Appleton: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Appleton Area School District (AASD) is Wisconsin's sixth largest school district and is one of its fastest growing. The district encompasses the city of Appleton, and the towns of Grand Chute, Buchanan, Harrison, and a small part of Menasha. Wisconsin traditionally leads the nation in test scores, and Appleton area students consistently exceed state and national test score averages. Since 1997 the Appleton Education Foundation, an independent organization of concerned citizens and business leaders, has awarded grants to Appleton schools totaling more than $800,000 to fund educational programs not funded by public sources. The Fox Cities Alliance for Education helps 13 local school districts collaborate with area businesses on school-to-work initiatives.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Appleton Area School District as of the 2002–2003 school year.

Total enrollment: 14,948

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 16

junior high/middle schools: 4

senior high schools: 3

other: 1 pre-elementary school; 12 charter schools covering all grades K-12

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3:1

Teacher salaries (2005)

average: $41,892

Funding per pupil: $8,953

The Appleton Catholic Education System (ACES) consists of four elementary schools, and a middle school. The city's ACES schools strive to foster higher level thinking skills. There is also a Catholic High School, Xavier. Appleton has a non-denominational school and seven Lutheran schools.

Colleges and Universities

Lawrence University has been a coeducational institution since its founding in 1847 and is the second oldest co-ed college in the country. In 1964 the college merged with Milwaukee's Downer College, a well regarded women's college. Lawrence, ranked among the nation's top 50 liberal arts colleges in 2003 by U.S. News & World Report enrolls 1,200 full-time students. B.A. programs are offered in more than 30 areas. The Fox Valley Technical College offers a diverse curriculum and is regarded as one of the most progressive technical institutions in the country. The college has more than 70 associate degree programs, apprenticeship training, continuing education, and customized training. Also located in the Fox Cities are the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, and a branch of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Appleton).

Libraries

Appleton Public Library has 300,000 volumes and 500 periodical subscriptions as well as a CD collection and audio-and videotapes. The library is a state document depository and has a special area on local history. An expansion in the late 1990s resulted in more space for children's programs and added shelf space for books. More than 1,500 people visit the 85,000 square foot facility daily, and the library website is accessed 75,000 times per month. The special subject interests of the Fox Valley Technical College, which has more than 61,000 volumes, include agriculture, business and management, environmental studies, medicine, and science and technology. Lawrence University Library, with holdings of nearly 337,000 volumes, is also a state document depository.

Public Library Information: Appleton Public Library, 225 N. Oneida St., Appleton, WI 54911-4780; telephone (920)832-6170; fax (920)832-6182

Appleton: History

Long before the coming of the Europeans, the area that is now Appleton was inhabited by the Menominee Indians. The Outagamie Indians, also known as the Fox, lived nearby, as did the Winnebago. Early French explorers such as Duluth, Hennepin, and LaSalle floated up the northerly-flowing Fox River into the Indian lands. In the mid-1600s French trappers and traders traveled the waterway of the Fox River in search of furs, particularly beaver pelts. They were followed by Catholic missionaries, including Pere Marquette and Louis Joliet, who passed by in 1673 on their search for the Mississippi River. Later, soldiers crossed the area as they made their way to the three forts that were built on the Fox-Wisconsin waterway, and settlers followed in 1835. That year, Hyppolyte Grignon and his family opened the White Heron trading post just above the Grand Chute. They were followed soon after by John and Jeanette Johnson, whose house became the first hotel, trading post, church, and hospital.

After the building of a canal around the river rapids, steamboats bearing travelers and cargo became a common sight. Wheat farming in the surrounding area gave way to the dairy farms, for which the region is now famous.

However, Appleton itself was first established as the site for a university. At that time it was one of three villages clustered together, the others being Grand Chute (site of the treacherous river rapids) and White Heron. When Amos Lawrence, a Boston Methodist, donated money for a "university in the wilderness" to be constructed in 1847, he decided to honor his wife's family, the Appletons, in naming the new site.

Outagamie County was founded in 1851, and Grand Chute was named the county seat. As neighboring settlements developed, they decided to incorporate under the single name Appleton in 1853. By the next year the new village included a paper mill, two sawmills, several flour mills, and a newspaper. As the center grew, it was incorporated as a city on May 2, 1857.

The power of the Fox River was harnessed in 1882 with the establishment of the world's first hydro-electric plant. The paper mills that developed along the river, and the support industries that grew along with them, played a major role in the economy of the "Paper Valley" that continues into the present day.

New Englanders were the first settlers of the region, but Dutch, German, and Polish settlers had become part of the city by the early twentieth century. More recent immigrants, the Hmong-Laotian refugees from the period of the Viet Nam War, have made their mark on the area's culture since the late 1970s.

