Fond du Lac () is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is at the southern end of Lake Winnebago and had a population of 44,678 at the 2020 census. The city forms the core of the Fond du Lac metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Fond du Lac County and had 104,154 residents in 2020.
History
"" is French for the "bottom of the lake",Ruth Shaw Worthing. The History of Fond du Lac County, as Told by Its Place-names. 2nd ed. Oshkosh, Wis.: Globe Printing, 1976, p. 33.County History. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. so named because of its location at the bottom (south end) of Lake Winnebago.
Native American tribes, primarily the Winnebagos but also the Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and Mascoutin lived or gathered in the area before Europeans arrived. Although the identity of the first European to colonize the southern end of Lake Winnebago is uncertain, it was probably Claude-Jean Allouez, followed by French fur trappers. James Doty, a federal judge for the western part of the Michigan Territory, thought the land at the foot of Lake Winnebago might be a good place for a city, so he and his partners bought land in the area.
In 1836, during the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, John Arndt proposed making Fond du Lac the new capital. The motion failed, and Doty convinced the legislature to choose Madison instead. Colwert, Fanna Pier, and Alex Tomasik were the first white residents of the area.
In 1835, the construction of the Military Ridge Road began. It passed through Fond du Lac, connecting the forts in Wisconsin and Fort Dearborn in Illinois. The first school in Fond du Lac was built in 1843. The first railroad came to the community in 1852. About 1856, the first English-language newspaper in Fond du Lac, the Fond du Lac Commonwealth, was founded. Logging and milling were primary industries in the late 1880s, with lake access the engine of the industry.
From June to August 1944, the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds housed an Allied prisoner of war camp that held 300 German prisoners of war guarded by 39 U.S. soldiers. The prisoners worked on pea farms and in canneries that summer.
Geography Fond du Lac is at (43.775, −88.445).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Fond du Lac lies on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago.Wisconsin Department of Transportation-Fond du Lac county The east and west branches of the Fond du Lac River connect in the city and then flow into Lake Winnebago near Lakeside Park.
Climate As with the rest of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac has a humid continental climate. The record low was −41 °F (−41 °C) on January 30, 1951. The record high was 111 °F (44 °C) on July 13, 1936; the days immediately before and after that date hit 109 °F and 110 °F, respectively.
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Fond du Lac had a population of 44,678 and a population density of . There were 19,936 housing units at an average density of ; 5.4% of units were vacant, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.2% and a rental vacancy rate of 5.8%.
The median age was 38.1 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.9 males age 18 and over.
99.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 18,858 households in Fond du Lac, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.6% were married-couple households, 22.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The 2020 census population of the city included 1,109 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 609 people in student housing.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 36,796 82.4% Black or African American 2,028 4.5% American Indian and Alaska Native 321 0.7% Asian 874 2.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 9 0.0% Some other race 1,842 4.1% Two or more races 2,808 6.3% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 3,834 8.6%
2020 American Community Survey According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016–2020, the median income for a household in the city was $54,587, and the median income for a family was $70,061. Male full-time workers had a median income of $49,226 versus $38,715 for female workers. The per capita income for the city was $28,555. About 8.1% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Of the population age 25 and over, 90.6% were high school graduates or higher and 23.1% had a bachelor's degree or higher.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 42,203 people, 16,638 households, and 10,282 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,501.3 people per square mile (965.9/km2). There were 17,519 housing units at an average density of 1,038.3 per square mile (401.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.59% White, 1.86% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.27% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. 2.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,638 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,113, and the median income for a family was $50,341. Males had a median income of $35,682 versus $22,492 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,996. About 4.6% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Ethnic communities Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the German American population was 19,221. Per the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the Mexican American population was 2,113 comprising over 60% of the Latino population.
Religion
Fond du Lac's population is about one-third Roman Catholic.Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Religion Data In 2000, the city's Catholic parishes merged into a single entity called Holy Family Catholic Community. The motherhouse of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is in Fond du Lac. The order founded and continues to sponsor Marian University.
Fond du Lac was the episcopal see of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac from 1874 until it reintegrated into the Diocese of Wisconsin in 2024. St. Paul's Cathedral is one of three mother churches of the Diocese of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has four churches in Fond du Lac: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, St. Peter's Lutheran Church, and Faith Lutheran Church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains a local ward meetinghouse.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Retrieved March 5, 2016.
Fond du Lac also has a synagogue, Temple Beth Israel. Although Jewish people first came to Fond du Lac in the late 19th century, the first synagogue was not established until 1914.The Sadoff Family of Fond du Lac archived at
Economy Fond du Lac's largest employer is Mercury Marine, a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Its world headquarters is in Fond du Lac. Mercury Marine is the world's largest maker of outboard motors, employing approximately 2,500 people in its factory and offices. Other industry includes Giddings & Lewis, a manufacturer of machine tools, owned by the Fives Group; Brenner Tank, a builder of transport tankers; Chicago Tube & Iron, a division of Olympic Steel; Saputo Cheese; and J. F. Ahern, a mechanical and fire protection company.
Fond du Lac is also home to a Nielsen Corporation data gathering center. Other businesses include Charter Communications, Society Insurance, and an office of Anthem.
Fond du Lac has one hospital, St. Agnes Hospital.
Arts and culture Fond du Lac is the county seat of Fond du Lac County and the site of the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds. The Fond du Lac County Fair takes place in late July.
Fond du Lac is also host to Walleye Weekend, a festival centered around the Mercury Marine National Walleye Fishing Tournament. Usually the second weekend in June, Walleye Weekend is a "Free Family Fun Festival" held in Lakeside Park on the south shore of Lake Winnebago.
Fondue Fest is held in September. It began in 2007, when a collaboration between The Melting Pot and Brenner Tank created and set the Guinness World Record for the world's largest fondue set. The festival has been held annually since.
Fond du Lac has a children's museum, which displays rotating child-centric exhibits.
Historic districts Fond du Lac has 20 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, including four historic districts: the South Main Street Historic District, the North Main Street Historic District, the Linden Street Historic District, and the East Division Street–Sheboygan Street Historic District. Other listings include six houses, two octagon houses, a Moose temple, two hotels, a church, a fire station, a train depot, an apartment building, a commercial building, and a prehistoric site. Most of the buildings listed in the register were the result of prosperity generated by the Fox Valley lumber industry boom.
Sports The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and Marian University teamed up to form the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders baseball team in 2017. The Dock Spiders won the Northwoods League Championship in 2018 and 2020. The team uses Herr-Baker Field on the Marian University campus.
Parks and recreation
The largest park in Fond du Lac, Lakeside Park has more than of open recreational space on the south end of Lake Winnebago. Year-round activities include a whitetail deer exhibit. Summer activities include flower displays, boating, picnics, and weddings. From April 15 to October 15, the Lakeside Park Lighthouse and its observation tower are open. Visitors can ride a miniature train and an antique carousel. The park also has four jungle gyms and a petting zoo. A steam locomotive stands at the park's Main Street entrance, donated by the Soo Line in 1955. Lakeside Park hosts a holiday event featuring a "dancing lights" display, decorations and music.
Buttermilk Creek Park is a large, grassy, hilly park containing an amphitheater, tennis courts, two jungle gyms, and a sledding hill.
Other parks include Taylor Park and Pool, Butzen (Danbury) Park, Jefferson Park, Fairgrounds Park and Pool, and Playmore Park.
Government