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Waunakee Welcomes You!!
Signs greet visitors at the edge of the Village with "Welcome To The Only WAUNAKEE In The World."
And they’re not kidding. Waunakee provides a unique combination of hometown warmth, quality housing, education
excellence, bountiful recreation, business opportunities and progressive planning. And it is striving, with incredible
community support, to become even better.
The Waunakee of Yesterday
Trains thundering across the golden Wisconsin prairies opened the door for development in Waunakee j
ust after the Civil War. When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad expanded its line from Madison to St. Paul, it
also opened the opportunity for a local supply center and a market for shipping farm produce.
The Packham Mil
l, in operation for 10 years, seemed a logical spot for location of a new and potentially prosperous village. Located
just two miles from the present Waunakee depot, railroad officials had already decided it was an ideal location.
But two earl
y settlers, Louis Baker and George C. Fish, owned land along the new railroad line and plotted a village on their p
roperty instead. In exchange for $1,500 and two miles of right-of-way, railroad officials changed their original plan
s and trains roared to a stop in what is now known as Waunakee. Native American in origin, the name Waunakee (Wanaki)
aptly describes the Village’s location in a "fair and pleasant valley" just north of Madison.
The innovative spirit and dedication of early settlers continues in the Village of Waunakee. In 1996 Waunakee celeb
rated its Quasquicentennial, or 125-year anniversary. Once again, the community gathered its collective energy and re
sources to reflect on its past and thoughtfully prepare for its future.
Hundreds of volunteers made a colorfu
l past come alive for area citizens throughout the anniversary year. Residents enjoyed a spring community dance and o
ld-time prices for swimming and movies. Walking through downtown Waunakee you might have noticed a higher percentage
of men with beards—enthusiastic participants of that summer’s beard growing contest.
During the c
elebration of the Quasquicentennial you could hear strains of your grandmother’s favorite songs, reminisce over
historical displays, and smile at kids and adults wearing clothes your ancestors might have worn. Events were planne
d from March through July to highlight the history and pride of Waunakee residents.
Festivities culminated at
the end of July with a village-wide celebration in conjunction with the annual WaunaFest. There was a historical encam
pment at Murphy Park, music, carnival, and sporting events at Centennial Park, a quilt show and historic displays at t
he high school, and a parade through town.
Waunakee’s Quasquicentennial celebration depicted not only t
he history of Waunakee, but provided a living example of the reason Waunakee is such a special place to live, work, a
nd grow!
The Waunakee of Today
Tod
ay, more than 125 years after is founding, Waunakee remains a thriving business center. Descendants of early settlers
work side-by-side with new residents to retain the best of the old village while ensuring growth and prosperity well
into the next century. The careful planning is backed by the enthusiasm and participation of Waunakee’s nearly
8,500 residents.
Located just 15 minutes from the east and west sides of Madison, the community is ideally l
ocated for business and residential development. An average of more that 12,000 cars pass through Waunakee’s do
wntown intersection of highways STH 19 and 113, and CTH Q daily.
Twenty major private employers, each employi
ng from 32 to 400 people, call Waunakee home. From wood cabinets and photo frames to trucking and machining, these la
rge service and manufacturing companies provide a solid community employment base.
But opportunities for smal
l entrepreneurs are also plentiful. Already, Waunakee has attracted a variety of specialty shops selling everything f
rom collectible teddy bears to wine to handmade quilts, as well as a variety of homestyle restaurants. Its historic M
ain Street is quickly becoming a popular destination for shoppers looking for unique item
s and a relaxed, small-town shopping atmosphere.
Waunakee offers businesses a favorable tax rate, as well as
some of the most competitive gas and electric rates in the region. Its 160-acre industrial park is just eight miles f
rom the Dane County Regional Airport and six miles from Interstate 90/94. In the summer of 2000 the Village approved
two new business/office parks, approximately 40 acres each, to be constructed adjacent to the current industrial park.
Rail service is available there, in addition to close access to several major highways and two small airfields—
;one right in Waunakee.
More than 2700 students will attend classes in the Waunakee Community School District
in the fall of 2000. Keys to its success include a tremendous amount of parent and community support, plus a highly
professional staff committed to excellence and committed to children. Students have consistently exceeded state and n
ational standardized test score averages. In addition to award-winning faculty, the school curriculum has received re
cognition for excellence at all levels. The school district has been recognized by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commer
ce (WMC) for the past two years for its excellence in education and fiscal responsibility.
The community has
continued to back the educational needs of its children recently with three large building projects. In 1991, Waunake
e built a new middle school, followed by renovation and an addition to the high school in 1993 and 1994. An impressiv
e new elementary school opened its doors to the children of Waunakee in 1996.
