Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Oconomowoc is a city of 19,080 people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, founded in 1837.
Why visit Oconomowoc
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 58 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Bishopstead, Clarence Peck Residence, Champion Field Park and Riverside Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 40 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Oconomowoc
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,203 at the 2020 census. The city is next to the Village of Lac La Belle and near the village of Oconomowoc Lake.
From the Wikipedia article Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks9
Bishopstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Residence of Episcopalian bishop Jackson Kemper
Clarence Peck Residence
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Oconomowoc Milwaukee Road depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Former Milwaukee Road depot in Wisconsin
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St. John's Northwestern Military Academy
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
Military boarding and day school in the United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes58
Sobie’s Restaurant
Restaurant · Regional · 0.7 mi
123 East Wisconsin Avenue, Oconomowoc
Mo,We-Sa 16:00-21:00, We-Fr 11:00-15:00, Sa,Su 10:00-15:00
Bella Gusto Restaurant, Deli, and Market
Restaurant · Italian · 0.7 mi
29 South Main Street, Oconomowoc
46 more on the map.
Where to stay3
History
Before 1700, this region was inhabited by Potawatomi peoples descended from Woodland Indians known as "mound builders". There are reports that the Sauk Indian chief Black Hawk had a campsite on Oconomowoc Lake.
The first white person recorded in the area was Amable (sometimes spelled "Aumable") Vieau, brother-in-law of Solomon Juneau, one of the founders of Milwaukee. Vieau established a trading post in 1827. White settlers began to follow in 1830.
In April 1837, New York native Charles Sheldon staked a 160-acre claim on the eastern shore of what is now Fowler Lake, registering it with the Land Bank of Milwaukee on April 21, 1837. A few days later, H.W. Blanchard acquired a claim next to Sheldon's on the other side of the lake. Blanchard later sold the claim to Philo Brewer, who built what some consider to be the first residence within Oconomowoc's current legal limits, at what is now 517 N. Lake Road, between La Belle and Fowler lakes. The first recorded birth was that of Eliza Jane Dewey on January 19, 1840, in the lodgings above a chair factory at 116 N. Walnut. The first recorded death was that of Jerusha Foster, who died aged 30 to 36 on March 19, 1841. Initially buried at Zion Church point, she was eventually re-interred at Nashotah Mission.
From the History section of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and School
Church · Lutheran · 2.6 mi
N50 W35181 Wisconsin Avenue, Okauchee Lake
Saint Jerome Catholic Church
Church · Catholic
995 South Silver Lake Street, Oconomowoc
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries23
Lake Country Classical Academy Inc
School · 1.3 mi
818 W Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc
Healthcare5
Map of Oconomowoc
160 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 | 1.6 in | 11.1 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 14°F | 1.6 in | 9.8 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.1 in | 4.8 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.9 in | 2.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.1 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 1.4 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 18°F | 1.9 in | 10.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Oconomowoc Wwtp (0 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
Waukesha County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides (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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waukesha County Airport (UES) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Lisbon 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
- Hartford 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Brookfield 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Menomonee Falls 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- New Berlin 21 mi southeast, about 33 min by car
- Germantown 21 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
- Fort Atkinson 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Muskego 24 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
- Mequon 25 mi east, about 41 min by car
- Milwaukee 27 mi east, about 43 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
- Oconomowoc, Iulus Ascanius at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Oconomowoc High School, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oconomowoc Depot, Shadowe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oconomowoc Area School District, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wizard of Oz (Oconomowoc), Maxamegalon2000, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wizard of Oz (Oconomowoc) cropped, Wizard_of_Oz_(Oconomowoc).JPG : Maxamegalon2000 derivative work: Ukexpat, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Norwegian Bridge survey marker in Oconomowoc, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Norwegian Bridge plaque in Oconomowoc, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oconomowoc Tower 1 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- OakwoodCherryOconomowoc, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Oconomowoc Tower 3 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Clarence Peck House, MeropeRiddle, CC BY-SA 3.0
- StMaryVirgin, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Bishopstead, Shadowe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Johns Military Academy, Shadowe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Westover Park, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lake Country Trail, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brownberry factory 02, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brownberry factory 01, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CP G64, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SOO 4413, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Whitman Hills Park, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NP 1923, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Norwegian Bridge, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rocky RococoCorporate headquarters, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Church on the Lake, jchapiewsky, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Memorial Park East, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Veterans Memorial Park (1), Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- City Beach Aerial, Pbrunclik, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hidden Ridge Park, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clarence Peck Residence, Shadowe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Timber Woods Park, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sheldon Bridge, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 1936 MILW date nail, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lisbon Road Park, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Inn at Pine Terrace, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bender Beach, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lake Country Trail Underpass, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hewitt Point, Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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