82-609: Mequon ( / ˈ m ɛ k w ɒ n / ) is the most populous city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin , United States. The population was 25,142 at the 2020 census . Located on Lake Michigan 's western shore with significant commercial developments along Interstate 43 , the community is a suburb in the Milwaukee metropolitan area . Despite being the third-largest city in Wisconsin by land area, approximately half of Mequon's land
164-465: A 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $ 50,044 versus $ 30,476 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 31,947. About 1.7% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over. The Association of Religion Data Archives reported that as of 2010, the largest religious group in Ozaukee County
246-622: A close relationship, with a shared chamber of commerce, library, and school district. Lutheranism has played a significant role in Mequon since the community's early years. Some of the first German settlers were Old Lutherans who founded the Freistadt community—now a neighborhood in western Mequon—in 1839 and went on to form the first Lutheran congregation in Wisconsin. In the 21st century, there are more Lutheran churches in Mequon than churches of any other single denomination. Additionally, Mequon
328-712: A downtown area with stores, mills, and professional services. The village of Thiensville incorporated in 1910. In 1945, eighty German prisoners of war from Camp Fredonia in Little Kohler, Wisconsin were contracted to work at the Herbert A. Nieman Canning Company in the village to make up for the loss of labor due to local men fighting in World War II . German prisoners from Camp Rockfield in Rockfield, Wisconsin , (located in present-day Germantown ) also worked at
410-456: A group of Native American laborers to construct a dam and a canal. He then built a sawmill and a store. Thien hosted the first town meeting for the Town of Mequon in 1846, and in 1857 he established the volunteer fire department and served as its first captain. Thien was a freethinker , as were many of the early German settlers. The influence of the freethinker societies kept formal churches out of
492-465: A harbor in Port Washington on Lake Michigan, though not in the lakeside communities of Mequon or Grafton due to high bluffs along the lakeshore. The Ozaukee County Interurban Trail is a multimodal trail for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles. It runs through Grafton and connects to Sheboygan County and Brown Deer Trails via the old Milwaukee-Sheboygan Passenger Rail line. Public transit
574-418: A kosher fish and meat counter. Unitarian Church North, a Unitarian Universalist congregation is located in northern Mequon, along Interstate 43. Mequon has had a mayor–council government since its incorporation in 1957. The current mayor is Andrew Nerbun, who was elected to his first three-year term on April 5, 2022. The eight aldermen on the common council also serve three-year terms. The council meets on
656-510: A male householder with no wife present, and 23.7% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the city was 45.9 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.2% were from 25 to 44; 34.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
738-566: A market town along the local railway, providing services to the farmers. Thiensville incorporated as a village in 1910. Mequon remained rural in the early 20th century but experienced significant population growth during the suburbanization that followed World War II. The community incorporated as a city in 1957 to avoid annexation by the City of Milwaukee . The City of Mequon completely surrounds Thiensville, leading some residents to call Thiensville "Mequon's donut hole." The two municipalities have
820-481: A new, larger church and school facility opened to serve all of Mequon's congregants. The parish operates a school for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The metro-Milwaukee area's Jewish community is concentrated on Milwaukee's upper east side and in the suburbs north of the city along Lake Michigan. Mequon is the northernmost suburb with a significant Jewish presence. There are two synagogues in Mequon:
902-403: A newly acquired campus in Mequon. In 1994, St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee opened. As of 2015, the two institutions—both located in close proximity to Interstate 43 —were among the largest employers in Ozaukee County. Despite the growth of new industries, half of Mequon's land remains undeveloped and agriculture continues to play a significant role in the local economy. The Frank L. Weyenberg Library
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#1732772292440984-518: A private library of primarily theological materials, containing over 50,000 print books and an archive of over 400 publications from a variety of Christian denominations. The seminary owns a collection of rare antique books dating to the 16th through 18th centuries by theologians including Johann Wilhelm Baier , Abraham Calovius , Martin Chemnitz , Johann Gerhard and Martin Luther. The oldest item in
