Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin My Hometown W/O
Written: Oct 25 '03 (Updated Oct 26 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Small, Quiet, Peaceful, Charming, Quaint, Family Oriented
Cons: For some, the snow...but I feel that is part of it's charm
The Bottom Line: Wisconsin Rapids WI is a wonderful city to raise a family. Although the bottom line may fall to the bottom of the Wisconsin River.
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| kamel622's Full Review: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin |
My Hometown….Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin
The first part of this review is a lot of personal background information about me, my family and how I came to live in Wisconsin. If you would rather skip all of this info just scroll down to the dotted line and read after that point. :)
While living in Wisconsin is fairly new to me, I’ve had a connection to this great state for a number of years.
Going back about 16 years my oldest daughter met a boy (well I suppose he was a man…but to me they were kids) This young man was in the Navy stationed not far from our California home, but his roots were in Wisconsin. It was where he was born and raised and he made it clear it was where he was going back to when he got out of the Navy. We would talk about the state and more particularly the things he liked about living in Wisconsin Rapids.
Unfortunately for me, he got out of the service just four short months after they were married…..and they moved to his hometown. I cannot even express how I felt watching my first baby drive away in a truck and knowing we wouldn’t get to see each other everyday. I was able to be with her for the birth of my first grandchild and I could see why they loved the sleepy little town they were living in, but I still missed them all so much. I wasn’t able to make the trip for the birth of grandchild #2 and it was getting harder and harder to have them so far away.
Years pass…..my second daughter tells me that she and her hubby and my third grandchild were moving to Wisconsin. Oh no…not another one so far away. At this point, I have two adult children and three grandchildren in Wisconsin, and two adult children and two grandchildren in California.
All of a sudden my son (my youngest) tells me he wants out of Southern California and is moving to Wisconsin as well. What in the world is a mother to do? So, I convince my third daughter, her hubby, their two children and my son-in-laws mom to move to Wisconsin with us. So on November 23, 2000 we arrived in the Central area of Wisconsin…Wisconsin Rapids.
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Just the Facts…Ma’am
In land area Wisconsin Rapids is 13.3 square miles with a population of only 18,435 (2000 census) I know that there are at least 10 more than that now. The average age of residents is 37.6 years and the median income is just below $35,000 a year. Median house value is $68,700. Can you imagine being able to buy a house for so little? That is one of the great things about this town.
We are just 158 miles from Milwaukee and it’s only 246 miles to Chicago, so if I really needed to go to the Big City I could. I haven’t had that desire since living here though. Wisconsin Rapids is right in the middle of the state, so it is easy to find on a map and it is located along the banks of the Wisconsin River the hardest working river in the country.
In the year 2001 there were no murders in our town. There were 4 rapes, 5 robberies, 5 assaults, 160 burglaries and 31 auto thefts. Another of the reasons I really love our little community, I feel safe here. Having moved from Southern California where those statistics were more like the weekly amounts, I feel less stress and much more at ease in Wisconsin Rapids.
Mid State Technical College has a full time enrollment of over 1,300 students and there are many Colleges and Universities within 100 miles of Wisconsin Rapids. We have one high school, two middle schools and eight elementary schools. Two of my grandchildren go to an elementary that has only 150 students with Kindergarten through 6th grade being included. They have only one of each grade, so students move up with the same classmates each year.
One of the things that I had to adjust to when I moved was the different temperatures that the two states have. In California when it dipped into the lower 60’s or heaven forbid even the 50’s occasionally, everyone froze. In Wisconsin those temperatures are shirt sleeve weather. Spring and Fall carry an average temperature between 30-50 degrees daily. Summer temps average in the 70’s, at times going into the 80’s. Okay, now for the winter, which is what everyone in California always ask me about. Our snow generally starts in November although last year on October 21, 2002 we had 7.6” followed by no measurable snow until this past January. Our average snowfall is:
November - 4.3"
December - 10.0"
January - 11.3"
February - 7.9"
March - 8.8"
April - 2.4"
Points of Interest
While this is a quiet town and in winter time seems to pretty much go sleep, during the spring just as flowers start to awaken, so does Wisconsin Rapids.
Museums aren’t plentiful, but we do have South Wood County Historical Museum. I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t been there, but will certainly change that when they open up again in May. They are only open May through September. Sunday – Thursday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The museum is housed in a three story building and has everything from a blacksmith forge and billows to a Wooten desk. There are exhibits of old time toys, cranberries and even an area dedicated to Grim Natwick. Haven’t heard of him? Neither had I until I heard the name Betty Boop. Mr. Natwick was born and raised in Wisconsin Rapids and even did the design for the first year book cover of our high school. There are over 70 original drawings from before and after Mr. Natwick found fame.
