Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Sun Prairie is a flourishing community of nearly 30,000 located 25 minutes north east of metropolitan Madison. Due to its proximity to the state’s capital, Sun Prairie brings its residents the best in suburban living combined with top-quality urban amenities. Recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in Wisconsin, Sun Prairie is rapidly becoming the preferred choice among homebuyers who value both the comfort of the suburbs and the excitement of the city. With excellent schools, unparalleled housing and  an abundance of cultural and entertainment opportunities, Sun Prairie just may be the city you come to call home.

Real Estate in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Buyers shopping for a home in Sun Prairie can expect to find a real estate market defined by its diversity in stock and home style. In recent years, developers in Sun Prairie have focused on what has come to be known as “New Urbanism,” a style of design which focuses on highly walkable neighborhoods with a variety of housing, employment and shopping opportunities. By adopting such a style, city planners and developers have ensured that prospective residents have an abundance of choice when buying a home in Sun Prairie. Homebuyers in Sun Prairie encounter this surplus most often when selecting the style of home they wish to purchase. From newly built condos to modern tract homes, stately ranches to rustic farmhouses, Sun Prairie exemplifies the best in Wisconsin real estate.

Living in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

While life in Sun Prairie is decidedly Suburban, it is anything but typical. Taking a cue from its closest neighbor, Madison, Sun Prairie is both culturally adventurous and decidedly down to earth. From its unique shopping outlets, to its abundance of sprawling green spaces, Sun Prairie offer’s its residents an increasingly wide variety of fun-filled recreational opportunities. Combined with a healthy mixture of local shopping and entertainment, and the city’s close proximity to Madison, the quality of life in Sun Prairie is among the best in the state.

During the warmer months, Sun Prairie residents can often be found taking advantage of the city’s numerous indoor and outdoor recreation areas, which include beautifully kept parks, playgrounds and athletic complexes. Some of the city’s top spots for recreation include Sun Prairie Fireman’s Park, a community park with a handicap accessible playground, the Sun Prairie Golf Course, an immaculately kept public golf course complete with a bar and grill and pro shop, and the Youth Baseball Complex, which hosts a variety of baseball and softball programs. When Wisconsin’s summer heat gets to be too much, Sun Prairie residents of all ages flock to one of the city’s two swimming destinations, Dolphins Cove (a family friendly water park located at the Prairie Athletic Club) and the Sun Prairie Family Aquatic Center.

Sun Prairie residents are no strangers to celebration. In fact, the community plays host to several well-attended festivals throughout the year. Sun Prairie’s festival season begins in mid-June, with the Taste of the Arts fair and the Georgia O’Keeffe Celebration, two simultaneous festivals which feature exhibits of local art, instructional classes and various crafts. Following soon thereafter is The Flags of Freedom Parade and Field Show , a daylong series of patriotic events which include a high school marching band competition that draws in bands from as far away as Canada. Largest of Sun Prairie’s celebrations is its annual Sweet Corn Festival, which draws in well over 100,000 attendees from across the region during a weekend in mid-August. The festival, which includes a carnival, a parade and live music, serves nearly 70 tons of sweet corn during its run. Sun Prairie is also home to Jimmy the Groundhog, a local critter with who predicts the end of winter and the beginning of spring each and every groundhog day.

But life in Sun Prairie isn’t all about celebrating and relaxing in the sun. Resident’s needs for food and shopping are met by a variety of beloved businesses. Local eateries such as Anna’s Pizza, Buck and Honey’s Restaurant and What’s Brew’n Cafe & Coffeehouse are just a few of the fine dining establishments offering everything from casual brunches to elegant dinners. Sun Prairie residents have much to choose from when purchasing life’s little necessities. Thanks to an eclectic local economy, major chains such as Boston’s Store, Barnes & Noble and J. C. Penny (located at East Towne Mall), coexist peacefully with specialized shops such as, Hair Excellence, Mounds Pet Food Warehouse and The Piano Gal Shop.

Schools in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

By and large, the city’s students education is administered by the Sun Prairie Area School District which helms seven elementary schools, two middle schools, an upper-middle school, a high school and the Prairie Phoenix Academy, an alternative school. The district proudly participates in a Business and Education Partnership Program, an outreach program in which the schools work with local businesses in order to better educate the city’s students on the ever-evolving working world.

Business in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

As a part of Dane County, Sun Prairie boasts of one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state —hovering around 4%. This is thanks, in part, to the thriving local economy which drives the city. Some of Sun Prairie’s largest employers include QBE Insurance, American Family Insurance, Frontier Communications and the Sun Prairie School District. Sun Prairie is also home to a number of locally based manufactures such as CTI Paper, Palmer Johnson Power Systems and Trachte Building Systems. Entrepreneurs have brought their own personal twist to the Sun Prairie retail landscape with shops such as Unique Sewing Creations, Schonheit Gardens and Meant to Bead.

The Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce, which offers numerous services to Sun Prairie’s vibrant business community, plays an integral part in the city’s continued economic growth. From luncheons and networking mixers, to advertising and business promotion programs, the chamber of commerce provides local entrepreneurs with the opportunity to connect with consumers on a vital level. They even provide Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce gift cards, which can be used at member businesses throughout the city.

History of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Sun Prairie was founded, in part, thanks to President Martin Van Buren, who commissioned a party of forty-five men to secure and build a capital for what was then called the Territory of Wisconsin. As legend has it, the expedition party came upon a startlingly beautiful, sun-soaked prairie on June 9, 1837. Taken by the land’s natural majesty, one of the settlers carved the words “Sun Prairie” into a tree. Two years later, Charles Bird returned to Sun Prairie and became the area’s first settler. The Town of Sun Prairie was officially founded on February 2, 1846. In 1958, the city of Sun Prairie was incorporated.

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