Kenosha, Wisconsin

The first European settlers, part of the Western Emigration Company, arrived in the early 1830s, from Hannibal and Troy, New York, led by John Bullen, Jr., who sought to purchase enough land for a town. Thwarted in Milwaukee and Racine, the group arrived at Pike Creek on 6 June 1835, building log houses and later homes of frame, native stone, and brick. The first school and churches followed, with platting completed in 1836.[26] As more settlers arrived and the first post office was established, the village was known as Pike Creek, then renamed Southport in 1837, a name which lives on as a southeast-side neighborhood, park, and elementary school, and has been adopted by several businesses.[27]

The area became an important Great Lakes shipping port. In 1850, the village changed its name from Southport to Kenosha which is its current name. The name Kenosha was adapted from the Chippewa word kinoje (pike or pickerel).[28]

Between 1902 and 1988, Kenosha produced millions of automobiles and trucks[29] including makes and models such as Jeffery, Rambler, Nash, Hudson, LaFayette, and American Motors Corporation (AMC). In May 1954, Nash acquired Detroit-based Hudson and the new firm was named American Motors Corporation. A 47-acre (190,000 m²) west side park and an elementary school are named for Charles W. Nash.[30] A prototype steam car was built in Kenosha by the Sullivan-Becker engineering firm in 1900. Two years later, the Thomas B. Jeffery Company, builders of the Sterling bicycle, began production of the Rambler runabout. In 1902, Rambler and Oldsmobile were the first cars to employ mass-production techniques. The 1903 Rambler was also the first US-built production automobile to use a steering wheel, rather than the then-common tiller-controlled steering. Auto executive Charles W. Nash purchased Jeffery in 1916 and the new company became Nash Motors.

In 1973, residents in the Town of Pleasant Prairie sought to have territory annexed and rezoned to allow for the industrial development of agricultural property.[31] In the ensuing legal battle between Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie, the town accused the city of improperly coercing or bribing agricultural property owners to file for rezoning and annexation in order to obtain city water and electric services that could not be provided by the town. The town argued that industrial development would jeopardize the town's residential nature. The court found the annexation proper, with no illicit bribes or improper conduct by the city.

In partnership with French automaker Renault, AMC manufactured several models in Kenosha in the early 1980s, including the Alliance, which won the 1983 "Car of The Year" award from Motor Trend. Two decades earlier, AMC's 1963 Rambler Classic had also received the award. In 1987, Renault sold its controlling interest in AMC to Chrysler Corporation, which had already contracted with AMC for the production of its M-body midsized cars at the Kenosha plant. The AMC Lakefront plant (1960–1988), a smaller facility, was demolished in 1990 (a chimney-demolition ceremony that June drew 10,000 spectators) and was redeveloped into HarborPark.[32] The area now hosts lakeside condominiums, a large recreational marina, numerous parks and promenades, sculptures, fountains, the Kenosha Public Museum, and the Civil War Museum, all of which are connected by the Kenosha Electric Railway streetcar system.

From the beginning of the 20th century through the 1930s, Italian, Irish, Polish, and German immigrants, many of them skilled craftsmen, made their way to the city and contributed to the city's construction, culture, architecture, music, and literature.[33]

In June 1993, the city installed reproductions of the historic Sheridan LeGrande street lights that were specially designed for Kenosha by Westinghouse Electric in 1928; these can be seen on Sixth Avenue between 54th Street and 59th Place. A classic two-mile (3.2 km) downtown electric streetcar system was opened on June 17, 2000, and on September 22, 2014, the Kenosha city council approved a crosstown extension of the system incorporating the existing route between 48th and 61st Streets on both 6th and 8th Avenues.[34]

On December 7, 2021, "Carl the Kenosha Turkey", a turkey who became a social media sensation and local icon, was hit by a vehicle and killed.[35] The turkey was named the city's unofficial mascot in 2020 and was seen by some as a source of positivity as Kenosha faced hardships in 2020–2021.[36]

Residents paint a boarded-up building following unrest, August 28, 2020.