Appleton today is a prosperous community founded in an appreciation for education, maintaining a certain "small-town charm" in the midst of economic prosperity and downtown revitalization.

Historical Information: Outagamie County Historical Society and Museum, 330 E. College Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911; telephone (920)735-9370

Appleton: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 291,369

1990: 315,121 (MSA)

2000: 358,365

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: 131st

U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported

U.S. rank in 2000: 115th

City Residents

1980: 58,913

1990: 65,695

2000: 70,087

2003 estimate: 70,354

Percent change, 1990–2000: 6.6%

U.S. rank in 1980: 340th

U.S. rank in 1990: 352nd

U.S. rank in 2000: 435th

Density: 3,356 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 64,116

Black or African American: 695

American Indian and Alaska Native: 401

Asian: 3,231

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 21

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 1,775

Other: 733

Percent of residents born in state: 73.3% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 4,834

Population 5 to 9 years old: 5,401

Population 9 to 14 years old: 5,631

Population 15 to 19 years old: 5,481

Population 20 to 24 years old: 4,667

Population 25 to 34 years old: 10,333

Population 35 to 44 years old: 11,979

Population 45 to 54 years old: 9,009

Population 55 to 59 years old: 2,795

Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,033

Population 65 to 74 years old: 3,877

Population 75 to 84 years old: 2,835

Population 85 years and over: 1,212

Median age: 33.8 years

Births (2004, Outagamie County)

Total number: 2,286

Deaths (2003, Outagamie County)

Total number: 1,147

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $22,478

Median household income: $47,285

Total households: 26,899

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 1,343

$10,000 to $14,999: 1,317

$15,000 to $24,999: 3,246

$25,000 to $34,999: 3,265

$35,000 to $49,999: 5,046

$50,000 to $74,999: 6,701

$75,000 to $99,999: 3,216

$100,000 to 149,999: 1,755

$150,000 to 199,999: 430

$200,000 or more: 580

Percent of families below poverty level: 3.3% (36.2% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 1,967

Appleton: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The Post-Crescent, Appleton's daily paper, appears in the evenings. The Milwaukee Journal & Sentinel also covers news in the city. Magazines published in Appleton include The New American, a conservative magazine covering international affairs, and Marketplace Magazine, a business magazine covering northeastern Wisconsin. Fox Cities Magazine, Fox Life, and The Scene focus on what's happening in the Fox Cities.

Television and Radio

Time Warner Cable offers both digital cable and Roadrunner high-speed internet. Appleton television viewers have broadcast access to network programming from ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and UPN. Approximately 25 radio stations broadcast to the Appleton area, with programming ranging from adult contemporary, to news/talk, public radio, big band, and classic rock.

Media Information: The Post-Crescent, 306 West Washington Street, PO Box 59, Appleton, WI 54912-0059; telephone (800)236-6397

Appleton Online

Appleton Public Library. Available www.apl.org/index.html

City of Appleton home page. Available www.appleton.org

Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Available www.foxcitieschamber.com

Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.foxcities.org

The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce. Available www.heartofthevalleychamber.com

Selected Bibliography

Bubolz, Gordon, ed., Land of the Fox, Saga of Outagamie County (Outagamie County State Centennial Committee, 1949)

Kort, Ellen, The Fox Heritage (Woodland Hills, CA: Windsor Publications, 1984)

Ryan, Thomas Henry, History of Outagamie County, Wisconsin: Being a General Survey Including a History of the Cities, Towns, and Villages (Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1911)

Appleton: Introduction

Appleton, once known as the "woodland city" and later "the Lowell of the West" (after the city in Massachusetts) grew up along the Fox River, which provided water power and transportation for the paper manufacturing industry that still dominates the area. Today, fourteen Wisconsin communities including Appleton refer to themselves as Fox Cities. Appleton's history is strongly tied to that of Lawrence University, which grew up with the town after it was chartered in 1847. Lawrence University's 84 acre campus, 32 instructional, recreational and administrative buildings, 1,200 students, and a faculty of more than 100 men and women, lies east of the city's downtown. Students and faculty members supply the community with a variety of music, drama, and sports activities.

Appleton is the seat of Outagamie County, but parts of Appleton are also located in Calumet and Winnebago counties. The many trees, city parks, a river lined with old mansions, and interesting shops provide the community with a lively downtown. The once-polluted river, unique in that it is one of the few American rivers flowing northward for its entire course, has been largely restored and is a popular site for swimming, fishing, and boating. Appleton consistently scores high on lists of the best places to live in the United States; it is safe, affordable, and offers a variety of cultural and artistic events.