1066-595: Is Port Washington . Ozaukee County is included in the Milwaukee – Waukesha – West Allis , WI Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 Census, Ozaukee County had the second-lowest poverty rate of any county in the United States, at 2.6%. In terms of per capita income, it is the 25th-wealthiest county in the country. "Ozaukee" comes from the Ojibwe name for the Sauk people. It probably means "people living at
1148-627: Is a private research library with a collection of over 100,000 physical books and 400 scholarly journals. The Rinker library also has access to an additional 150,000 eBooks and 50,000 electronic periodicals. The university's Arnold H. and Vern L. Moeller Rare Books Room contains a collection of over 300 items dating from the 15th through 19th centuries, primarily related to the historical development of Lutheranism, including texts by Augustine of Hippo , Francis Bacon , Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon . Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary hosts
1230-561: Is a public library serving Mequon and Thiensville. In addition to its collection of physical media, the library provides patrons with digital resources and meeting space. In 2018, the library made 307,796 loans to patrons. The library is a member of the Monarch Library System, comprising thirty-one libraries in Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Dodge counties. The Rincker Memorial Library at Concordia University Wisconsin
1312-539: Is affiliated with the mainline Protestant ELCA. Other mainline Protestant congregations include the Presbyterian Church (USA) -affiliated Crossroads Presbyterian, Mequon United Methodist Church , and St. Boniface Episcopal Church . The evangelical Protestant churches in Mequon include Alliance Bible Church, Christ Church, the evangelical Presbyterian Grace 242, and Vessels of Honor. Additionally, two Pentecostal congregations—Christian Life Church and
1394-540: Is also a large tamarack swamp along the Little Menomonee River. Much of the original forest was cleared to prepare the land for agriculture. As land development continues to reduce wild areas, wildlife is forced into closer proximity with human communities like Mequon. Large mammals, including white-tailed deer , coyotes , and red foxes can be seen in the city. Many birds, including chimney swifts , great blue herons , and wild turkeys are found in
1476-400: Is home to two private Lutheran post-secondary institutions: Concordia University Wisconsin and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary . In addition to having other Christian denominations, Mequon is also the northernmost of Milwaukee's suburbs to have a sizable Jewish community. "Mequon" may have come from the Ojibwe word "Emikwaan" or "Miguan", meaning ladle, referring to the shape of the river in
1558-511: Is land and 2.49 square miles (6.45 km) is water. As of 2005, Mequon was the third-largest city in terms of land area in the state of Wisconsin . Though much of the population lives in residential areas, approximately half of the land within the city's boundaries is undeveloped or farmed. The Village of Thiensville is an enclave in central Mequon. The city is also bordered by the Town of Cedarburg , City of Cedarburg , and Town of Grafton to
1640-574: Is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee , with 28,644 adherents spread across eight parishes. Although the number of Catholics in the county is around the same as it was in 1990, the number of parishes has declined from twelve in 1990 to eight in 2010, because of the mergers of small, rural and local parishes into larger, multi-campus parishes, such as the St. John XXIII Congregation in Port Washington and Saukville, which formed from
1722-531: Is undeveloped, and agriculture plays a significant role in the local economy. When the first white settlers arrived in the 1830s, the Mequon area was inhabited by the Menominee , Potawatomi , and Sauk people . In the 1840s, German immigrants settled in the community, building farms and hydropowered mills along the Milwaukee River . Much of the community remained rural, while Thiensville developed as
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#17327722924401804-570: The Assemblies of God -affiliated Restoration Church—are located in the city. The Jehovah's Witnesses also have a Kingdom Hall in Mequon. There once were two Catholic Churches in the Mequon area: St. Cecilia Catholic Church and School in Thiensville and St. James Catholic Church and School in Mequon. The two parishes merged in 1984 to form Lumen Christi Catholic Church, although the church maintained two campuses until September 2016, when
1886-535: The Lutheran Synod of Buffalo was organized in Freistadt. However, the Freistadt church became a part of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod in 1848. The wooden church was replaced with a limestone building in 1884. Joachim Heinrich Thien moved to the area in 1842 from Oldenburg , Prussia , and helped design a plan for the settlement that would become Thiensville . A year later he employed
