Waukesha, Wisconsin
21 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1892 and the latest in 1991. It stands in Waukesha City. It lies in ZIP code area 53186. The Survey maps it on the Waukesha quadrangle. 71,158 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 889 feet above sea level.
On record in Waukesha
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 12 of 70 shown
Arcadian Bottling Workslisted 1983
Arlington Apartmentslisted 1987
Barney Houselisted 1994
Everett P. Barrett Houselisted 1995
Becker and Schafer Store Buildinglisted 1995
Sen. William Blair Houselisted 1983
Patrick J. Buckley Houselisted 1991
Walter S. Chandler Houselisted 1974
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Passenger Depotlisted 1995
Alexander Cook Houselisted 1983
Morris Cutler Houselisted 1983
George Dwinnell Houselisted 1983
Population over time
2 figuresWaukesha grew from 1,456 to 70,718 between 1860 and 2010. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,456 | |
| 2010 | 70,718 |
Topographic sheets covering this place
9 surveys from 21 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1892 USGS Waukesha quadrangle1:62500
- 1901 USGS Waukesha quadrangle1:62500
- 1906 USGS Waukesha quadrangle1:62500, 4 printings
- 1957 USGS Madison quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1959 USGS Waukesha quadrangle1:24000, 5 printings
- 1959 USGS Waukesha quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1960 USGS Madison quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1984 USGS Oconomowoc quadrangle1:100000
- 1991 USGS Oconomowoc quadrangle1:100000
In the county-history sources
86,288 words on this townshipThe History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources; an Extensive and Minute Sketch of Its Cities, Towns and Villages--their Improvements, Industries, Manufactories, Churches, Schools and Societies; Its War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers; the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin, Statistics of the State, and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution and of the Constitution of the United States, published 1880 names this settlement in its chapter on Waukesha City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
The twenty-fifth regular session of the legislature began on the loth of January, with a republican majority in both houses. Daniel Hall was elected speaker of the assembly. The next day the governor delivered to a joint convention of the legislature his first annual message - a lengthy document, setting forth in detail the general condition of State affairs. The recent great conflagrations were referred to, and relief suggested. The work of this session of the Legislature was peculiarly difficult, owing to the many general laws which the last constitutional amendment made necessary. The apportionment of the State into new congressional districts was another perplexing and onerous task. Eight districts were formed instead of six, as at the commencement of the last decade. By this, the fourth congressional apportionment, each district elects one member. The first district consists of the counties of Rock, Racine, Kenosha, Walworth, and Waukesha; the second, of Jefferson, Dane, Sauk, and Columbia ; the thirds of Grant, Iowa, LaFayette, Green, Richland, and Crawford ; the fourth, of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, and Washington ; the fifth, of Dodge, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan and Manitowoc ; the sixth, of Green Lake, Waushara, Waupaca, Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Brown, Kewaunee and Door ; the seventh, of Vernon, La Crosse, Monroe, Jackson, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, Eau Claire, and Clark; the eighth, of Oconto, Shawano, Portage, Wood, Juneau, Adams, Marquette, Marathon, Dunn, Chippewa, Barron, Polk, Burnett, Bayfield, Douglas, and Ashland. To this district have since been added the new counties of Lincoln, Taylor, Price, Marinette and New.
After a session of seventy-seven days, the legislature finished its work, adjourning on the twenty-seventh of March. At the ensuing November election, the republican ticket for president and vice president of the United States was successful. The ten electors chosen cast their votes in the electoral college for Grant and Wilson. In the eight congressional districts, six republicans and two democrats were elected to the forty-third congress ; the last mentioned from the fourth and fifth districts. C. G. Williams represented the first district ; G. W. Hazelton the second; J. Allen Barber the third ; Alexander Mitchell the fourth ; C. A. Eldredge the fifth ; Philetus Sawyer the sixth ; J. M. Rusk the seventh ; and A. G. McDill the eighth district.
