemer and St. John's.

Points of interest

[edit]
Church of the Annunciation inWauwatosa,designed byFrank Lloyd Wright

Wauwatosa contains Milwaukee County's Regional Medical Center, which includes theMedical College of Wisconsin,theChildren's Hospital of Wisconsin,andFroedtert Hospital,one of two level-onetrauma centersin the state. Other points of interest are theAnnunciation Greek Orthodox Churchdesigned byFrank Lloyd Wright;and the Memorial Center, built in 1957, which contains the public library, an auditorium, and the city hall. TheWashington Highlands Historic District,a residential neighborhood designed in 1916 by renowned city plannerWerner Hegemann,was added to theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1989, as was theKneeland-Walker House.TheMilwaukee County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy Historic District,located on a former high school campus, was added in 1998. Other buildings on the list include Wauwatosa's oldest house, theLowell Damon House;theThomas B. Hart House;and theWauwatosa Woman's Club Clubhouse.

In July 2019, the Tourism Commission of Wauwatosa sponsored the installation of several new murals by professional artists.[30]The murals are curated by Milwaukee-based public arts agency Wallpapered City, and the artworks appear on buildings from 64th Street to 70th Street along North Avenue.'[31]

[edit]

Wauwatosa is the home town of the narrator of an unrecorded song byBob Dylan,"On, Wisconsin" (not to be confused with theUniversity of Wisconsinfight song of the same name).[32]The lyrics were written by Dylan in 1961, but the song remained unfinished until 2018, when local musicianTrapper Schoeppwrote music to accompany Dylan's lyrics. Schoepp recorded the song at Wauwatosa's Wire & Vice studio for his albumPrimetime Illusion(2019).[33][34]

An episode of thepolice proceduraltelevision showCriminal Minds,entitled "In Name and Blood" (S03 E02), was set in Wauwatosa.[citation needed][35]

Notable people

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedAugust 7,2020.
  2. ^ab"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedNovember 18,2012.
  3. ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
  4. ^"US Board on Geographic Names".United States Geological Survey.October 25, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
  5. ^"Population and Housing Unit Estimates".United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020.RetrievedMay 27,2020.
  6. ^"THE HISTORY OF WAUWATOSA".visitmilwaukee.org.VISIT Milwaukee.RetrievedNovember 21,2018.
  7. ^Milwaukee Journal, July 12, 1914
  8. ^Watrous, Jerome Anthony,Memoirs of Milwaukee County: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Milwaukee County,Chicago: Western Historical Association, 1909; Volume 1, pp. 69-70
  9. ^Village of Wauwatosa."City of Wauwatosa Incorporated May 27, 1897 Under General Law, Recorded Misc. Rec. Vol. 5, PG. 397; Boundary Description"(PDF).Office of the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 4, 2007.RetrievedApril 8,2007.
  10. ^""City of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin: History: 1952" City of Wauwatosa website ".Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2018.RetrievedJuly 5,2014.
  11. ^Thatcher, Betsy (December 16, 1992)."Tosa council drops cross from emblem Quadrant of shield will be plain red field".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.p. 6.RetrievedNovember 23,2023– viaNewsBank.
  12. ^"Suzanne Vallier Wins Wauwatosa Logo Contest".Milwaukee Journal.April 12, 1957.
  13. ^Richmond, Todd."Protests spark in Wisconsin after police officer not charged for death of Black man".Global News.Associated Press.RetrievedNovember 21,2020.
  14. ^Mehlberg, Rusty (November 20, 2020)."Eight people injured after shooting at Mayfair Mall, suspect still at large".WTMJ-AMradio station.RetrievedNovember 20,2020.
  15. ^Ivan Pereira; Joshua Hoyos; Greg Bradbury (November 22, 2020)."Teenager charged in connection with Wisconsin mall shooting".ABC News.RetrievedJuly 20,2022.
  16. ^"US Gazetteer files 2010".United States Census Bureau.Archived fromthe originalon December 20, 2012.RetrievedJune 26,2018.
  17. ^ "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedJune 15,2021.
  18. ^ "Station: MT Mary College, WI".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020).National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedJune 15,2021.
  19. ^"U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Wauwatosa city, Wisconsin".Census.gov.RetrievedJuly 19,2022.
  20. ^ab"Election Summary EL-45".City of Wauwatosa.November 8, 2022.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  21. ^"Wauwatosa Election Results".November 3, 2020.RetrievedNovember 6,2020.
  22. ^ab"Election Summary EL-45".City of Wauwatosa.November 8, 2018.RetrievedMarch 3,2019.
  23. ^ab"Wauwatosa Election Results".November 8, 2016.RetrievedNovember 11,2016.
  24. ^"Wauwatosa Election Results".November 4, 2014.RetrievedMarch 24,2017.
  25. ^ab"Wauwatosa Election Results".November 6, 2012.RetrievedNovember 11,2016.
  26. ^"Wauwatosa Election Results".June 5, 2012.RetrievedNovember 11,2016.
  27. ^"Wauwatosa Election Results".November 2, 2010.RetrievedMarch 14,2017.
  28. ^"Hank Aaron State Trail Map"(PDF).Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail.February 26, 2021.RetrievedJuly 25,2023.
  29. ^"Wauwatosa School District / Home".wauwatosa.k12.wi.us.
  30. ^Tanzilo, Bobby."Wallpapered City is bringing series of murals to the heart of East Tosa".OnMilwaukee.RetrievedApril 19,2019.
  31. ^Inouye, Dominic."The Power of Street Art: Conversations with the New Tosa Muralists".Milwaukee Independent.RetrievedSeptember 2,2019.
  32. ^Robbins, Dean (October 6, 2017)."Bob Dylan's Ode To Wisconsin".Wisconsin Life.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
  33. ^Nelson, James B. (November 14, 2018)."Local musician Trapper Schoepp to release 'On, Wisconsin,' a song he co-wrote with Bob Dylan".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
  34. ^Greene, Andy (November 13, 2018)."How a Wisconsin Singer Got a Bob Dylan Co-Writing Credit for New Song 'On, Wisconsin'".Rolling Stone.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
  35. ^Bernero, Edward Allen (October 3, 2007),In Name and Blood(Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller), Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, The Mark Gordon Company, CBS Paramount Network Television, ABC Signature,retrievedFebruary 18,2021
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