Thiensville, Wisconsin
Thiensville | ||
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Village board Trustees
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Area FIPS code | 55-79475[5] | |
GNIS feature ID | 1575351[2] | |
Website | village |
Thiensville is a village in
Thiensville was the site of a Potawatomi village in the early 19th century before white settlers began arriving in the 1830s and 1840s. Many of the community's earliest settlers were German immigrants who were members of freethinker societies. One prominent freethinker was Joachim Heinrich Thien, for whom the village is named. Thien played a significant role in the Town of Mequon's early politics and organized the Thiensville Volunteer Fire Department. The freethinkers were opposed to organized religion and actively prevented churches from being established in the community for the first eight decades of its history. Thiensville grew and prospered in the late 1800s when it became a railway stop; the community became more urban with stores, mills and services for farmers in the rural Town of Mequon. The Village of Thiensville formally incorporated in 1910.
Both Mequon and Thiensville experienced significant development during the
History
In the early 19th century, the Potawatomi lived on the west bank of the Milwaukee River and had a village in present-day Thiensville, located on Pigeon Creek, north of Freistadt Road. They surrendered their land to the United States federal government in 1833 through the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, which (after being ratified in 1835) required them to leave the area by 1838.[7][8]
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 the first postmaster of the Town of Mequon. The first Germans arrived in 1839, and in the 1840s Germans became the largest ethnic group in Thiensville, the Town of Mequon, and Ozaukee County.[9]
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 a group of Native American laborers to construct a dam and a canal on the Milwaukee River. He then built a sawmill and a store. Thien hosted the first town meeting for the Town of Mequon in 1846,[10] 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 the village until 1919, when St. Cecilia Catholic Church was built.[11]
Thiensville grew in part because of its location on the
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.[14] German prisoners from Camp Rockfield in Rockfield, Wisconsin, (located in present-day Germantown) also worked at the Fromm Bros., Nieman & Co. Fox Ranch in northern Mequon.[15]
In the 20th century, Mequon and the village of Theinsville developed a close relationship,[16] with a shared school district,[17] chamber of commerce,[18] and library.[19]
Geography
Thiensville is located at 43°14′13″N 87°58′48″W / 43.23694°N 87.98000°W (43.236806, -87.979951).[20] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.10 square miles (2.85 km2), of which, 1.09 square miles (2.82 km2) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[21]
The Village of Thiensville is an enclave, surrounded by the City of Mequon on all sides.[22] The village is located on the north and west bank of a bend in the Milwaukee River. Pigeon Creek also flows through downtown Thiensville into the river, with the confluence near the old village hall at the intersection of Main Street and Green Bay Road. There is a dam on the Milwaukee River, upstream from the confluence of the river and the creek.[23]
The village is located in the
The region struggles with many invasive species, including the
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1920 | 334 | — | |
1930 | 500 | 49.7% | |
1940 | 500 | 0.0% | |
1950 | 897 | 79.4% | |
1960 | 2,507 | 179.5% | |
1970 | 3,182 | 26.9% | |
1980 | 3,341 | 5.0% | |
1990 | 3,301 | −1.2% | |
2000 | 3,254 | −1.4% | |
2010 | 3,235 | −0.6% | |
2019 (est.) | 3,125 | [4] | −3.4% |
U.S. Decennial Census[25] |
2010 census
As of the
There were 1,532 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.5% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age in the village was 46.3 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.5% were from 25 to 44; 31% were from 45 to 64; and 21% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 45.8% male and 54.2% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 1,503 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $55,962, and the median income for a family was $69,286. Males had a median income of $46,088 versus $29,500 for females. The
Culture
Events
Thiensville hosts several annual public events and celebrations, including a Memorial Day parade, family-friendly "Fun Before the Fourth" the Saturday before Independence Day, and a public Christmas Tree lighting.[23] The village also hosts a farmers market in Village Park (299 Elm St.) every Tuesday from June through October, 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.[26]
Each June, the local Lions Club hosts an annual Lionfest, with a softball tournament, bingo, live entertainment, carnival rides, a chicken dinner, and a car show.[27]
Frank L. Weyenberg Library
The Frank L. Weyenberg Library 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.[28]
Religion
Many of Thiensville's founders were German immigrants who were members of freethinker societies. They actively worked to keep organized churches out of the community, and succeeded for the first eight decades of the village's existence. When St. Cecilia Catholic Church and School was built in 1919, it was the first church in the village.[11] St. Cecilia merged with St. James Catholic Church of Mequon in 1984 to form Lumen Christi Catholic Church and School. Services were held in Thiensville until 2019, when a new, larger facility was completed in nearby Mequon.[29]
As of 2020, Grace Lutheran Church, which is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America[30] and Christ Alone Evangelical Lutheran Church's North Campus, which is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, are located in the village. Christ Alone also operates a parochial school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade in the village.[31]
Law and government
Thiensville is organized as a village governed by an elected board of trustees, comprising a village president and six trustees, all of whom are elected for three-year terms. The current president is Van Mobley, a Concordia University Wisconsin professor of history and economics who was first elected president in April 2012. The board meets on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Thiensville Village Hall.[32] Since 1984, the village's day-to-day operations have been managed by a full-time city administrator.[33]
As part of
From | To | Village President[35]
|
---|---|---|
1910 | 1912 | John F. Gierach |
1912 | 1917 | John E. Mueller |
1917 | 1920 | Charles A. Maas |
1920 | 1922 | Charles Friedrich |
1922 | 1927 | Charles A. Maas |
