Why visit Waunakee
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 42 parks and trails, 31 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Waunakee Farmers' Market, Halvorson Mound Group, Lake View Sanatorium and Centennial Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 52 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Waunakee
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Waunakee
Waunakee () is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2020 census. A suburb of Madison, it is part of the Madison metropolitan area. Waunakee bills itself as "The Only Waunakee in the World".
From the Wikipedia article Waunakee, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Waunakee Farmers' Market
Farm and orchard · 1.2 mi
301 South Century Avenue, Waunakee
We 15:00-18:00
Museums and landmarks6
Halvorson Mound Group
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Archaeological site
Lake View Sanatorium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Registered Historic Place in Madison, Wisconsin
Waunakee Railroad Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Railway station in Waunakee, Wisconsin
Parks, trails and playgrounds42
30 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes31
Spring Garden Restaurant
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake, Waffle, Steak, Sandwich, Burger · 1.3 mi
Notable for breakfast
07:00-15:00
19 more on the map.
History
When the Chicago and Northwestern Railway wanted to expand its line from Madison to Saint Paul, a door was opened for the development of a town. Its original location was intended to be at Packham's Mill, about where Mill Road crosses the railroad track today two miles southeast of downtown. But two local settlers, Louis Baker and George Fish, platted a village on their land two miles further northwest along the railroad. Railroad officials agreed to move a train depot to the new community in exchange for $1,500 and two miles of right of way. The village was founded in 1871 and formally incorporated in 1893.
Baker and Fish did not want credit for naming the community, so they asked Simeon Mills and a Mr. Hill of Madison to come up with a list. The name "Waunakee" has a Native American origin meaning "fair and pleasant valley." In their "Dictionary of Wisconsin History", on the other hand, the Wisconsin Historical Society has the village's name deriving from the Chippewa name of "a friendly Indian" from the area, "Waunaki", meaning "he lives in peace".
From the History section of Waunakee, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship7
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.9 mi
209 South Street, Waunakee
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries24
Healthcare4
Davis Duehr Dean Waunakee
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
1300 South Century Avenue, Waunakee
Waunakee Community School District Wellness Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
1004 Quinn Drive, Waunakee
Map of Waunakee
128 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 12°F | 1.5 in | 13.7 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 15°F | 1.5 in | 12.8 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.3 in | 7.0 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.8 in | 2.6 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 51°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 2.8 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 18°F | 1.6 in | 12.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Madison Dane Rgnl Ap 72641 (6 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
Dane County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-10-18: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Middleton 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- DeForest 6 mi northeast, about 9 min by car
- Madison 7 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Sun Prairie 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Fitchburg 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Verona 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Oregon 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Stoughton 21 mi southeast, about 34 min by car
- Baraboo 25 mi northwest, about 40 min by car
- Portage 25 mi north, about 41 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
- WaunakeeWisconsinDowntown2, User:Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Waunakee Airport - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Airport Runway - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Midwest Dental Waunakee - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- St. Andrew Ev. Lutheran Church Waunakee, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Baptist Church - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Panorama View From Waunakee - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Epic Wind Turbines From Waunakee - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Neighborhood - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Mobil™ - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Dairy Farms near Waunakee - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (14), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (12), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Galactic Wind Farm From Waunakee - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Blue Ridge Parkway in Waunakee - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (17), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (11), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2013 Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (4), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2013 Waunakee Rotary Holiday Lights - panoramio (3), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Waunakee Rauilroad Depot - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Lake View Sanatorium - Main Building - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Michael F. Simon Builders - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- La Petite Academy - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Uniek, Inc. - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Qual Line Fence - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Barn and Silo - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- ATC Division Street Electrical Substation - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Bucky Badger (11396745466), college.library, CC BY 2.0
- ATC Power Line - panoramio (149), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Southbridge Neighborhood Home - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Southbridge Neighborhood - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Bridge Over Six Mile Creek - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Mansion at 1713 Blue Ridge Trail - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2014 Rotary Christmas Lights - panoramio (21), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Mansion at 1712 Blue Ridge Trail - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2014 Rotary Christmas Lights - panoramio (26), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2014 Rotary Christmas Lights - panoramio (22), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2014 Rotary Christmas Lights - panoramio (20), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 2014 Rotary Christmas Lights - panoramio (25), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Mansion at 1614 Blue Ridge Trail - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
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