1968-883: The Orthodox Congregation Anshai Lebowitz and the Peltz Center for Jewish Life, which is affiliated with the Chabad movement. Additionally, Mequon is home to the Ovation Sarah Chudnow Jewish retirement community; the Blane Goodman Funeral Service, LLC, which claims to be the Milwaukee area's "only Jewish funeral directors;" and a Roundy's Metro Market with extensive kosher options, including Pas Yisroel bakery, Chalav Yisrael dairy, and
2050-618: The Wisconsin State Senate . Eastern Mequon is part of the Wisconsin State Assembly 's 23rd District and is represented by Deb Andraca (D), while western Mequon is part of the 24th District and is represented by Dan Knodl (R). Ozaukee County, Wisconsin Ozaukee County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin . As of the 2020 census , the population was 91,503. Its county seat
2132-588: The common reed , purple loosestrife , garlic mustard , Eurasian buckthorns , and honeysuckles . Mequon experiences four distinct seasons , with variation in precipitation and temperature being very wide. The warmest month of the year tends to be July, when the high temperature averages 81 °F (27 °C), with low temperatures of approximately 59 °F (15 °C). January is the coldest month in Mequon, with average high temperatures averaging only 27 °F (−3 °C), and lows averaging 11 °F (−12 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded in Mequon
2214-445: The 1840s, German , Irish , and Luxembourger immigrants began settling in the county. Germans were the largest ethnic group in and 19th century Ozaukee County, with seven in eight residents being of German descent according to the 1870 census. The earliest settlements formed around grist- and sawmills located on the county's waterways. Cedarburg , Grafton , Hamilton , Newburg , Saukville , and Thiensville all had mills by end of
2296-480: The 1840s. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the county economy was primarily based on agriculture. The beginning of the American Civil War saw some chaos in Ozaukee County. The county was one of the areas affected by Wisconsin's "Great Indian Scare" of September 1862, in which some residents panicked because of unfounded rumors of a Native American uprising in the state. The panic was exacerbated by
2378-605: The 1920s. In 1928, 6,600 of the 8,841 pelts sold by the New York Auction Co. came from the Fromm and Nieman operations in Wisconsin for a record-breaking sum of $ 1,021,000. In 1929, the Nieman and Fromm operations broke their own record with auction sales of $ 1,331,679, making them a leader in the national fur industry. By 1937, the farms were selling 30,000 pelts per year. After World War II, changing consumer tastes caused
2460-562: The City of Mequon. Today, it is the largest and most populous city in Ozaukee County. The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary was established in 2021 in the waters of Lake Michigan, with its southern portion lying off roughly the northern half of Ozaukee County′s coastline. The national marine sanctuary is the site of a large number of historically significant shipwrecks . Ozaukee County covers 233 square miles of land, making it
2542-503: The Fromm Bros., Nieman & Co. Fox Ranch in northern Mequon. In the 20th century, Mequon and the village of Thiensville developed a close relationship, with a shared school district, chamber of commerce, and library. The Town of Mequon experienced significant population growth during the suburbanization that followed World War II. Between 1950 and 1960, the population increased by roughly 110%, from 4,065 to 8,543. With growth came
Mequon, Wisconsin - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-552: The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company (TMERL) provided electric interurban passenger and freight service from Sheboygan to Milwaukee with stops at Belgium, Port Washington, Grafton, Cedarburg, Thiensville, Mequon, and other villages as well as major road crossings within Ozaukee County. The interurban cars ran approximately once per hour and delivered Ozaukee County agricultural products, such as milk and meat, to Milwaukee grocers and butchers. In 1940,
2706-619: The Mississippi River to Kansas , some chose to remain in Wisconsin, and were known as "strolling Potawatomi" because they were migrant squatters . Eventually the Potawatomi who evaded forced removal gathered in northern Wisconsin, where they formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community . The first whites in the area were primarily New England land speculators, who began purchasing land from
2788-540: The Potawatomi who evaded forced removal gathered in northern Wisconsin, where they formed the Forest County Potawatomi Community . European trappers, explorers, and traders used the Milwaukee River through the middle of what is now Mequon as a means of transportation. The first permanent white settlers arrived in the mid-1830s from New York, England, and Ireland. One of the first settlers was John Weston, who settled near present-day Thiensville in 1837 and served as
