Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

The Yahara River Valley encompasses part of the city of Sun Prairie. This area contains deep glacial deposits created by the Wisconsin Glaciation. The eastern part of Dane County, known as the drumlin and marsh physiographic area, includes most of Sun Prairie. The deposits found in this area include general glacial deposits and marsh deposits, and consist of many small drumlins interspersed with shallow glacial deposits having poorly defined drainage.

The general soils associations in the Sun Prairie area include the Dodge-St. Charles-McHenry, Plano-Ringwood-Griswold, and Batavia-Houghton-Dresden Associations.[17] The Dodge-St. Charles-McHenry soils are found in the eastern, southern, and central portions of Sun Prairie. This association has a varied landscape, which is mostly sloping, with some areas on benches and in depressions. The Dodge, St. Charles and McHenry soils are well drained to moderately well drained. The Sable soils in this association are nearly level and poorly drained. Most of the soils in this association have moderate permeability and a high available water capacity. Most also have slight to moderate limitations for urban uses and farming.[18]

Sun Prairie's Main Street, c. 1875.

The landscape of the city consists mostly of gently rolling hills and plains. The elevation of the city averages about 984 feet (300 m) above mean sea level.[4]

Sun Prairie has developed a number of traditional neighborhood developments (TND).[19] Often referred to as "new urbanism", these neighborhoods focus on the pedestrian and the appearance of city streets. While these developments have sought to address the problems and concerns associated with conventional suburban development and urban sprawl, many occupy former farmland and undeveloped rural lands. The city's planners addressed the criticisms that they were "attempting to recreate "pretend" neighborhoods"[19] by noting that the aim of the TND was to borrow those design ideas and features effective in older neighborhoods and adapting them to current needs.[20]

NWS map of Wisconsin rainfall totals for 5 June 2008 to 13 June 2008.

The city of Sun Prairie encounters occasional flooding because of the presence of hydric soils, spring melting and its proximity to the Koshkonong Creek. This condition is compounded by storm water runoff from development and urbanization in the upper reaches of the watershed. Many residents of the city believe that the problems with flooding are worsening, becoming more frequent over the last 14 years.[22]

A flood on April 11, 2008, caused by heavy overnight rains that outpaced the city's storm drain system and leaked into the sewer system, resulted in flooding in residential basements.[23] The city suffered considerably from the June 2008 Midwest floods.

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 29,364 people, 11,636 households, and 7,641 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,401.0 inhabitants per square mile (927.0/km²). There were 12,413 housing units at an average density of 1,015.0 per square mile (391.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.4% White, 6.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.

Jimmy the Groundhog paraphernalia being sold in Sun Prairie during the Groundhog's day celebration

There were 11,636 households, of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 33.3 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.8% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 20,369 people, 7,881 households, and 5,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,133.7 people per square mile (823.5/km²). There were 8,198 housing units at an average density of 858.8 per square mile (331.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.68% White, 3.10% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,881 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% 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 3.07.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,345, and the median income for a family was $61,197. Males had a median income of $40,510 versus $28,786 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,277. About 3.8% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Sun Prairie has a combination fire department that serves both the city and town of Sun Prairie, as well as the towns of Burke and Bristol.[33] The department, which began in 1891, consists of 45 members who maintain external jobs, 14 career staff and 8 LTE positions. The fire department has 10 fire engines and two vintage vehicles, a 1927 Stoughton fire engine refurbished by a past fire department chief and a second 1927 Stoughton fire engine that was Sun Prairie's first motorized fire truck.

Sun Prairie maintains its own emergency medical service, which is a charter member of Dane County's Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). Responding to over 3,200 calls in 2020, the department addresses medical and rescue calls in the city of Sun Prairie and the Town of Bristol in a district covering 50 square miles (130 km²) with a population of nearly 40,000.

The EMS was founded in October 1977 as an extension of the local police department. The city's rapid growth affected ambulance response times negatively, and the 1980s saw the hiring of a full-time EMS director.[34] In the 1980s and 1990s, most of the service was slowly replaced by full-time EMTs. In the 1990s, the service made a transition from EMT-basic personnel to that of intravenous technician levels and paramedic level.[35]

Sun Prairie EMS transports to all Madison hospitals and to Columbus Community Hospital in Columbus. In 2009 St. Mary's Hospital of Madison opened a free-standing emergency room facility in Sun Prairie.[36]

Sun Prairie Utilities, a municipal not-for-profit, locally-owned municipal electric and water utility was founded in 1910. SPU is a member of Wisconsin Public Power, Inc (WPPI), from whom it purchases electricity. Natural gas is supplied to the city by WE-Energies, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sun Prairie's water is supplied from six wells pumped into the system or stored in the three water towers, which maintain a storage capacity of 2.85 million US gallons (10,800 m³). The city owns and operates it own waste water treatment facility.

The Sun Prairie Public Library's service area includes the city of Sun Prairie, the Town of Sun Prairie, the Town of Bristol, and other area communities. It is part of the South Central Library System. Services include youth programming, adult programming, reference, database, technical services, and circulation.

