Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Kaukauna is a city of 17,706 people in Calumet County, Wisconsin, founded in 1793.
Why visit Kaukauna
Townapedia lists 41 museums and landmarks, 27 parks and trails, 30 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Capt. Matthew J. Meade House, Cedars Lock and Dam Historic District, Wisconsin International Raceway and Countryside Golf Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 49 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Kaukauna
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kaukauna
Kaukauna () is a city located in Outagamie and Calumet counties, Wisconsin, United States. It is situated on the Fox River, approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of Milwaukee. The population was 17,089 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Appleton, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Kaukauna, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks41
Capt. Matthew J. Meade House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
House in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Cedars Lock and Dam Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Charles A. Grignon House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Charles W. Stribley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Fargo's Furniture Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic commercial building in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA
Former United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former post office in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Frank St. Andrews House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Free Public Library of Kaukauna
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Library building in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, United States
Julius J. Martens Company Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Department store in Wisconsin, United States of America
Kaukauna Locks Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Klein Dairy Farmhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Kuehn Blacksmith Shop-Hardware Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Commercial building in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, United States
29 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds27
15 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes30
Jet's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.7 mi
202 West Main Street, Little Chute
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
Pagoni's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.2 mi
2480 Crooks Avenue, Kaukauna
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
IVR Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant · 2.6 mi
N9650 Friendship Drive, Kaukauna
Su-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Kaukauna Coffee and Tea
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.4 mi
127 West Wisconsin Avenue, Kaukauna
Mo-Su 06:30-14:00
Landerman's Family Resturant
Diner · American · 1.3 mi
2300 East Main Street, Kaukauna
Hollanders Pub and Grill
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
1820 East Main Street, Little Chute
Journey's Bar and Grill
Bar and pub
100 Island Street, Kaukauna
18 more on the map.
History
Kaukauna is a Native American word and in various languages means "portage", "long portage", "place where pickerel are caught", and "place of pike". This area was traditionally home to the Ho-Chunk and Menominee peoples. The first Europeans in the area were the French. The first Catholic missionary in the area, Fr. Claude Allouez, commented on the "apple trees and vine stalks in abundance" that he found the people of Kaukauna cultivating. Kaukauna became an outpost of trade in Green Bay and saw much intermarriage between French and Menominee people, leading to a Métis culture which produced local leaders such as Augustin Grignon.
The first recorded land deed in Wisconsin was assigned to Dominique Ducharme in 1793. He obtained 1,281 acres (518 ha) from the Menominee Indians for two barrels of rum and other gifts. These acres are the original site of the town of Kaukauna. The property was purchased by Charles A. Grignon (and recorded Dec. 18, 1828), who built a mansion on the river on Kaukauna's north side. The home, which bears Grignon's name, is operated as a museum by the Outagamie County Historical Society.
From the History section of Kaukauna, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship7
Holy Cross Church
Church · Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
St. Luke Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 2.3 mi
705 East Greenfield Drive, Little Chute
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries41
Healthcare3
Map of Kaukauna
165 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 10°F | 1.4 in | 12.6 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 12°F | 1.1 in | 11.2 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 22°F | 1.9 in | 7.2 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 34°F | 3.2 in | 4.0 in |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 3.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 39°F | 2.8 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 28°F | 2.1 in | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 17°F | 1.8 in | 11.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Appleton (9 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
Calumet County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2010-08-11: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-18: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Appleton International Airport (ATW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Appleton 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Harrison 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Fox Crossing 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- De Pere 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Greenville 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Hobart 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Ashwaubenon 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Allouez 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Bellevue 20 mi northeast, about 32 min by car
- Green Bay 22 mi northeast, about 35 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
- Kaukaunasouthsidedowntown, Tjrudebeck at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- HolyCrossChurchKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NicoletSchoolKaukaunaWisconsin, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- StMarysCatholicChurchKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KuehnBlacksmithShopHardwareStoreKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MartensJuliusJCompanyBuildingKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KaukaunaLocksHistoricDistrictLocksFoxRiver, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WilliamAndSusannaGeenenHouseKimberlyWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Little Chute Dam Little Chute Wisconsin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain
- CharlesWStribleyHouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FargosFurnitureStoreKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LindauerAndRupertBlockKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- GrignonHouse2007, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MerrittBlackHouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KleinDairyFarmhouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NormanBrokawHouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KaukaunaFormerPostOffice, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FrankStAndrewsHouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- KaukaunaFreePublicLibrary, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CaptMatthewJMeadeHouseKaukaunaWI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
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