Why visit Elkhorn
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 21 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Elkhorn Band Shell, Edward Elderkin House and Harvest Point Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 13°F.
Weather in Elkhorn
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Elkhorn
Elkhorn is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Milwaukee. As of the 2020 census, it was home to 10,247 people, up from 10,084 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Elkhorn, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Elkhorn Band Shell
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Bandshell in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, United States
Edward Elderkin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Elkhorn Municipal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Government building in Elkhorn (Wisconsin, United States)
Reynolds-Weed House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes21
.jpg){kind=link}
9 more on the map.
Where to stay2
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Elkhorn - Lake Geneva Area
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
200 West O'Connor Drive, Elkhorn
History
In 1836, Colonel Samuel Phoenix spotted a rack of elk antlers in a tree and proclaimed the area as "Elk Horn."
The area's beauty and fertile soil led Daniel Bradley, his brother Milo, and LeGrand Rockwell to create a community in the area. Its growth to a population of 539 led to the first town meeting in 1846. Elkhorn was designated county seat that same year because of its location in Walworth County.
In 1851, Elkhorn became the location of the Walworth County Fair, which is now hosted annually at the Walworth County Fairgrounds which lasts for six days having Labor Day as the last. The Walworth County Fair is the largest county fair in Wisconsin.
In the 1870s, saline water from springs located in Elkhorn was believed to cure rheumatism.
Because the city places Christmas decorations around its center, Elkhorn has been called the "Christmas Card Town" since before World War II. This tradition is celebrated every year by an annual oil painting by local artist Jan Castle Reed. These watercolor paintings are turned into Christmas cards.
Elkhorn is also known for the folklore of the Beast of Bray Road, a supposed werewolf type creature that has become the focus of books, documentaries, and other media including 2005 movie, The Beast of Bray Road.
From the History section of Elkhorn, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship5
Saint John in the Wilderness Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.5 mi
13 South Church Street, Elkhorn
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare3
Aurora Lakeland Medical Center
Hospital · 2.1 mi
W3985 County Highway NN, Elkhorn
Map of Elkhorn
70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 13°F | 1.6 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 16°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.0 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.2 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 3.8 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 2.6 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 1.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Delavan Wwtp (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Walworth County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-04-05: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-19: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (JVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 26 miles away.
- Burlington 13 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Fox Lake 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
- Woodstock 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- McHenry 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Beloit 27 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- Antioch 27 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Roscoe 29 mi southwest, about 47 min by car
- Round Lake Beach 31 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
- Crystal Lake 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- Round Lake 32 mi southeast, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Hotel Loraine Building ^ Moy's Restaurant - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Elkhorn Band Shell, W. Guy Finley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Reynolds-Weed House Elkhorn Wisconsin, I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Small Animals Barn - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2016 GOP Fall Fest (30080960772), WisPolitics.com, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2016 GOP Fall Fest (29566376623), WisPolitics.com, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sheep Barn - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Junior Beef - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Swine Barn - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Calf Barn - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Activity Center - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- HCE Log Cabin - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- National Guard Armory - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Christian Science Info Cottage - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Milk House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Old Sharon Town Hall - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Dairy Barn - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Old Country School - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Newsboys Performing in 2019, Cherrell410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walworth County Fair 2008 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Edward Elderkin House, Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Edward Elderkin House (4x3), Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Raiders - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Wacky Worm - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Clares Maintenance Shop - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Horticulture Exhibits - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- NAME Kidway at 2012 Walworth County Fair - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Delavan-Darien Booster Club - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Beef Cattle - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Walworth County Fairgrounds Gazebo - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Crab Shack - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Treasurer Office - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Kidway - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Junior Exhibits - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Butterfly Barn - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2016 GOP Fall Fest (29566387803), WisPolitics.com, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Grandstand - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Walworth County Fair Concessions - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Walworth County Fair Concession Stands - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.