In Wisconsin, throughout the centennial year, those engaged in the various branches of agriculture and other useful avocations, were reasonably prosperous. The crop of wheat and oats was a light yield, and of poor quality ; but the corn crop was the largest ever before raised in the State, and of superior quality. The dairy and hog product was large, and commanded remunerative prices. Fruits were unusually plenty. Trade and business enterprises, however, generally remained depressed.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Waukesha City - it names this place 288 more 288 times.
Fires near this place
18 since 2018Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 18 fires within 5 miles of Waukesha between 2018 and 2020, burning about 10 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 11 |
| Debris and open burning | 5 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2018 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 242 |
| 7 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 129 |
| 29 May 2018 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1801566 |
| 21 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 205 |
| 18 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 456 |
| 1 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1800781 |
| 1 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1800783 |
| 8 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 1801057 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Waukesha: 3 producers, 2 unknowns, 1 past producer. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Own Crews | Stone | Unknown | ||
| Waukesha Lime and Stone Co Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Buege Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| James Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Kohler Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Springdale Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
38 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Waukesha in 38 storm reports between 1994 and 2006: 16 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 5 flood, 4 lightning. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2006 | Lightning | Waukesha | 1 hurt | A man was injured and taken to a hospital after lightning struck very close to him. It is unknown where he was in the city of Waukesha, nor is the exact time known. He was treated and released from the hospital. |
| July 2006 | Flash Flood | Waukesha | $3,000,000 | A 1-in-a-100-year flood occurred in and around the city of Waukesha after a heavy rain of 3 to 5 inches within a 2-hr period. The heavy rains were the result of slow-moving or back-building thunderstorms that essentially sat over the same area. There were no reports of injuries or deaths. Numerous roads and yards were flooded with water depths of 1 to 5 feet. Many vehicles were stalled in the deep waters or were damaged. There were numerous reports of flooded basements of homes or businesses or apartments. The roof of one business in downtown Waukesha collapsed due to the weight of the heavy rains. The Fox River in downtown Waukesha exceeded its 6-foot flood stage by 6 inches, and then quickly subsided. Some nearby farm fields reported washed out sections and crop losses. The Expo Center sustained damage as well to several of its buildings. The basement of the downtown Waukesha Fire Department flooded to the depth of 5 feet. This flooding was the result of a collapsed trench outside the building where a new addition was under construction. At one point, Waukesha city officials warned motorists to stay away from the city, and some officials thought the July 27th flooding was the worst they could remember. WSR-88D Doppler radar rainfall estimates indicated that up to 5 inches fell over the northwest portion of the city of Waukesha, tapering off to 2 inches on the far south side of the city where STH 59 is located. One unofficial rain gage catch was 4.25 inches on the north side of the city, which matched the radar estimate. It is nearly impossible to assess the monetary amount of the flash flood damage, therefore, the amount posted in the header strip of this event is only a rough estimate. |
| June 1997 | Lightning | Waukesha | $150,000 | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Lightning | Waukesha | $100,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $100,000 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Flash Flood | Waukesha | $50,000 | no account filed |
| April 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $20,000 | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Flash Flood | Waukesha | $20,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $15,000 | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $10,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts of hurricane force caused scattered areas of large tree damage from the Waukesha area northeast to Brookfield. |
| June 1998 | Lightning | Waukesha | $6,000 | Lightning ignited a fire in the attic of a home. |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $3,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $3,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | $1,000 | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Dust Devil | Waukesha | $200 | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | Trees down. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| November 2003 | Heavy Rain | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Flood | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Flood | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Flood | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Flood | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Flood | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| September 1998 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Hail | Waukesha | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goerkes Corner | 3.9 miles | 21 | |
| Duplainville | 4.6 miles | 21 | |
| Bethesda | 4.9 miles | 23 | |
| Pewaukee | 5.0 miles | 22 | |
| Edgewood | 5.1 miles | 22 | |
| Calhoun | 5.5 miles | 21 | |
| Prospect | 6.0 miles | 18 | |
| Guthrie | 6.2 miles | 18 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Waukesha | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q94919 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1576312. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.