In the aftermath of the August 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake, protests, riots, and civil unrest occurred in Kenosha. Demonstrations were marked by daily peaceful protesting followed by confrontations with law enforcement and rioting, looting, vandalism, and arson at night. A state of emergency was declared on August 23, and the National Guard was activated the following day. On August 25, a controversial shooting occurred during the unrest, leading to a polarized response.[37] Both then-President Donald Trump and then-Presidential candidate Joe Biden visited Kenosha.[38]

Protests continued daily through August 29 with approximately 2,000 members of the National Guard assisting the city in restoring order.[39][40][41][42] Damages exceeding $50 million occurred with over 100 businesses affected.[42]

In November 2021, Kenosha once again became the subject of worldwide attention as the jury trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the defendant in the 2020 unrest shooting, commenced.[43] As part of the city's emergency preparedness, over 500 members of the National Guard were activated ahead of the verdict.[44] Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed Rittenhouse's unlawful possession charge and the curfew violation charge for being legally unsupported,[45][46] and a unanimous jury found Rittenhouse not guilty of the remaining charges.[47] Following the verdict on November 19, some protests occurred in Kenosha but remained peaceful.[48]

Kenosha has 21 locations and four districts (Library Park Historic District, Third Avenue Historic District, Civic Center Historic District, and Pearl Street Historic District) listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[49] The city has a Kenosha Landmarks Commission, and among the many local city-designated landmarks are the 1929 YMCA, the Manor House, the John McCaffary House, the St. Matthew Episcopal Church, the Washington Park Clubhouse, and the Justin Weed House.

Kenosha is home to a mixture of blue and white collar workers as well as students who attend the local universities. Kenosha consists of neighborhoods divided into three regions - Downtown, Uptown, and West of I-94 (referred to by locals at "West of the I" or simply "the county").[51] The city's northside is home to both UW-Parkside and Carthage College.

Kenosha's downtown marina.

Kenosha's downtown is located along the Lake Michigan shoreline and consists of government buildings, parks, beaches, restaurants, shops, museums, and entertainment venues. The neighborhood of HarborPark is both a residential and commercial area.[52] Directly south of the Downtown area is the neighborhood of Allendale.[53]

Uptown Kenosha consists of a largely blue-collar population and is a mixture of locally owned businesses and residential areas.[54] The neighborhood was heavily impacted by the damage caused during the August 2020 unrest but there are continued plans for ongoing development of the area.[55][56] Prominent Uptown neighborhoods include Brass,[57] Lincoln Park,[58] and Wilson Heights.[59]

Kenosha has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa, bordering on Dfb) with warm summers and cold winters. The record high is 105 °F (41 °C), set in July 2012. The record low is −31 °F (−35 °C) set in January 1985.[60]

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the census of 2020,[67] the population was 99,986. The population density was 3,529.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,362.8/km²). There were 41,641 housing units at an average density of 1,470.0 per square mile (567.6/km²). Ethnically, the population was 19.7% Hispanic or Latino of any race. When grouping both Hispanic and non-Hispanic people together by race, the city was 67.9% White, 10.8% Black or African American, 1.9% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.3% from other races, and 11.5% from two or more races.

The 2020 census population of the city included 592 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 1,790 people in student housing.[68]

24.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 13.3% were above of the age of 65, and the gender makeup was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. 9.0% of residents were foreign born. 88.4% of residents possessed a high school education and 25.7% had a bachelor's degree or higher. The medium household income was $56,113, with 15.6% of residents living below the poverty line.

As of the census[70] of 2010, there were 99,218 people, 37,376 households, and 24,090 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,684.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,422.5/km²). There were 40,643 housing units at an average density of 1,509.2 per square mile (582.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.1% White, 10.0% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.8% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.3% of the population.

There were 37,376 households, of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% 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 3.17.

The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 26.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 10.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

The 2010 census reported that 51 percent of Kenosha residents moved in from other cities and states. The Chamber of Commerce attributed this to the city's museums, lakeshore attractions, cultural and work opportunities, its public-school system, transportation amenities, and relatively lower costs-of-living.[71]

The importance of manufacturing jobs in Kenosha continues to diminish with only 11.7 percent or 7,769 of the total workforce of 66,362 area residents involved, a decline of 22 percent since 1990 and much lower than the statewide percentage of 16.4 percent.[72]

The biggest surge in Kenosha employment by percentage has been in the white-collar workforce. From 1990 to 2017, the percentage of Kenosha's workforce in business and professional services grew nearly fivefold from 3.2% of the workforce to 11%, while statewide the trend was slightly more than double. The growth has been both to due new office developments in the city, but also due to new suburban developments as Illinois workers seek more affordable housing.[72]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 90,352 people, 34,411 households, and 22,539 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,795.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,465.3/km²). There were 36,004 housing units at an average density of 1,512.3 per square mile (583.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.6% White, 7.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.8% from other races and 2.4% from two or more races. 10.0% of the population were Hispanic of any race. 25.5% were of German, 11.5% Italian, 7.1% Irish and 6.6% Polish ancestry.