Nearby, the University of Wiscon
sin/Madison, Edgewood College, Madison Area Technical College (MATC), Madison Junior College of Business, and the Wisc
onsin School of Electronics provide top quality higher education options within 10 to 20 miles of Waunakee.
Quality housing is a necessity
for any growing area. Single-family units in Waunakee have more than tripled in number in the past 25 years. The Vill
age anticipates construction of over 100 new single-family homes again in 2000. The number of duplexes and apartments
is also on the rise. New developments add condominium and multi-family units to the Village. Restored historic dwellin
gs downtown and beautiful new neighborhoods nestled in Waunakee’s outer hills and prairies provide plenty of roo
m for growing families.
A healthy and growing community can only be maintained with the help of quality medica
l facilities. Two major Madison medical offices have satellite clinics in Waunakee, in additional to local chiropracti
c, dental, and optometric offices. Four hospitals are available in nearby Madison, including the world-renowned Univer
sity of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
The older citizens of Waunakee enjoy a recently constructed Senior Cit
izen Center offering a wide variety of activities for learning, entertainment, and camaraderie. Those needing special
care can take advantage of the specialized attention of Waunakee Manor or Creekwood Assisted Living.
Recreatio
n is also important to Waunakee—especially to the families that continue to grow and settle here. There are four
community parks for picnicking and outdoor recreation, plus nearby county and state parks. Area residents enjoy softba
ll, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, ice-skating, and swimming. The Castle Creek Conservancy and Schumacher F
arm Conservancy offer a great escape for nature lovers. Governor Nelson State Park is located just 2 miles south of Wa
unakee on Lake Mendota.
Special events add to the warm, hometown feeling. Folks come from miles around for the
annual WaunaFest celebration each summer. A carnival, food, games, and entertainment are coordinated by dozens of civic
and social groups. The Waunakee Community Band performs each summer, and recreational and educational programs are spo
nsored by the school district and MATC. And finally, Waunakee sells its treasures in the spring and fall with its annua
l Garage Sale Days. The Waunakee of Tomorrow
While Waunakee continues to rank as one of the fastest growing area communities, its leaders don&#
8217;t take growth for granted. They also don’t want to lose the special hometown warmth they currently enjoy. T
hat’s why they recently turned to planning specialists to plot the best course for Waunakee’s future devel
opment.
A detailed plan has been written to encompass the historic and small town assets of Waunakee while ens
uring well-organized future growth for homes, businesses, and the transportation they’ll require. The plan inclu
des downtown revitalization, industrial development, and development of arterial highway corridors.
Moreover, W
aunakee and the Town of Westport have been recognized for their innovative and cooperative land use planning.
Waunakee continues to expand its Industrial Park with 80 additional acres for manufacturing, business, and office vent
ures. With direct highway access, a prime view of the Madison skyline and its closeness to other major industrial area
s, the addition to an already successful park will be a major asset to this community and its citizens.
Waunak
ee’s past will continue to play a critical role in the development of its future. The downtown historic district
provides an anchor for current revitalization to enhance the beauty, profitability, and accessibility of downtown busi
nesses.
Just at the railroad depot provided a 19th century gathering and marketplace, it will again be central
to community business when its restoration is completed this fall. The Chamber of Commerce will support, develop and
promote business from the historic depot, one of the last standing train depots in the country. Visitors can savor Wau
nakee’s rich history through newly created museum displays there.
Shoppers may soon stroll downtown past
historic storefronts lit by antique style lampposts and the newly installed ornamental village clock tower. A landscape
d mini-park provides a relaxing shopping break with historic-style park benches to rest upon.
Opportunities for
new specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and more are expected to increase dramatically in the
next five to ten years. Existing streets will be extended and new streets added to provide easy access and parking to t
he vital downtown area.
With continued growth, the plan includes eventual development of a downtown community c
enter site. Plans include quality housing in the downtown area for senior citizens, as well as moderate cost housing op
tions to keep the community of Waunakee accessible to all who opt to settle here.
Eventually, a recreational tr
ail will circle the Village for walking, running, and bicycling. Several paths already exist. The Meadows of Sixmile Cr
eek 18-hole full-length golf course also provides new recreational opportunities and country club play for the public g
olfer.
Waunakee is not resting on its 125 years of quality growth. Instead, it’s celebrating the strength
of its ancestry and the power of community by preparing for progress. By taking the best of its heritage and selective
ly planning its growth, Waunakee is ensuring a powerful business climate in a town that families what to grow in well i
nto the 20th century. Share in the vision and visit "The Only WAUNAKEE In The World."
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