1927 | 1935 | Julius W. Schaefer |
1935 | 1945 | Dr. Alfred H. Carthaus |
1945 | 1955 | Theodore O. Liebscher |
1955 | 1959 | Harold H. Roethel |
1959 | 1961 | Edward Langley |
1961 | 1967 | Theodore O. Liebscher |
1967 | 1968 | William T. Flynn |
1968 | 1971 | Richard R. Sitman |
1971 | 1977 | Ned A. Kellner |
1977 | 1987 | Robert C. Warber |
1987 | 1987 | William C. Roselle |
1987 | 1989 | Donald A. Molyneux |
1989 | 1991 | John V. Kitzke |
1991 | 1995 | Roy Wetzel |
1995 | 2006 | Donald A. Molyneux |
2006 | 2012 | Karl V. Hertz |
2012 | present | Van Mobley |
Thiensville Fire Department
Thiensville's volunteer fire department was organized in 1857 by village founder Joachim Heinrich Thien. Brian Reiels currently serves as fire chief. The department has one fire station, located at 250 Elm Street, and also maintains the William F. Rausch Fire Museum in the historic 1914 Fire Department & Village Hall on Main Street.[36]
Thiensville Police Department
Thiensville's full-time police department was established in 1967. Prior to that, the village had a part-time village constable or village marshal. The department employs seven full-time sworn officers, one civilian administrator, and fourteen reserve officers.[37] Curt Kleppin has served as police chief since 2018.[38]
Education
Thiensville's
Christ Alone Evangelical Lutheran Church also operates a parochial school in Thiensville for students from kindergarten through eight grade.[31]
Transportation
Thiensville has limited public transit compared with larger communities. Ozaukee County Transit Services' Shared Ride Taxi is the public transit option for traveling to sites in the county. The taxis operate seven days a week and make connections to Washington County Transit and Milwaukee County Routes 12, 49 and 42u.[42][43]
The village has sidewalks in most areas, and the
The Wisconsin Central Ltd. railroad, a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway, operates a freight rail line parallel to the Ozaukee Interurban Trail in the village.[44] Despite the role that railways played in Thiensville's early development, the village currently does not have passenger train service.
Parks and recreation
The Village of Thiensville maintains Molyneux Park on the Milwaukee River in downtown Thiensville, and the Mequon and Thiensville Rotary clubs maintain a pedestrian riverwalk in the village. The village also coordinates with Mequon to organize youth sports leagues.[45]
The
Notable people
- Glenn Grothman, United States Congressman serving Wisconsin's 6th congressional district.[46]
- William Carbys Zimmerman, architect, was born in Thiensville.[47]
See also
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville, WI". Kids Out and About Milwaukee. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ^ "Early history of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin". University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- JSTOR 40190019.
- ^ "Early history of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin". University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ Walter D. Corrigan, History of the Town of Mequon, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, Brought Down to about 1870. Mequon: Mequon Club, 1950.
- ^ a b "Encyclopedia of Milwaukee: Village of Thiensville". University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ [1] Archived July 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ozaukee County, Wisconsin - History - Thiensville Village Hall & Fire Department". Co.ozaukee.wi.us. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ISBN 9781878569837.
- ISBN 9781878569837.
- ^ "City of Mequon and Village of Thiensville Community Gateway Features | Mequon Wisconsin". www.ci.mequon.wi.us. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ "Mequon-Thiensville School District | The Launchpad to Success". www.mtsd.k12.wi.us. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ "Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce". Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Frank L. Weyenberg Library of Mequon-Thiensville | Official Website". www.flwlib.org. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Thiensville Business Association". Thiensville Business Association. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Inventory of Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources". Ozaukee County. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Central Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape" (PDF). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Village Market". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Lionfest". Thiensville-Mequon Lions Club. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Frank L. Weyenberg Library: 2018 Annual Report". Frank L. Weyenberg Library. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Lumen Christi Catholic Church: About Our Parish - History". Lumen Christi Catholic Church. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ "Grace Lutheran Church elca". Grace Lutheran Church. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ a b "Christ Alone Lutheran". Christ Alone Lutheran. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Board of Trustees". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Administration". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Wisconsin State Legislature Map". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ History of Thiensville Book Committee, (2010), "Village of Thiensville Centennial celebrates 100 years, 1910-2010", Thiensville, Wisconsin.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Fire Department". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Police Department". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Thiensville selects Kleppin". The Associated Press. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Mequon-Thiensville School District: Attendance Maps". Mequon-Thiensville School District. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ American's Best High Schools, Bloomberg Businessweek.
- ^ "Fast Facts". Homestead High School. Mequon-Thiensville School District. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ "MCTS Route 143: Ozaukee County Express". Wisconsin DOT. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "OCTS: Shared Ride Taxi". Ozaukee County Transit Services. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Wisconsin Railroads and Harbors 2020" (PDF). Wisconsin DOT. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Village of Thiensville: Parks & Recreation". Village of Thiensville. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Glen Grothman: Biography". U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ Film Exchange Lofts-History
External links
- Official website
- Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce
- Sanborn fire insurance maps: 1893 1900 1913