2870-723: The United States Federal Government through the Treaty of Washington . The Potawatomi surrendered the area of Mequon west of the Milwaukee River in 1833 through the 1833 Treaty of Chicago , which (after being ratified in 1835) required them to leave the area by 1838. While many Native people moved west of the Mississippi River to Kansas , some chose to remain, and were referred to as "strolling Potawatomi" in contemporary documents because many of them were migrants who subsisted by squatting on their ancestral lands, which were now owned by white settlers. Eventually
2952-687: The WELS-affiliated Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is a men's post-secondary educational institution that trains pastors for the synod. Beautiful Savior Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran (Freistadt) are affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . Trinity (Freistadt) also operates a private school for students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and the Missouri Synod operates Concordia University Wisconsin, one of eight campuses in its Concordia University System . Grace Lutheran Church in Thiensville
3034-502: The Wisconsin legislature bisected Washington County into northern and southern counties, with Port Washington as the northern seat and Cedarburg as the southern. County residents failed to ratify the bill, and in 1853 the legislature instead bisected the county into eastern and western sections, creating Ozaukee County. Port Washington became the seat of the new county, and the Washington County seat moved to West Bend . In
3116-427: The age of 18 living with them, 65.60% were married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under
3198-437: The age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 62,745, and the median income for a family was $ 72,547 (these figures had risen to $ 73,197 and $ 88,231 respectively as of
3280-500: The area. Alternatively, the name may come from a Menominee word Mēkon , meaning "feather." The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, including the Menominee , Potawatomi , and Sauk people . In the early 19th century, the Potawatomi had a village in present-day Thiensville located on Pigeon Creek, north of Freistadt Road. In 1832, the Menominee surrendered the land between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan to
3362-403: The average family size was 3.09. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. The median income for a household in the city
Mequon, Wisconsin - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-568: The center of the county including Thiensville, Cedarburg, Grafton and Saukville. Around the same time the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway constructed its railway on the eastern edge of the county along Lake Michigan, also to connect Milwaukee and Northern Wisconsin. It reached fewer communities compared to the M&;N line, only serving Port Washington. Regardless the railroads spurred development in Ozaukee County by providing efficient freight and passenger transportation. From 1908 to 1940,
3526-586: The city is in the Southern Lake Michigan Coastal ecological landscape. The Milwaukee River and its tributary Pigeon Creek flow through the eastern part of the city. Little Menomonee Creek and the Little Menomonee River, which are tributaries of the Menomonee River , flow through western Mequon. Before white settlers arrived in the area, Mequon was an upland forest dominated by American beech and sugar maple trees. There
3608-412: The city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female. U.S. Census Bureau estimated the median income for a household in the city in 2009–2011 to be $ 106,647, and the median income for a family to be $ 124,422. The per capita income for the city estimated at $ 64,530. About 1.2% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over. During
3690-419: The city was 92.0% White , 2.8% African American , 0.1% Native American , 3.6% Asian , 0.3% from other races , and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population. There were 8,598 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had
3772-438: The city. The city is also home to many rare and notable species, including the state-designated endangered pinedrops and heartleaf plantain ; threatened forked aster , snow trillium , and yellow gentian ; as well as American gromwell and twinleaf , which are state-designated special concern plant species. The region struggles with many invasive species, including the emerald ash borer , common carp , reed canary grass ,
3854-405: The collection is a 1487 edition of a commentary by Nicholas of Lyra . Lutheranism has played an important role in Mequon since the community's earliest years. In 1840, a group of Old Lutheran immigrants from Prussia established Trinity Lutheran Church of Freistadt, the first Lutheran congregation in Wisconsin. In 1845, the Lutheran Synod of Buffalo , one of the predecessor organizations of
3936-511: The county along the Milwaukee River and its tributaries. The Menominee surrendered their claims to the land east of the Milwaukee River to the United States Federal Government in 1832 through the Treaty of Washington . The Potawatomi surrendered their claims to the land west of the river in 1833 through the 1833 Treaty of Chicago , which (after being ratified in 1835) required them to leave the area by 1838. While many Potawatomi people moved west of
