Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Fort Atkinson is a city of 12,463 people in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Why visit Fort Atkinson
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Fireside Dinner Theatre, Fort Atkinson Water Tower, Albert and Mary Shekey House and Barrie Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Fort Atkinson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fort Atkinson
Fort Atkinson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. It lies along the Rock River a few miles upstream from Lake Koshkonong. The population was 12,579 at the 2020 census. Fort Atkinson is the largest city located entirely in Jefferson County, as Watertown is split between Jefferson and Dodge counties.
From the Wikipedia article Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Fireside Dinner Theatre
Cinema and theater · Fine Dining
Family operated dinner theatre specializing in musicals featuring an in-the-round stage. Also hosting concerts, a friday night fish-fry,...
1131 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson
Museums and landmarks14
Fort Atkinson Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic water tower in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, United States
Albert and Mary Shekey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
House in Koshkonong, Wisconsin
Arthur R. Hoard House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
David W. and Jane Curtis House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Single-family detached home in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Hoard's Dairyman Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Farm in Koshkonong, Wisconsin, United States
Lorine Niedecker Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
House in Wisconsin
Main Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic district in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, United States
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Merchants Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Panther Intaglio Effigy Mound
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Archaeological site in Jefferson County, United States of America
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes29
Capn's Roadhose
Bar and pub · Burger, American, Pizza · 1.9 mi
855 Lexington Boulevard
Tu-Su 11:00-23:00
Kitcho Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.4 mi
120 North Main Street, Fort Atkinson
17 more on the map.
History
Fort Atkinson was named after General Henry Atkinson, the commander of U.S. forces in the area during the Black Hawk War (1832) against a mixed band of Sauk, Meskwaki and Kickapoo peoples. The city developed at the site of Fort Koshkonong, which was used during that war. A replica of the original 1832 stockade has been built just outside town, although not at the original site. The fort was located to control the confluence of the Rock and Bark rivers.
The settlement grew rapidly in the mid-19th century, after the migration of pioneers from the east, especially New York State and the northern tier. They were among the many migrants carrying New England Yankee culture west across the northern tier of states.
The history and natural history of Fort Atkinson and the surrounding area are presented at the Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine Museum. William Dempster Hoard founded the nationally distributed dairy farm magazine Hoard's Dairyman in Fort Atkinson in 1885. The museums include the Frank and Luella Hoard House, the Dwight and Almira Foster House, and the Knox Research Library and Archive. The Dairy Shrine portion of the complex portrays the past, present, and future of the dairy industry.
From the History section of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Atkinson
Motel and hotel · 2.1 mi
1680 Madison Avenue, Fort Atkinson
America's Best Value Inn and Suites
Motel and hotel
1225 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson
Churches and places of worship13
First United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 1.2 mi
320 South Main Street, Fort Atkinson
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.4 mi
301 South High Street, Fort Atkinson
Trinity Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.3 mi
314 Barrie Street, Fort Atkinson
Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · 1.3 mi
404 Roosevelt Street, Fort Atkinson
First Church of Christian Science
Church · 1.2 mi
359 Whitewater Avenue, Fort Atkinson
Friedens United Church of Christ
Church · 1.3 mi
108 Milwaukee Avenue East, Fort Atkinson
Living Savior Lutheran Church
Church · 0.7 mi
1661 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Dwight Foster Public Library
Library · 1.3 mi
209 Merchants Avenue, Fort Atkinson
Healthcare2
Map of Fort Atkinson
111 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 11°F | 1.5 in | 10.7 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 14°F | 1.4 in | 9.4 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 4.0 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.6 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.1 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 2.1 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Atkinson (1 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
Jefferson County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-19: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2007-08-26: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (JVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Elkhorn 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- Beloit 28 mi south, about 45 min by car
- Fitchburg 29 mi west, about 47 min by car
- Madison 31 mi northwest, about 51 min by car
- DeForest 33 mi northwest, about 53 min by car
- Burlington 34 mi southeast, about 55 min by car
- Roscoe 35 mi south, about 56 min by car
- Brookfield 39 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Machesney Park 39 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Milwaukee 46 mi east, about 1 h 15 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
- 0707 Fort Atkinson from Rock River, Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 3.0
- We Energies Fort Atkinson Office - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Cell Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Shopko Fort Atkinson - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Grace United Church Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Living Savior Lutheran Church Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Southside Cell Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Water Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Saint Joseph Catholic Church Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- First Church of Christ Scientist Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Fire Department - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- First United Methodist Church Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Police Department - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- First Congregational United Church of Christ Fort Atkinson, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Atkinson Fountain - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- A wooden panel door painted beige and red · downtown Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin · August 20th, 2021, Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fireside entrance, Nlhs1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 0712 FA Water Tower-01, Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 0712 Hoard Museum-01, Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 4.0
- David W and Jane Curtis House, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hoards old barn, Abirch87 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- 0712 FA 0-99 block Main street even (west) side, Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hoard House, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lorine Niedecker Cottage, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- The Shekey House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Americas Best Value-Courtyard Inn - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fireside Theater - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Jones Dairy Farm - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Image Jones Dairy, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ImageDairy, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- La Michoacana - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Purdy Elementary School - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Glacial River Trail Shelter - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Dunlap Memorial Home - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Family Video ^802 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Verlo Mattress Factory Headquarters - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Hoard Historical Museum - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Fort Barber Shop - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Henry Schempf Produce Sales Building - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Langholf Hotel and Saloon - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.