The Sun Prairie Family Aquatic Center (FAC) is a municipal swimming pool that serves the Sun Prairie area. Opened on May 30, 1992, it replaced the previous municipal pool that opened in 1958 in Angell Park. The Family Aquatic Center has an 18-foot drop slide, two diving boards, eight competition lanes, and a 210-foot water slide. There are play structures and sand volleyball courts inside the pool compound. The Sun Prairie Piranhas, the city's youth swim team, practice at the Family Aquatic Center. They are a member of the Tri-County Swimming Conference.[37][38]

Sun Prairie Water Tower
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Columbus Street Water Tower
Location	Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Coordinates	43°11′14″N 89°12′39″W
Built	1899
Architect	Stegerwald, Frank
NRHP reference No.	00000360[43]
Added to NRHP	April 6, 2000

Six sites in Sun Prairie are listed in the National Register of Historic Places: the Sun Prairie Downtown Historic District (which includes the Old City Hall), Dr. Charles G. Crosse House, the Chase Grain Elevator, Fuhremann Canning Company Factory, the Adam and Mary Smith House, and the Sun Prairie Water Tower. The Crosse House was built in 1864 by a locally prominent physician and city leader. The Fuhremann Canning Company Factory, in use from 1900 to 1974, now is used as a restaurant space for The Nitty Gritty Restaurant.[44] The Adam and Mary Smith House was constructed in 1879 by Adam Smith, who had come to Wisconsin to do shingle work on the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Sun Prairie Water Tower, located at the junction of Columbus, Church and Cliff Streets, was designed by Frank Stegerwald and constructed in 1912 of stone, metal, and wood.[45]

Other points of interest include:

• The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame at Angell Park Speedway
• The Youth Baseball Complex, home to baseball and softball programs, including Sun Prairie's Little League program
• Sun Prairie Historical Library and Museum
• The Sun Prairie Firemans Park in the Prairie, a community-built park completed in 2007
• The Prairie Athletic Club has a water park called Dolphins Cove
• Sun Prairie Golf Course
• Sun Prairie Family Aquatic Center

Chase Grain Elevator, built in 1922 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010

• I-39 runs concurrently with I-90 from Illinois to Portage. In Madison, they are joined by I-94 until Portage. This overlap occurs in the area immediately between the metropolitan city of Madison and Sun Prairie.
• I-90 runs east–west through the western, central and southern portions of the state, and is located to the west of Sun Prairie. A total of 187 miles (301 km) of Interstate 90 lie in Wisconsin;[47] the Madison exit (designated 135B) leads to US 151 North and Sun Prairie.
• I-94 as it occurs in Wisconsin runs east–west through the western, central and southeastern portions of the state. The junction of I-90 and i-94 occurs roughly six miles to the southwest of Sun Prairie heading eastward toward Milwaukee at what is commonly known as the "Badger Interchange" where the three interstates (I-39, I-90 and I-94) meet at the eastern terminus of WIS 30.[48]

• U.S. Route 151 (normally called U.S. Highway 151, 151 or US-151) is a freeway in Sun Prairie that runs northeast–southwest across the eastern to southwest portions of the state. Sun Prairie is divided lengthwise by US-151, southwest to northeast, having four different access points: Windsor Street, Reiner Road/Grand Ave., Main Street and Bristol Street.

• Wisconsin Highway 19 (often called Highway 19, STH 19 or WIS 19) is a state highway which passes around the north side of Madison and crosses US-151 as it passes through Sun Prairie. It serves as a local connector route that links via various interchanges the communities of Sun Prairie, Watertown and Waunakee. The roadway follows two-lane surface road for the entire length with the exception of urban multilane arterials.

Prior to 1947, WIS 19 followed the current route of US-18 between Bridgeport and Madison. The route then passed through downtown Madison and followed then WIS 31 (part of the current US-151) to Sun Prairie. East of Sun Prairie the route followed its present-day alignment to Watertown. The route then followed present-day WIS 16 to Waukesha and east from there along present-day WIS 59 into Milwaukee.[49] When the U.S. Highway system was implemented, WIS 19's western terminus was relocated to Madison. The portion between Madison and Sun Prairie remained despite the debut of US-151 as did the eastern portion that became concurrent with US-16. In 1947, the eastern terminus was moved to Watertown, the section along US-151 was removed, and the portion between Mazomanie and Sun Prairie was implemented.[50]

The part of WIS 19 roughly from those interstates west to WIS 113 had at one time been on the corridor of a planned beltline route around the north side of Madison. The current status of the parkway is uncertain.[51]

Sun Prairie is bordered by the following county roads:

• C (also named N. Grand Avenue) runs north–south and borders Sun Prairie to the west and is crossed by interchange by US-151.
• N (also named N. Bristol Street) runs north–south and bisects a third of the city to the west and is crossed by interchange by US-151.
• VV (also named Twin Lane Road) runs north–south and borders the city to the east and is crossed by interchange by US-151.
• Vinburn Road, which borders the city to the north, runs west toward DeForest and east toward Columbus.

Sun Prairie contracts with the City of Madison Madison Metro to provide two local service bus routes in Sun Prairie, and additional service into Madison.[52] In 2024, Madison is planned to begin regional bus rapid transit service from Sun Prairie through Madison.[53]

Dane County Regional Airport (IATA: MSN, ICAO: KMSN, FAA LID: MSN), also known as MSN Truax Field, is a commercial airport located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Sun Prairie.[39] Dane County Regional Airport has three runways and in 2006 served over 1.6 million passengers.[54] Airlines serving the airport include AmericanConnection, American Eagle, Delta, Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines, United, United Express, and Sun Country Airlines.

Although Sun Prairie has tracks for freight trains to the south of the city, the only passenger train to serve the area is Amtrak's Empire Builder, which operates in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. The route runs from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest, arriving in nearby Columbus (CBS). The ridership on the train has increased slowly, averaging 16,850 per year traveling to and from Columbus,[55] despite the population growth in Sun Prairie. Travel time to and from Chicago is slightly under three hours.[56]