Menasha, Wisconsin

Menasha is a city located on former Menominee and Ho-Chunk territory in Winnebago and Calumet counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 18,268 at the 2020 census, of which 15,144 were in Winnebago County and 2,209 were in Calumet County. The city's name comes from the Menominee language, in which it is known as Menāēhsaeh, meaning "little island". At the time of European contact, a Ho-Chunk village known as "Menashay" stood on what is now Doty Island, led by Chief Hootschope. It is part of the Fox Cities region of Wisconsin. Doty Island is located partially in Menasha, which it shares with Neenah.
The Menominee people inhabited the Fox River Valley for over 10,000 years. In the Treaty of the Cedars, the Menominee ceded approximately 4,000,000 acres of land, including present-day Menasha, to the United States for $700,000. This cession opened the region to logging and European-American settlement. Menasha's location on the Fox River and Lake Winnebago subsequently led to its development as a transportation hub and later a center for paper production and wooden ware products.

History

The Menominee people inhabited the Fox River Valley for over 10,000 years. Ancestors of the Ho-Chunk also occupied what is currently Menasha, with a village known as "Menashay" on what is now Doty Island, led by Chief Hootschope. In the 1600s, the Meskwaki established a village just north of Menasha. In 1730, a surprise attack by French soldiers and traders led by Captain Paul Marin resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Meskwaki people residing in the area. The bodies were subsequently piled into a mass grave 12 feet high, 60 feet long, and 35 feet wide, known as Butte des Morts. Despite the protests of early Wisconsin preservationist Increase A. Lapham—who argued there was "neither necessity nor excuse for its destruction"—the hill was leveled in 1863 to make way for a Chicago and North Western Railway line. The company used the excavated earth as landfill and ballast, with remains reportedly "strewn along the right of way for miles."
In 1836, the Menominee ceded approximately 4,000,000 acres of land, including present-day Menasha, to the United States in the Treaty of the Cedars for $700,000. This opened up land for public sale, and James Duane Doty, a land speculator and politician, was one of the first investors. Doty was known for using aggressive tactics to acquire land and political influence, including offering legislators choice lots in exchange for favorable votes; one of his business partners, Michigan Governor Stevens Mason, described him as "a liar, a calumniator and a swindler." In 1848, Doty and his associates, including Curtis Reed, formed the town of Menasha on the channel north of Doty Island. In 1849, Reed and Doty were successful in convincing the United States government to place the navigational channel of the Fox-Wisconsin waterway through the north channel in Menasha. In 1854 Menasha approved $150,000 in bonding to bring the Manitowoc & Mississippi Railroad in with the intent of establishing Menasha as the principal transportation axis in Wisconsin. Menasha was incorporated as a city in 1874, and at that point was considered to be a transportation hub.
The early 1900s saw a shift to industrial production of general and specialized papers. Menasha was home to many paper mills including the George A. Whiting Paper Company Mill, the John Strange Paper Mill, Island Paper Company, and Gilbert Paper Company, to name a few. Menasha was also home to the George Banta Publishing Company which published textbooks, military manuals, yearbooks, and magazines.
Menasha Corporation also called Menasha home. It was established in 1849 by Elisha D. Smith as Menasha Wooden Ware. It produced wooden containers like butter tubs and barrels and eventually became the world's largest wooden ware products manufacturer. After wooden ware products fell out of use in the early 1900s, Menasha Wooden Ware shifted to the corrugated packaging business, changing its name to Menasha Corporation.

Geography

Menasha is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which, is land and is water.

Demographics

Menasha is a city in the Appleton–Oshkosh–Neenah CSA, a Combined Statistical Area which includes the Appleton and Oshkosh–Neenah metropolitan areas, which had a combined population of 392,660 at the 2010 census and an estimated population of 409,881 as of 2019.

2020 census

At the 2020 census there were 18,268 people residing in the city. The population density was. The racial makeup of the city was 85.9% White, 1.8% African American, 1.3% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.2%.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 17,353 people, 7,405 households, and 4,415 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 7,973 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 90.8% White, 1.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.9%.
Of the 7,405 households 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 32.2% of households were one person and 9.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age was 36 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 16,331 people, 6,951 households, and 4,233 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 7,271 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 0.54% African American, 0.61% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.38% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.61%.
Of the 6,951 households 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 31.8% of households were one person and 10.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.99.
The age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median household income was $39,936 and the median family income was $47,401. Males had a median income of $36,705 versus $25,176 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,743. About 5.4% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has two churches in Menasha: Bethel Lutheran Church and Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.
Architect Harry Weese designed Menasha's St Thomas' Episcopal Church.

Parks and recreation

The 91-acre Heckrodt Wetland Reserve is an urban nature reserve with habitats including forested wetland, cattail marsh, open water, created prairie, open field, and upland forest. The University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus houses the Weis Earth Science Museum and the Barlow Planetarium.
Menasha contains numerous parks. It has a public pool located in Jefferson Park. Smith Park is the oldest park in the Menasha Park system, established in 1897.
A railroad caboose in Smith Park commemorates the original Wisconsin Central Railroad. At the southern end of the park are several Native American burial mounds and a natural amphitheater used for summer concerts. The north end of the park features semi-formal gardens planted each year with approximately 6,000 annuals, a setting that is a favorite for summer weddings. A gazebo funded with corporate donations was built in this area in 1997.

Government

The city of Menasha has a mayor–council government. There are eight districts in the city, each represented by an aldermen. The council meets weekly with the mayor, Austin Hammond.
List of Menasha's village presidents:

Order	Term start	Term end	Village President	Notes
1	1853	1854		There is no official record for the first election, although the first meeting minutes lists Curtis Reed as president.
2	1854	1855
3	1855	1856
4	1856	1857
5	1857	1858
6	1858	1859
7	1859	1860
8	1860	1861
9	1861	1862
10	1862	1863
11	1863	1864
12	1864	1865
13	1865	1866
14	1866	1867
15	1867	1868		No record of election, though the same officers stayed in their offices.
16	1868	1869
17	1869	1870		No record of election, though the same officers stayed in their offices.
18	1870	1871
19	1871	1872
20	1872	1873
21	1873	1874

List of Menasha's mayors:

Order	Term start	Term end	Mayor	Notes	-
1	1874	1875			-
2	1875	1879			-
3	1879	1882			-
4	1882	1883			-
5	1883	1885			-
6	1885	1886			-
7	1886	1890			-
8	1890	1892			-
9	1892	1893			-
10	1893	1894			-
11	1894	1895			-
12	1895	1896			-
13	1896	1897			-
14	1897	1898			-
15	1898	1900		-	-
16	1900	1901			-
17	1901	1902			-
18	1902	1904			-
19	1904	1908			-
20	1908	1910			-
21	1910	1912			-
22	1912	1919
23	1919	1922		"Elected mayor of Menasha to fill out an unexpired term" and then re-elected without opposition.
24	1922	1924			-
25	1924	1928			-
26	1928	1930			-
27	1930	1934			-
28	1934	1936			-
29	1936	1938			-
30	1938	1946			-
31	1946	1956			-
32	1956	1960			-
33	1960	1966			-
34	1966	1968			-
35	1968	1970			-
36	1970	1974			-
37	1974	1982			-
38	1982	1988			-
39	1988	2008			-
40	2008	2024			-
41	2024	Present			-