Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Coordinates: 42°53′4″N 87°53′57″W / 42.88444°N 87.89917°W / 42.88444; -87.89917
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Oak Creek, Wisconsin
FIPS code
55-58800[5]
GNIS feature ID1570601[4]
Websitewww.oakcreekwi.gov

Oak Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Milwaukee County, it sits on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan and is located immediately south of Milwaukee. The city is one of the fastest growing in Milwaukee County and all of Wisconsin.[7] As of March 2024, the population is 36,497.

The area has experienced an economic boom in recent years, with the addition of large companies such as Amazon, IKEA, and the Astronautics Corporation of America.[8]

History

On January 2, 1838, the

census, the population of the Town of Lake (then including Oak Creek) was 418.[9]

In 1955, the Town of Oak Creek, then still semi-rural with a population of 4,807 in the 1950 census, was incorporated as a city under the terms of Wisconsin statute 66.0215, also known as "The Oak Creek Law."

state senator for Oak Creek.[11]

In recent years, the 85 acre site called the Drexel Town Square, built on part of the site where the gigantic

Milwaukee Business Journal.[12]

On August 5, 2012, a

Sikh temple in Oak Creek.[14] The white supremacist killed six people and injured several more before being killed by Oak Creek Police.[15]

Geography

Oak Creek is located at 42°53′4″N 87°53′57″W / 42.88444°N 87.89917°W / 42.88444; -87.89917 (42.884347, −87.899209).[16]

It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area and borders the cities of Milwaukee and Greenfield to the north, the city of South Milwaukee to the north and east, Lake Michigan to the east, the village of Caledonia to the south, the city of Franklin and the village of Greendale to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.45 square miles (73.69 km2), all of it land.[17]

A small section of the

Racine County through Oak Creek at its southern edge at the Root River Parkway.[18] Additionally, the Oak Creek watershed originates in the city of Franklin and meanders through to Grant Park in South Milwaukee, and ultimately into Lake Michigan. The stream drains about 26 square miles.[19]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19609,372—
197013,92848.6%
198016,93221.6%
199019,51315.2%
200028,45645.8%
201034,45121.1%
202036,4975.9%
Source: U.S. Census[20]

2000 census

At the 2000

Latino
of any race were 4.45% of the population.

There were 11,239 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. Of all households, 25.3% were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10.

25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The

poverty line
, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census,

Latino
of any race were 7.5% of the population.

There were 14,064 households, of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. Of all households, 28.6% were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.

The median age was 37.4 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

Economy

Bucyrus International

Indianapolis, Indiana.[23]

Mining equipment manufacturer

Bucyrus International announced June 22, 2010 that it would move headquarters personnel from South Milwaukee to Midwest Airlines' former headquarters space in Oak Creek. Senior management and other personnel would be moving to the new location making room for additional employees at its South Milwaukee facility.[citation needed] Caterpillar Inc. intends to locate the Caterpillar Mining world headquarters there after its acquisition of Bucyrus International.[citation needed
]

The Oak Creek Power Plant is in Oak Creek. The city also hosts a number of small companies, with interests ranging from engineering to agriculture.

In May 2018, the first

I-94.[24]

Arts and culture

The Oak Creek Historical Society is a private organization established in 1964 to preserve the history of Oak Creek. The organization maintains a museum complex consisting of five historic buildings and a gift shop, on the grounds of Forest Hill Memorial Park in Oak Creek.

  • Blacksmith Shop: Edgar Wohlust's blacksmith shop was one of only eight in the area. It was built in 1886 and moved to the grounds in 1970.
  • Farm Shed: Moved in 1984, it contains farm equipment from the 1830s up to the 1950s.
  • Hughes Cabin: Built in the 1840s with an addition in the 1920s, it is one of the oldest buildings still standing in
    Milwaukee County
    .
  • Summer Kitchen: Moved from the Franke Farm in 1974, this summer kitchen was constructed in 1890.
  • Town Hall: The Oak Creek Town Hall, built in 1874, was used until 1963.

