Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh is a city of 66,729 people in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, founded in 1818.
Why visit Oshkosh
Townapedia lists 50 museums and landmarks, 54 parks and trails, 172 places to eat, 29 places to stay and 19 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Oshkosh Grand Opera House, Asylum Light, EAA Aviation Museum and Paine Art Center and Gardens.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Oshkosh
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Oshkosh
Oshkosh is a city in and the county seat of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located along the Fox River between Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago. The population was 66,816 at the 2020 census, making it the ninth-most populous city in Wisconsin. The Oshkosh metropolitan statistical area, consisting solely of Winnebago County, had 171,730 residents.
From the Wikipedia article Oshkosh, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do19
Oshkosh Grand Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Theater in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
Asylum Light
Lighthouse · 3.6 mi
Lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States
Rockwell Light
Lighthouse · 2.4 mi
Lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States
Time Community Theater
Cinema and theater · 1.2 mi
445 North Main Street, Oshkosh
7 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks50
Paine Art Center and Gardens
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Algoma Boulevard Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Brooklyn No. 4 Fire House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Former firehouse in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
Jessie Jack Hooper House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Orville Beach Memorial Manual Training School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
School building in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
Oviatt House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house on the UW-Oshkosh campus
Richard Guenther House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Riverside Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Cemetery in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, US
Robert Lutz House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Winnebago County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Courthouse in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
38 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds54
Menominee Park Zoo
Park · 2.2 mi
Zoo in Wisconsin, United States
09:00-18:00
Oshkosh Arena
Sports field and stadium · 1.7 mi
Arena that is home to the Wisconsin Herd team
Rainbow Park
Park · 1.0 mi
Rainbow park includes a boat landing, a pavilion, and plenty of scenery to explore.
Red Arrow Park
Park · 0.7 mi
Contains little league baseball diamonds, water park, sledding hill, and disc golf.
SkipperBud's Boating Supercenter
Marina and boat launch · 1.5 mi
1351 Egg Harbor Lane, Oshkosh
42 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes172
Parker John's BBQ & Pizza
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.7 mi
30 Wisconsin Street, Oshkosh
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Rocky Rococo
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.4 mi
2295 Westowne Avenue, Oshkosh
Su-Th 10:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:00
160 more on the map.
History
Oshkosh was named for Menominee Chief Oshkosh, whose name meant "claw" (cf. Ojibwe oshkanzh, "the claw"). Although the fur trade attracted the first European settlers to the area as early as 1818, it never became a major player in the fur trade. The 1820s mining boom in southwest Wisconsin along with the opening of the Erie Canal shifted commercial activity away from the Fox River Valley and Green Bay. Soon after 1830, much of the trade moved west, as there had been over-trapping in the region.
Following the publicity caused by the Black Hawk War in 1832, there was increased interest in settling Wisconsin by Yankees (from New England and upstate New York), and by 1836 the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, and Fond du Lac were founded, with Madison the capital of a new territorial government, setting the stage for the economic and political importance of the southern part of the state. However, Oshkosh would continue to be one of Wisconsin's top five largest cities into the twentieth century.
The establishment and growth of the wood industry in the area spurred development of Oshkosh. Already designated as the county seat, Oshkosh was incorporated as a city in 1853. It had a population of nearly 2,800.
From the History section of Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay29
Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
1 North Main Street, Oshkosh
Sleepy Hollow Farm Campground
Campground · 3.1 mi
1679 West Waukau Avenue, Oshkosh
The Doe House - Boutique Lodging
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
456 Mount Vernon Street, Oshkosh
Churches and places of worship28
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
First Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Trinity Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.7 mi
830 South Westhaven Drive, Oshkosh
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter-Day Saints · 2.1 mi
2828 Scenic Drive, Oshkosh
Shopping43
Gas and EV charging23
Schools, colleges and libraries61
Oshkosh North High School
School · 1.7 mi
1100 West Smith Avenue, Oshkosh
Healthcare27
Map of Oshkosh
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 10°F | 1.3 in | 9.8 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 13°F | 1.1 in | 10.1 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 5.4 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 36°F | 3.2 in | 1.8 in |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 59°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 53°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 29°F | 2.0 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 18°F | 1.6 in | 10.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Oshkosh Hcn (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
Winnebago County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-10-07: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 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)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wittman Regional Airport (OSH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Neenah 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Fox Crossing 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Menasha 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Fond du Lac 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Harrison 18 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Greenville 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
- Appleton 20 mi northeast, about 32 min by car
- Little Chute 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Kaukauna 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- De Pere 37 mi northeast, about 59 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
- Downtown Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 2006, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- EAAAirAdventureMuseum, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- GrandOperaHouseOshkoshWisconsin, The original uploader was Royalbroil at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5
- PaineArtCenterAndGardens, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- FirstPresbyterianChurchOshkoshWisconsin, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- OrvilleBeachMemorialManualTrainingSchool, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- RobertLutzHouse, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FirstMethodistChurchWIS45MainSt., Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- TrinityEpiscopalChurchOshkoshWisconsin, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- RichardGuentherHouseNorth, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- JessieJackHooperHouse, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OviattHouseUWOshkosh, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BrooklyNo4FireHouseOshkosh, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- AlgomaBoulevardMethodistChurchOshkoshWisconsin, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- AlgomaBlvdHistoricDistrictOshkoshWisconsin1, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- WinnebagoCountyWisconsinCourthouse, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- DempseyHallUWOshkosh, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0
- OshkoshPublicMuseum, The original uploader was Royalbroil at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5
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