There were 34,411 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them: 47.1% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.5% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city, the population included 27.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The city's violent crime rate for 2018 was 338.18 per 100,000 people, a 15.94% decline from 2017.[73] In 2019, there were 5 reported homicides and an overall 1,888 crimes per 100,000 people, 7.0% higher than the overall crime rate for Wisconsin but lower than the national average of 2,489 per 100,000 people.[74]

Kenosha saw a notable increase in its homicide rate in 2021, with 14 recorded; nearly triple the city's average.[75] The recorded homicide rate dropped in 2022, with 7 recorded that year.[76]

Kenosha's cuisine mirrors common food culture throughout Wisconsin. It is home to a variety of restaurants including multiple supper clubs and German-American venues.[106] Additionally, the city is home to two award-winning drive-in burger stands, The Spot and Big Star.[107] Mars Cheese Castle, a "cheese landmark", is also located in Kenosha. The city has the highest concentration of Italian-Americans in Wisconsin, and as such is rife with Italian-American cuisine, including many pizza restaurants and perhaps the most well-known Italian grocery and delicatessen in Wisconsin, Tenuta's.[108][109]

In recent years, Kenosha became home to multiple craft breweries, and in 2021 hosted the Great Lakes Brew Fest.[110][111]

Summer band performances have been performed by Kenosha Pops Concert Band at Kenosha's Sesquicentennial Bandshell in Pennoyer Park since 1988.[112]

The Music of the Stars radio program originated in Kenosha in 1992.[113]

The Kenosha Symphony Orchestra performs concerts in the Reuther Central Auditorium at Walter Reuther Central High School in downtown Kenosha.[114]

Since 2002, the outdoor Peanut Butter and Jam Concert Series has been held every Thursday in July and August at Veterans Memorial Park.[115]

Lincoln Park Live! concerts began in 2005 at Lincoln Park.[116] A number of outdoor jazz events are performed throughout the summer such as HarborPark Jazz.[117]

Bands that have originated in Kenosha include Electric Hellfire Club, Lazarus A.D., Jungle Rot, and Product of Hate.

Kenosha is home to a number of summer festivals including the Outta Sight Kite Flight,[118] Taste of Wisconsin,[119] Pike River Rendezvous (a historical reenactment),[120] the Kenosha Classic Cruise-In Car Show,[121] Celebrate America (Fourth of July event),[122] Food Folks & Spokes (a cycling event),[123] Cheese-A-Palooza,[124] and the Border War Beer Fest (brewers from Wisconsin and Illinois competing for best beer).[125]

Since 2017, Kenosha has been the host of Tribute Island, a three-day music festival located at Simmons Island. It features many of the top tribute bands from the Midwest, over 50 bands in total performing on five stages.[126]

The Kenosha Public Library, which is part of the Kenosha County Library System,[127] operates in four locations throughout the city: Northside Neighborhood Library, Southwest Neighborhood Library, Uptown Neighborhood Library, and Simmons Neighborhood Library. Daniel H. Burnham designed the 1900 Beaux-Arts Gilbert M. Simmons Memorial Library, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[128]

• Simmons Island Park and Beach, 28 acres (11 ha)[148]
• Alford Park and Beach (three sections: North, East, and West), 57 acres (23 ha)[149]
• Eichelman Park and Beach, 11 acres (4.5 ha)[150]
• Pennoyer Park and Beach, 39 acres (16 ha)[151]
• Southport Park and Beach, 24 acres (9.7 ha)[152]

The Washington Park Golf Course was dedicated on February 18, 1922, and its 1937 English-cottage clubhouse is a city landmark.[153] Most recently, new private courses have opened, including The Club at Strawberry Creek.[154]

Kenosha's Library Park is the home of Food Folks and Spokes, a festival with food booths, entertainment, and a bicycle race that is the first leg of the Tour of America's Dairyland.[155] It was formerly part of the International Cycling Classic's "Superweek". Kenosha is home to the Washington Park Velodrome, the longest-operating 333-meter track; it opened in 1927.