Government

Mayors of Oak Creek

  • Don Hermann (1974–1985)
  • Milo Schocker (1985–1988)
  • Christine Bastian (1988–1991) First female elected mayor of a Milwaukee County municipality in the county's history.
  • Dale Richards (1991–2003)
  • Richard "Dick" Bolender (2003 – December 10, 2011) Until his death.
  • Steve Scaffidi (December 11, 2011 – December 22, 2011) Acting mayor due to the December 10 death of Bolender.
  • Al Foeckler (December 22, 2011 – April 17, 2012) Appointed mayor to serve the remainder of Bolender's term.
  • Steve Scaffidi (April 17, 2012 - February 21, 2017) Scaffidi resigned to host "Scaffidi & Bilstad" on WTMJ620 Radio.
  • Ken Gehl, Common Council President, (February 21, 2017 - March 8, 2017) Acting mayor due to the resignation of Scaffidi.
  • Dan Bukiewicz, 2nd District Alderman (March 8, 2017 - April 3, 2018) Appointed by the Common Council until the April 2018 election.
  • Dan Bukiewicz (April 3, 2018 - Present)


At the federal level, Oak Creek is located in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Bryan Steil.

Education

Oak Creek is part of the Oak Creek Franklin School District.[25]

Elementary schools

  • Carollton Elementary: built 1962
  • Cedar Hills Elementary: built 1962
  • Deerfield Elementary: built 2005
  • Edgewood Elementary: built 1962
  • Forest Ridge Elementary: built 2016
  • Meadowview Elementary: built 1959
  • Shepard Hills Elementary: built 1971
  • Early Learning Academy

Middle schools

  • East Middle School: built 1965, torn down and rebuilt 2008
  • West Middle School: built 1991
  • Empower Academy

High schools

Private schools

  • Grace Lutheran Church and School
  • Saint Matthew Catholic School

Infrastructure

Transportation and transit

According to Walk Score, Oak Creek is a largely "car dependent" city, with an overall walk score of 21/100 and it has "minimal biking infrastructure", with an overall bike score of 40/100.[26]

Oak Creek is serviced by the Milwaukee County Transit System routes 40, 80, 219 and the PurpleLine.[27]

The city shares a border with

General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. In the metro Milwaukee area, three Class 1 railroads deliver freight. For passenger transport, Amtrak’s Hiawatha service connects General Mitchell International Airport to the heart of Chicago.[28]

Healthcare

The Froedtert Drexel Town Square Health Center and

Ascension
SE Wisconsin Hospital is located in neighboring Franklin.

Public safety

The Oak Creek Police Department is responsible for the city's law enforcement since September 11, 1956.[29]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Local History". oakcreeklibrary.org. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "QuickFacts Oak Creek city, Wisconsin; United States". census.gov. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ^ Wright, Benjamin (December 2, 2011). "Oak Creek: The Fastest Growing Milwaukee County Community". patch.com. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  8. Shepherd Express
    . Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  9. ^ 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. 68-69
  10. ^ Wisconsin Legislature Data
  11. ^ Cech, Jim. Oak Creek: Fifty Years of Progress. Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 1995; pp. 9-25; 35-37
  12. ^ "History". drexeltownsquare.com. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  13. ^ Associated Press (August 6, 2013). "Sikh temple shooter identified as Wade Michael Page, white supremacist (+video) Page was a 'frustrated neo-Nazi' who led a racist white supremacist band, the Southern Poverty Law Center said Monday". csmonitor.com. Dinesh Ramde, Todd Richmond.
  14. ^ "'Seven killed' in Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting". BBC News. August 5, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  15. ^ "Gunman, six others dead at Wisconsin Sikh temple". CNN. August 6, 2012.
  16. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  17. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  18. ^ "Root River Parkway". greaterracinecounty.com. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Oak Creek Watershed Restoration Plan". rootpikewin.org. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (July 2004). "The Population of Southeastern Wisconsin" (PDF). Technical Report Number 11 (4th Edition). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 31, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  21. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  22. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine." Midwest Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
  23. ^ Freed, Joshua. "Republic Airways Moving Execs to Indianapolis". Associated Press at ABC News. January 14, 2010. Retrieved on January 22, 2010.
  24. ^ "IKEA Celebrates Grand Opening of Oak Creek, WI Store". Business Wire. May 16, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  25. ^ "Oak Creek Franklin Join School District" Archived 2010-11-25 at the Wayback Machine, "About Our Schools". Retrieved 2010-12-8.
  26. ^ "Living in Oak Creek". walkscore.com. Walk Score. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  27. ^ "Buses & Public Transit". oakcreekwi.org. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  28. ^ "Transportation Network". oakcreekwi.org. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  29. ^ "Police Department". oakcreekwi.org. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  30. ^ THE LEGISLATIVE MANUAL OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN (11th ed.). Madison, Wis. 1872. p. 453.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  31. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1913,' Biographical Sketch of Luke Scanlan, pg. 677
  32. ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 1882

External links

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