Oak Creek

Oak Creek, Wisconsin
—  City  —
Location of Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 42°53′4″N 87°53′57″W / 42.88444°N 87.89917°W / 42.88444; -87.89917Coordinates: 42°53′4″N 87°53′57″W / 42.88444°N 87.89917°W / 42.88444; -87.89917
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Milwaukee
Area
• Total	28.6 sq mi (74.1 km2)
• Land	28.6 sq mi (74.1 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation[1]	702 ft (214 m)
Population (2009)
• Total	33,946
• Density	994.4/sq mi (383.9/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	53154
Area code(s)	414
FIPS code	55-58800[2]
GNIS feature ID	1570601[1]

Oak Creek is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 28,456 at the 2000 census. In 2009, its population was estimated at 33,946.^[2]

History

On January 2, 1838, the territorial legislature divided Milwaukee County into two civil townships: the Town of Milwaukee, encompassing everything north of the present Greenfield Avenue, and the Town of Lake encompassing everything south of the present Greenfield Avenue; "and the polls of election shall be opened at the house of Elisha Higgins, in said town." On March 8, 1839, a new Town of Kinnikennick was created, encompassing the western part of Lake (later the Towns of Greenfield and Franklin); and on August 13, 1840, the south portion of the Town of Lake was split off to form the town of Oak Creek. As of the 1840 census, the population of the Town of Lake (then including Oak Creek) was 418.^[3]

In 1955 the Town of Oak Creek, then still semi-rural with a population of 4807 in the 1950 census, was incorporated as a city under the terms of Wisconsin statute 66.0215, also known as "The Oak Creek Law."^[4] The Oak Creek Law was crafted by Town Attorney Tony Basile to prevent Oak Creek's annexation by the City of Milwaukee, which by annexations (including the 1954 annexation of the remainder of the Town of Lake) was now bordering Oak Creek and had already annexed one small portion of the town; and was shepherded through the legislature with the help of state Democratic party legislative joint committee chairman Leland McParland, who was the state senator for Oak Creek.^[5]

Geography

Oak Creek is located at 42°53′4″N 87°53′57″W / 42.88444°N 87.89917°W / 42.88444; -87.89917 (42.884347, -87.899209).^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.6 square miles (74.2 km²), of which, 28.6 square miles (74.1 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 28,456 people, 11,239 households, and 7,530 families. The population density was 994.4 people per square mile (383.9/km²). There were 11,897 housing units at an average density of 415.7 per square mile (160.5/km²). The ethnic makeup of the city is 91.96% White, 1.82% African American, 0.59% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 1.70% from other ethnic groups, and 1.53% from two or more ethnic groups. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.45% of the population.

There were 11,239 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,779, and the median income for a family was $63,381. Males had a median income of $43,935 versus $31,443 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,586. About 1.2% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Mayors of Oak Creek

• Art Abendschein (1955 – 1972)
• Elroy Honadel (1972 – 1974)
• Don Hermann (1974 – 1985)
• Milo Schocker (1985 – 1988)
• Chris Bastian (1988 – 1991)
• Dale Richards (1991 - 2003)
• Richard "Dick" Bolender (2003 - Dec 10, 2011)
• Steve Scaffidi (Dec 11, 2011 - Dec 22, 2011) Acting Mayor due to the December 10 death of Bolender.
• Al Foeckler (Dec 22, 2011 - April 17, 2012) appointed Mayor to serve the remainder of Bolender's term.
• Steve Scaffidi (April 17, 2012 - )

Oak Creek Common Council

• Mayor: Steve Scaffidi

Aldermen:

• 1st District: Dan Jakubczyk (since 2009)
• 2nd District: Daniel J. Bukiewicz(since 2008)
• 3rd District: Stephen Scaffidi (since 2009)(Common Council President 4/2011-4/2012)
• 4th District: Michael E. Toman (since 2003)
• 5th District: Kenneth A. Gehl (since 2009)
• 6th District: Tom Michalski, Common Council President (since 2006)

Economy

Former Midwest Airlines headquarters, now owned by Bucyrus International

Midwest Airlines's headquarters were located in Oak Creek.^[9] In January 2010 Republic Airways, the parent company of Midwest, announced that it would move all Republic executives, including Midwest Airlines executives, to Indianapolis, Indiana.^[10]

Mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International announced June 22, 2010 that it would move headquarters personnel from South Milwaukee to Midwest Airlines' former headquarters space in Oak Creek. Senior management and other personnel would be moving to the new location making room for additional employees at its South Milwaukee facility.^{[citation needed]} Caterpillar Inc. intends to locate the Caterpillar Mining world headquarters there after its acquisition of Bucyrus International.^{[citation needed]}

The Oak Creek Power Plant is in Oak Creek. The city also hosts a number of small companies, with interests ranging from engineering to agriculture, including the locally-famous Black Bear Bottling plant.^[11]

The American Society of Anesthesia Technologists & Technicians is also based in Oak Creek.^[12]

Public Education

Oak Creek is part of the Oak Creek Franklin School District. ^[13]

Elementary Schools

• Carollton Elementary
• Cedar Hills Elementary
• Deerfield Elementary
• Edgewood Elementary
• Meadowview Elementary
• Shepard Hills Elementary
• Early Learning Academy

Middle Schools

• East Middle School
• West Middle School

High Schools

• Oak Creek High School

Private Education

• Grace Lutheran - K4-8th grade

References

External links

• City of Oak Creek

v t e Municipalities and communities of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Milwaukee Cities Cudahy Franklin Glendale Greenfield Milwaukee‡ Oak Creek South Milwaukee St. Francis Wauwatosa West Allis Villages Bayside‡ Brown Deer Fox Point Greendale Hales Corners River Hills Shorewood West Milwaukee Whitefish Bay Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v t e Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Central City Milwaukee Largest Municipalities (over 25,000 in 2000) BrookfieldC · FranklinC · GreenfieldC · Menomonee FallsV · New BerlinC · Oak CreekC · RacineC · WaukeshaC · WauwatosaC · West AllisC · West BendC Municipalities (over 10,000 in 2000) Brown DeerV · CaledoniaV · CedarburgC · CudahyC · GermantownV · GlendaleC · GraftonV · GreendaleV · MequonC · MuskegoC · OconomowocC · PewaukeeC · RichfieldT · ShorewoodV · South MilwaukeeC · Whitefish BayV Smaller Municipalities (under 10,000 in 2000) BaysideV · Big BendV · BrookfieldT · Elm GroveV · Fox PointV · HartlandV · Hales CornersV · MukwonagoV · PewaukeeV · River HillsV · SaukvilleV · Saint FrancisC · SussexV · ThiensvilleV · West MilwaukeeV Counties Milwaukee · Ozaukee · Racine · Washington · Waukesha Notes: Vvillage  Ttown  Ccity