Kenosha has an elected mayor, who is the chief executive, and an appointed city administrator, who is the chief operating officer. The mayor is elected every four years. The city's Common Council consists of 17 aldermen from Kenosha's 17 districts (each district having several wards), elected for two-year terms in even-numbered years. The current mayor of Kenosha is John Antaramian, the longest-serving chief executive in the city's history from 1992 to 2008 and from 2016 to the present.[156]

The city has historically favored the Democratic Party, with the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election being the first time since 1972 that a Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has won in Kenosha County.[157] During the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Trump lost Wisconsin but won in Kenosha County for the second time.[158]

Kenosha is represented by Bryan Steil (R) in the United States House of Representatives, and by Ron Johnson (R) and Tammy Baldwin (D) in the United States Senate. Robert Wirch (D) represents Kenosha in the Wisconsin State Senate, and Tip McGuire (D) and Tod Ohnstad (D) represent Kenosha in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

The Kenosha Unified School District operates 23 public elementary schools, five middle schools, seven charter schools, and six high schools:[159] Mary D. Bradford High School, George Nelson Tremper High School, Indian Trail High School and Academy, LakeView Technology Academy, Reuther Central High School, and Harborside Academy, the latter a research school that uses the Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound model; it was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.[160]

Kenosha's private schools include St. Joseph Catholic Academy, All Saints Catholic School, Bethany Lutheran School, Friedens Lutheran School, Christ Lutheran Academy, Kenosha Montessori School, Shoreland Lutheran High School, and Christian Life School. At the beginning of the 2011–2012 school year, St. Mary's and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii schools became campuses of All Saints Catholic School. Both campuses operate as the same school with the same principal. St. Mark's and St. Joseph High School have also conjoined into Saint Joseph Catholic Academy.

Kenosha is home to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with over 4,000 students,[161] Carthage College with over 2,500 students,[162] and the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College.

Concordia University Wisconsin, Cardinal Stritch University, National-Louis University, and Herzing University maintain campuses in Kenosha. Journey Ministry College, a cohort of SUM Bible College and Seminary, was established in 2011.

According to Walk Score, Kenosha is a largely "car dependent" city, with an overall walk score of 45/100 and has "minimal biking infrastructure", with an overall bike score of 49/100, though its downtown central business district has much higher scores, 84/100 and 72/100 respectively.[164]

Kenosha Metra station platform

I-41 / I-94 / US 41 – Milwaukee, Chicago
WIS 50
WIS 31 (Green Bay Road)
WIS 32 (Sheridan Road)
WIS 158
WIS 165

Kenosha has been served by rail service to and from Chicago since May 19, 1855,[165] when the predecessors to the Chicago and North Western Railway, the Milwaukee and Chicago Railway Company (originally the Illinois Parallel Railroad) and the original "Lake Shore Railroad" (later the Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago Railway) were officially joined with great ceremony just south of today's 52nd Street. Today, the former C&NW line is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad while the former Milwaukee Road line is operated by the Soo Line Railroad, a division of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Chicagoland commuter rail network Metra has a line between Downtown Chicago and Kenosha. The Metra Kenosha station has seen ridership increase as many in southeastern Wisconsin utilize the line to commute between southeastern Wisconsin and Chicago.

Although some Union Pacific North Line trains terminate and originate in Kenosha; most terminate at Waukegan, Illinois, to the south of Kenosha.[166]

Since June 2000, a 2-mile (3.2 km) streetcar line has served the downtown area and HarborPark, connecting the Metra station with downtown and several area parks. Kenosha is one of the smallest cities in America with any type of streetcar system today.[167]

In addition to its streetcar line, Kenosha has a city bus network with eight routes. Kenosha was the first city to color-code transit routes (with the Blue, Green, Red, and Orange Lines), and also the first city to use electric trolley buses in full transit service, both occurring on February 14, 1932.[168]

Kenosha Regional Airport (KENW) serves the city and surrounding communities. The city is located approximately 52 miles north of O'Hare International Airport in Chicago (one of the world's busiest airports) and approximately 32 miles south of General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.

Kenosha Hospital's Palmer Recovery Unit

Kenosha has two hospitals: the Froedtert South Kenosha Medical Center Campus downtown and the Aurora Medical Center at the extreme western edge of the city limits. Just outside of the city limits in neighboring Pleasant Prairie is the St. Catherine's Medical Center Campus, which opened in 2002 and has a heart institute named in honor of cardiac surgeon Michael E. DeBakey.[169]

The Kenosha Police Department is responsible for the law enforcement in Kenosha since 1850, and is housed in the Kenosha Public Safety building.[170] The Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[171] The jail and a separate facility, the Kenosha County Detention Center (KCDC), are operated by the sheriff's department. The Kenosha Correctional Center, a minimum security state prison, is also located in Kenosha and is under the operation of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

In August 2020, during the Kenosha unrest, a probation and parole building utilized by the Division of Community Corrections was burned down by rioters.[172]