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Mukwonago
History
“Nestled amid the glacial
hills of south west Waukesha County is the semi-rural Village of Muk wonago.
One of the early settlers described it
as the most beautiful area
that he had ever seen.
The Mukwonago River, fed by
springs in the surrounding hills and the waters of Spirit Lake, would
provide ample water for a flour and a saw mill. The countryside, a
mixture of forest and prairie, would provide an abundance of food and
lumber for a growing community.
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Formerly the site of the
Bear Clan of the Potowatomi Indians, Mukwonago was the first platted
village of what is now Waukesha County. The first brick house in the
County (built from brick locally made) is now the home of the local
Historical Society. Mukwonago was the junction of roads from
Platteville and Janesville to Milwaukee and Green Bay.
The first settlers, mostly
New England Yankees, by use of brain and brawn, built a thriving
community. Many of their descendants are still living in the
community.”
-D. E. Wright, 1990
The Village of Mukwonago was
first settled by the Potowatomi Indians in the
 1700’s.
The term “Mukwonago” translates to “Place of the Bear.” In spring of
1836, Sewall Andrews and Henry H. Camp built their homes just northwest
of the Indian Village. In 1836, Mukwonago’s first plat was made. Soon
afterward, more residents would begin developing homesteads and
businesses in the area. The Andrew’s house still stands today and is now
home to the Mukwonago Museum.
For the duration of the 19th
century, Mukwonago grew as a farming community. In 1885, construction
of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, which runs through the Village,
provided farmers with transportation and distribution of their crops.
During this period milk processing was the main economic activity.
In the early 1900’s, the
character of Waukesha County began changing from an
agricultural-only-region, to include resort and tourist activities.
Travelers from Milwaukee, Chicago, and all over the country, came to
enjoy the fresh water springs located throughout the Town of Mukwonago.
The Village of Mukwonago was
 incorporated
separate from the Town of Mukwonago in 1905.
Throughout the 1970’s and
1980’s, an influx of new homes began to encompass the Village.
Construction of Interstate-43 (the Rock Freeway) from Milwaukee passing
through Mukwonago toward Beloit, aided this influx of new residents.
In the mid 1980’s, the
Village of Mukwonago made the commitment to invest in industrial
development. The Mukwonago Industrial Park (176 acres) was established
in 1986 and sold its last available lot in 1999.
Today,
Mukwonago receives monthly inquiries from companies looking to locate in
the area. Large commercial developments such
 as
Pick-N-Save Grocery Store, Home Depot and Wal-Mart already anchor the
north and south ends of the Village. The reality that Mukwonago could
become a regional employment and/or shopping center increases with each
passing year. The Village’s commercial Trade Area services
approximately 47,000 residents, of which, about 7,000 residents call the
Village home and another 15,000 live immediately nearby in the
surrounding towns (Mukwonago’s regional population is approximately
21,000). Residential growth in the Mukwonago region is expected to
increase significantly in the coming years just as in other favorable
Milwaukee suburbs. |