4018-557: The county was 89.9% White , 2.5% Asian , 1.7% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 1.1% from other races , and 4.6% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 82,317 people, 30,857 households, and 23,019 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile (137 people/km ). There were 32,034 housing units at an average density of 138 units per square mile (53 units/km ). The racial makeup of
4100-475: The county was 96.72% White , 0.93% Black or African American , 0.20% Native American , 1.07% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.34% from other races , and 0.73% from two or more races. 1.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 47.2% were of German , 7.3% Irish and 6.7% Polish ancestry. 95.1% spoke English , 1.6% Spanish and 1.4% German as their first language. There were 30,857 households, out of which 36.00% had children under
4182-402: The county. The last day of service was June 28th 2024. As one of the suburban “WOW” counties surrounding Milwaukee , Ozaukee County is a Republican stronghold in U.S. presidential elections, having voted Republican in all elections (except one) since 1940. Lyndon B. Johnson was the last Democrat to carry the county in a presidential election, in 1964. Following similar suburban trends across
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#17327722924404264-410: The courthouse, attacked the official in charge of implementing the draft, burned draft records, and vandalized the homes of Union supporters. The riot ended when eight detachments of Union troops from Milwaukee were deployed. In the 1870s the Milwaukee & Northern Railway was constructed to connect Milwaukee and northern Wisconsin including Green Bay, along its route it reached many communities in
4346-740: The early Native American presence in the Saukville area is the Ozaukee County Birdstone , discovered by a six-year-old farm boy in 1891. While the exact age of the Ozaukee County Birdstone remains uncertain, many birdstones date from a period ranging from 3000 BCE to 500 BCE. In the early 19th century, the Native Americans living in Ozaukee County included the Menominee , Potawatomi , and Sauk people . There were numerous Native American villages in
4428-525: The evangelical Christian and Missionary Alliance with two congregations, 794 non-denominational Christians with four congregations, and 695 adherents of Orthodox and Reconstructionist Judaism with three synagogues, as well as other congregations in the Baháʼí , Christian Scientist , evangelical Protestant , Greek Orthodox , Hindu , Jehovah's Witnesses , Latter-day Saints , mainline Protestant , and Unitarian Universalist traditions. Ozaukee County has
4510-651: The fact that 30,000 Wisconsinites were away, serving in the war, so residents may have felt especially vulnerable. Some residents fled their homes for Milwaukee, while others holed up in makeshift fortresses, as happened at the Cedarburg Mill . Several months after the panic, the United States Congress implemented the draft, which was unpopular among German immigrants with bad memories of mandatory conscription in their homelands. On November 10, 1862, several hundred Port Washington residents marched on
4592-411: The farms to begin breeding mink in addition to silver fox. Fur sales declined later in the 20th century, and the Mequon farms sold their last pelts in 1985. The mid-to-late 20th century saw diversification in Mequon's economy. Retail stores opened to serve the increasingly suburban community, and manufacturers opened plants. In 1983, Concordia University Wisconsin moved from its campus in Milwaukee to
4674-480: The first postmaster of the Town of Mequon. One of the oldest surviving buildings from this period is the Isham Day House , constructed in 1839 on the west bank of the river. The first Germans arrived in 1839, and in the 1840s Germans became the largest ethnic group in Mequon and Ozaukee County. In October 1839, a party of twenty German families from Pomerania , Prussia , settled the Freistadt community in
4756-478: The government in 1835 at the price of $ 1.25 per acre. One of these land speculators was Wooster Harrison, who settled the land that would become Port Washington in 1835, which he originally named "Wisconsin City." At the time, the land was part of Washington County , and there were proposals that Port Washington become the county seat. However, Port Washington was far from the county's other early settlements, including Mequon , Grafton and Germantown . In 1850,
4838-403: The interurban ceased servicing Sheboygan due to declining ridership. Port Washington became the line's new northern terminus before the Ozaukee County line ceased operation in 1948. Ozaukee County's communities experienced significant population growth during the suburbanization that followed World War II. Between 1940 and 1980, the population more than tripled, from 18,985 to 66,981. Although