Appleton

The City in Brief

Founded: 1835 (incorporated 1853)

Head Official: Mayor Timothy Hanna (NP) (since 1996; current term expires 2008)

City Population

1980: 58,913

1990: 65,695

2000: 70,087

2003 estimate: 70,354

Percent change, 1990–2000: 6.6%

U.S. rank in 1980: 340th

U.S. rank in 1990: 352nd

U.S. rank in 2000: 435th

Metropolitan Area Population (Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI MSA)

1980: 291,369

1990: 315,121

2000: 358,365

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: 131st

U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported

U.S. rank in 2000: 115th

Area: 20.88 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 780 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 43.6° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 30 inches of rain; 47 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Manufacturing, services, trade

Unemployment Rate: 5.2% (February 2005)

Per Capita Income: $22,478 (1999)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 1,967

Major Colleges and Universities: Lawrence University, Fox Valley Technical College

Daily Newspaper: The Post-Crescent

Appleton: Health Care

The city of Appleton is served by two hospitals with a total of 700 beds—St. Elizabeth Hospital and the Appleton Medical Center (which, along with its regional partner Theda Clark Medical Center, was named one of the nation's top 100 hospitals in 2003 by HCIA-Sachs). There are two walk-in emergency clinics. The Fox Cities rank among the least expensive regions in the United States for hospital and physician care. In 2004 St. Elizabeth Hospital embarked on an ambitious three-phase renovation and expansion plan. St. Elizabeth offers specialized services in cardiac care, behavioral medicine, a center for women and families, extensive rehabilitation facilities, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Appleton Medical Center supports the Warner Wellness and Rehabilitation Center, which brings together therapies, cardiac rehabilitation, sports medicine, occupational health, and nutritional services. The hospital also offers magnetic resonance imaging and a linear accelerator. Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah is also home to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

Appleton: Convention Facilities

The Radisson Paper Valley Hotel and Conference Center has 390 guest rooms and 25 meeting rooms. Overall the Fox Cities region has more than 80 meeting rooms, a 2,000 person capacity theater style room, a 1,000 person capacity banquet style room, more than 30 hotels and motels, and nearly 3,000 hotel rooms. The renovated Tri-County Arena and Expo Center in nearby Neenah offers more than 35,000 square feet of floor space, plus special use rooms. The facility is available for trade shows and exhibitions from April through September; in the winter months it serves as an ice rink. The Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a variety of site selection and planning services.

Convention Information: Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, 110 Fox River Drive, Appleton, WI 54915-9108; telephone (920)734-3358; toll-free (800)236-4114

Appleton, ‘farmstead where apples grow, apple orchard’, OE æppel-tūn; examples include: Appleton Oxon. Æppeltune 942, Apletune 1086 (DB). Appleton Warrtn. Epletune 1086 (DB). Appleton, East N. Yorks. Apelton 1086 (DB). Appleton-le-Moors N. Yorks. Apeltun 1086 (DB). Affix means ‘near the moors’. Appleton-le-Street N. Yorks. Apletun 1086 (DB). Affix means ‘on the main road’. Appleton Roebuck N. Yorks. Æppeltune c.972, Apleton 1086 (DB), Appleton Roebucke 1664. Manorial affix from the Rabuk family, here in the 14th cent. Appleton Wiske N. Yorks. Apeltona 1086 (DB). Affix refers to its situation on the River Wiske (from OE wisc ‘marshy meadow’).

Appleton: Geography and Climate

Appleton is located on rolling terrain that was carved out by glaciers. The city has a continental climate and experiences four distinct seasons, with cold winters and warm summers. It has an average annual snowfall of 47 inches. The ground usually remains snow-covered from late November through late March. April is the most common time for flooding to occur.

Area: 20.88 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 780 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 15.3° F; July, 71.4° F; annual average is 43.6° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 30 inches of rain; 47 inches of snow

Appleton: Municipal Government

Appleton has a mayor-council form of government, made up of 16 city council members plus the mayor. Each term, council members elect a Council President. Council members serve two-year terms, and the mayor serves for four years.

Head Official: Mayor Timothy M. Hanna (NP) (since 1996; current term expires 2008)

Total Number of City Employees: 2,500 (2004)

City Information: City of Appleton, 100 N. Appleton St., 54911; telephone (920)832-5599

Appleton city (1990 pop. 65,695), seat of Outagamie co., E Wis., on the Fox River near its exit from the northern end of Lake Winnebago, in a dairying and stockraising region; inc. 1857. Waterfalls provide power for the city's industries, which produce paper, wood, metal, concrete, and dairy products. Appleton had the nation's first hydroelectric plant (1882) and the state's first electric streetcar (1886). The city is the seat of Lawrence Univ.

Appleton, Wisconsin/USA Grand Chute Renamed after Samuel Appleton, the father‐in‐law of the town's founder, Amos Lawrence (1814–86). He called it Grand Chute because of the strong flow of the River Fox on which the city lay. In 1882 the first hydroelectric power station in the USA began operations here.