Waukesha Real Estate

Waukesha (pronounced waw-ki-shaw) is located 18 miles west of Milwaukee and 59 miles east of Madison.

Over 68,000 people call Waukesha their home, making it the fifth largest city in southeastern Wisconsin. Waukesha is the county seat of Waukesha County and the largest community in the county, covering over 27 square miles. It is located on both sides of the Fox River and borders City of Brookfield, Town of Brookfield, Genesee, New Berlin, City of Pewaukee, Village of Pewaukee, Town of Delafield and Town of Waukesha.

Real Estate
Waukesha offers many housing options, ranging from new-construction to older, historic homes. Single-family homes are most common, though condominiums and apartment complexes are sprinkled throughout the area. Newer subdivisions have sprung up in a variety of price points on the city’s outskirts.

Amenities
Just a half-hour drive from downtown Milwaukee, Waukesha often seems like it’s a world away with life slightly slower here than it is in downtown Milwaukee. Waukesha offers many big-city amenities, including the Waukesha Choral Union, the Civic Theater, the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra and Waukesha County Historical Museum.

The city also boasts its own airport, the Waukesha County Airport (also known as Crites Field), which can accommodate small airplanes and corporate jets. It is one of the fastest-growing airports in the state in terms of landings and departures.

Waukesha also has its own hospital, Waukesha Memorial Hospital.

Well-known and respected Carroll University (formerly Carroll College) is located in Waukesha. Carroll University, often called Wisconsin’s pioneer college, is the oldest four-year institution of higher education in the state. In 1841, settlers living in the Wisconsin Territory community of Prairieville established the academy that five years later would become Carroll College. Soon after its founding, Carroll affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and adopted the motto, “Christo et Litteris,” which means “for Christ and Learning.” Alfred Lunt attended Carroll College and went on to become a part of one of the greatest acting partnerships in American theatre. His acting partner and wife was Lynn Fontanne. Fred MacMurray attended Carroll College before becoming an actor most famously known for playing Steve Douglas on the hit TV series My Three Sons.

History
Waukesha is also one of the older cities in southeastern Wisconsin, being first inhabited in 1834 by Morris D. Cutler (its first non-American-Indian settler). It was originally incorporated in 1846 as the Village of Prairieville and in 1847 changed it’s name to Waukesha.

Its streets were built on the well-worn paths of early Native American inhabitants who converged at a place called “five points” in the city’s center. In the late 1800s, Waukesha’s natural spring water turned it into a resort town that attracted people from around the country, including Mrs. Abraham Lincoln and President Ulysses S. Grant. Many landmarks of that bygone era remain, including the spring house located at “five points.”

Some interesting facts about Waukesha include: Waukesha was home to Les Paul who invented the electric guitar, as well as the first 8-track tape recorder. Frank Caliendo grew up in Waukesha. Today he is famous for his impressions on MADtv, FOX NFL Sunday and Frank TV. The well-known BoDeans rock and roll group was formed in Waukesha. They are known most for their song “Closer to Free” which was the theme song for Party of Five TV series. In 1916, the Waukesha Pure Food Company began production of Jiffy Jell, the predecessor of today’s Jell-O.

Olympic gymnastic medalists, Morgan and Paul Hamm (twin brothers), hale from Waukesha.

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