4920-541: The interurban to Milwaukee declined service and finally ceased operation after the war, the construction of Interstate 43 in the mid-1960s allowed more residents to commute long distances to jobs and this encouraged residential home construction. Communities that experienced the most significant population growth, such as Cedarburg and Grafton, began to annex agricultural land for residential subdivisions and retail commercial development. The previously rural Town of Mequon became increasingly suburban and incorporated in 1957 as
5002-608: The lake. Clay bluffs are a geological formation characteristic of the Lake Michigan shoreline, and are found in few other areas of the world. Much of the coast has mixed gravel and sand beaches. The city is located in the Southeastern Wisconsin glacial till plains that were created by the Wisconsin glaciation during the most recent ice age. The soil is clayey glacial till with a thin layer of loess on
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#17327722924405084-546: The land in the community is undeveloped. Mequon is located at 43°13′27″N 87°57′36″W / 43.22417°N 87.96000°W / 43.22417; -87.96000 (43.224243, −87.960094), about 15 miles (24 km) north of Milwaukee and is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 48.77 square miles (126.31 km), of which, 46.28 square miles (119.86 km)
5166-636: The merger of three parishes and holds services in three church buildings. Other large religious groups in the county include 8,464 Missouri Synod Lutherans with seven congregations, 5,094 ELCA Lutherans with ten congregations, 2,702 Wisconsin Synod Lutherans with seven congregations, 1,795 adherents of the Presbyterian Church (USA) with one congregation, 1,558 adherents of the United Church of Christ with three congregations, 1,154 UMC Methodists with three congregations, 1,061 adherents of
5248-567: The modern Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) , formed in Freistadt. As of 2020, four churches—Christ Alone Evangelical; Christ Alone Evangelical, North Campus; St. John's Evangelical; and Trinity (West Mequon)—are affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Christ Alone Evangelical Lutheran Church also operates a school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and
5330-465: The mounds. Radiocarbon samples from the excavation date the mounds' construction to approximately 480 BCE, making it one of the oldest mound groups in the state. In the mid-1800s, Increase A. Lapham identified a group of circular mounds in the Saukville area and found a stone ax. In his writing, Lapham did not speculate about the age of the artifact or the mounds. An additional artifact of
5412-564: The mouth of a river." The Hilgen Spring Mound Site is one of the oldest-known sites of human habitation of Ozaukee County. Located near Cedar Creek in the eastern part of the City of Cedarburg , the site consists of three conical burial mounds constructed by early Woodland period Mound Builders . In 1968, archaeologists from the Milwaukee Public Museum found human burials and artifacts, including stone altars, arrowheads, and pottery shards, during an excavation of one of
5494-557: The nation, the county has grown more Democratic in recent years. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win over 40% of the vote since 1964. Biden also won the municipality of Cedarburg , the first time a Democrat has won a municipality in any of the WOW Counties since 1996. Progressive judge Janet Protasiewicz received nearly 48% of the vote in Ozaukee in the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election . In 2024,
5576-468: The north; Lake Michigan to the east; the Village of Bayside , Village of River Hills , Village of Brown Deer , and City of Milwaukee to the south; and the Village of Germantown to the west. The city is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan , and the coastline is characterized by clay bluffs ranging from 80 to 140 feet (24 to 43 meters) in height with deep ravines where streams flow into
5658-407: The population. There were 7,861 households, out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.8% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and
5740-599: The risk that municipalities such as Thiensville or Milwaukee would try to annex land from the Town of Mequon, as happened to the Milwaukee County's Town of Lake in 1954 and Town of Granville in 1956. With a 1957 population of about 7,500, Mequon incorporated as a city under the terms of Wisconsin statute 66.0215, also known as "The Oak Creek Law," which had been crafted to prevent suburban towns from being annexed by other municipalities. According to Tougaloo College 's Historical Database of Sundown Towns , Mequon
5822-606: The same period, the median household value for Mequon was estimated at $ 357,200. As of the census of 2000, there were 21,823 people, 7,861 households, and 6,406 families residing in the city. The population density was 472.5 people per square mile (182.5/km). There were 8,162 housing units at an average density of 176.7 per square mile (68.2/km). The racial makeup of the city was 94.16% White , 2.25% African American , 0.10% Native American , 2.39% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.23% from other races , and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of
5904-638: The second Tuesday of each month in Mequon City Hall at 7:30 p.m. A full-time staff of unelected administrators manage the city's day-to-day operations. As part of Wisconsin's 6th congressional district , Mequon is represented by Glenn Grothman (R) in the United States House of Representatives , and by Ron Johnson (R) and Tammy Baldwin (D) in the United States Senate . Alberta Darling (R) represents Mequon in
5986-692: The second smallest county in Wisconsin by land area after Pepin County . The county's jurisdiction also extends over 883 square miles of water, most of which is in Lake Michigan . Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is a large bluffland and wetland county protected area on the shore of Lake Michigan. As of the census of 2020 , the population was 91,503. The population density was 392.7 people per square mile (151.6 people/km ). There were 39,086 housing units at an average density of 167.7 units per square mile (64.7 units/km ). The racial makeup of
6068-733: The surface. The city has some limestone deposits, including the Devonian Thiensville formation in north-central Mequon and the Silurian Little Menomonee River Reef District, which contains dolomite marine fossils. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources considers the eastern part of the city along the lake to be in the Central Lake Michigan Coastal ecological landscape, while the western part of
6150-454: The trend furthered when Kamala Harris won 43.93% of the vote in Ozaukee in the 2024 United States presidential election , the highest percentage won by a Democratic presidential nominee since 1964. 43°23′55″N 87°53′37″W / 43.398475°N 87.893572°W / 43.398475; -87.893572 [REDACTED] Media related to Ozaukee County, Wisconsin at Wikimedia Commons Isham Day House The Isham Day House
6232-453: The village until 1919, when St. Cecilia Catholic Church was built. Thiensville grew in part because of its location on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway , which was constructed in the early 1870s. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Thiensville was one of the most concentrated communities in the Town of Mequon. While most of Mequon was quite rural, Theinsville functioned as
6314-582: The western part of the Town of Mequon. They were Old Lutherans who had resisted the Prussian government's attempts to take control over the Protestant churches through the Prussian Union of Churches . In German, "Freistadt" means "Free City". In 1840, they built a log cabin church, which they named Trinity Lutheran Church. It was the first Lutheran church in Wisconsin. In 1845, what would become
6396-434: Was $ 90,733, and the median income for a family was $ 101,793 (These figures had risen to $ 97,797 and $ 113,265, respectively, as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $ 72,762 versus $ 40,280 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 48,333. About 1.3% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over. Mequon's economy
6478-505: Was 105 °F (41 °C) on July 24, 1935, and again on July 17, 1995. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city was −40 °F (−40 °C), on January 17, 1982, also known as Cold Sunday . As of the census of 2010, there were 23,132 people, 8,598 households, and 6,561 families residing in the city. The population density was 499.8 inhabitants per square mile (193.0/km). There were 9,145 housing units at an average density of 197.6 per square mile (76.3/km). The racial makeup of
6560-466: Was formerly provided by a commuter express bus (Route 143) to Milwaukee with stops in Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, and Mequon. The bus operated Monday through Fridays excluding holidays, and was run jointly by Milwaukee and Ozaukee County. In 2024 the Ozaukee County board elected to discontinue the transit line to Milwaukee without replacement leaving Ozaukee County with no public transit connection to Milwaukee and no fixed route transit service within
6642-735: Was primarily agricultural. Some farmsteads from as early as the 1840s and 1850s still stand in the community and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The first major businesses were hydropowered mills on the Milwaukee River and other businesses that served local farmers, many of which concentrated in Thiensville. Beginning in the 1920s, the Nieman and Fromm families began fur farming silver foxes in Mequon. Several companies, including Fromm Bros., Nieman & Co.; Federal Silver Fox Farms, Inc.; Ozaukee Fur Farms Co.; Herbert A. Nieman & Co.; and Cedarburg Fox Farms, Inc. all began operating in Mequon and southern Cedarburg in
6724-435: Was probably a sundown town until 1954 when Milwaukee Braves right fielder Hank Aaron moved his family to the community. Aaron could not buy his home directly from its builder and instead had to engage a friend to buy it on his behalf. The city continued to grow with the construction of Interstate 43 in the mid-1960s, making travel to Milwaukee easier. Despite being a city, much of Mequon remains rural, and nearly half of
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