No, our Museum isn’t grand or filled with things that might be of interest to an artist or scientist, but like our town, it is filled with history and exhibits that show the determination of our early settlers.
We also have StoraEnso Paper Mill, which was built in 1831 and is still in operation today. It is located along the Wisconsin River and offers tours year round.
Cranberries are another big industry in our area and there are cranberry marsh tours during the Fall Harvest.
We have only one movie theater, so if it isn’t playing at Roger’s Cinema you have to wait another week for it to show up or drive 30 minutes to Steven’s Point in hopes of finding the movie you want to see. When I first visited my daughter back in 1990 the theater only had 4 screens…..we have 7 now. See how we’ve grown.
There are no amusement parks here, but we have such wonderful things as Lunch by the River where different entertainment groups come and entertain as people enjoy their afternoon meal. Sound a little hokie? It is, but it is also a way that friends and neighbors come together and enjoy some of the summer months.
The 4th of July is a big celebration along the Wisconsin River as fireworks celebrating Independence Day are lit from the shore of the river. Families gather with blankets and chairs and enjoy the show…and it is free!
Nepco Lake, has a beach area where children can swim….complete with a sandy shore. One of my grand daughters, after visiting it for the first time could not believe that people called this a beach. Being from Southern California, she had been to the Pacific Ocean and knows what a beach is, but this is still a great place to picnic together and have fun in the water. There also have a boat ramp and dock and a playground for children.
It is free as well, not even a parking or launching fee.
Shopping, Restaurants & Hotels
Since this is such a small town, there are no major shopping Malls and an hour trip to Wausau or Appleton is the only way you can find a bigger mall to shop in, but we do have a few smaller shopping areas.
The Rapids Mall is a collection of 26 stores including J.C. Penney’s, Younkers, Family Dollar and various shoe, photo and banks as well as several restaurants. One of the things that I love about this Mall is they have and indoor playground for children. It includes a very large climber with slides, a playhouse and several riding toys. I’ve taken my daycare children there to play and will surely take them during the winter when playing outside is more difficult.
The center of town is 8th Street, which is lined with restaurants, grocery stores, and just about every other type of business that a community needs. If you are looking for something in Rapids, it is most likely on 8th Street.
We have a Super Wal*Mart and a ShopKo (both on 8th St.) where you can buy most anything that any household would need.
While we have many supper clubs for a more elegant dining experience, we also have many chain type restaurant/coffee shops such as Country Kitchen and Perkins. We also have many family owned smaller eateries that serve good ol’ home cooking.
Of course there are the usual fast food places, McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardees, Hot ‘N Now, KFC and Taco Bell to name a few.
We also have several hotels. The Mead is an elegant and fancy hotel with 157 rooms and two restaurants on the premises. They feature a Sunday Champagne Brunch for only $12.95 that is delicious.
There is also a Best Western, Econo Lodge, Quality Inn and AmericInn. One of the things I love about hotels in Wisconsin is that most of them have indoor swimming pools so that swimming can be done year round. I just love swimming when I can look out and see a snow covered winter wonderland around me.
My Feelings
I had never really dreamed of leaving California and living in a state where it snows as much as it does here. After living here for three years now I can say that the pace and caring of the people, has made living here such a pleasure and one of the best places I’ve ever lived, I can't even imagine going back to the chaos of California.
I love the changing of the seasons and all of the beautiful Fall colors. We have so many trees, that early to mid October is alive with bright oranges, reds and yellows. The beauty of this time of year is almost impossible to describe.
While I don’t hunt or fish, those that do will find our neck of the woods a wonderful place to partake in these activities. My son in law hunts deer (makes me sad) and turkey and fishes in the summer and ice fishes in the wintertime.
I have to admit, that one of the things that I love the most about this small community is that all four of my grown children live here as well as all of my grandchildren except one, who lives a few hours away. None of my children live more than five minutes away and my son actually lives in the apartment above our house. Is this too close for comfort? Not at all. We all have our separate lives and are able to get together and have our crazy family fun as time permits. I feel so blessed.
I would very highly recommend living in Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin to anyone who would like to feel secure, peaceful and hates waiting in long lines……we don’t have those.
I used many sources to help me include information in this review. I also learned a lot about my own community through these sites. If you would like to learn more, please check out:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Wisconsin-Rapids-Wisconsin.html
http://www.swch-museum.com/feature.htm
http://www.rapidsmall.com/
http://www.wisrapids.com/
This has been a part of Proxam's My Hometown W/O. Please check out his review here for other participants. Happy 2 year Anniversary Drew!
A BIG thank you to SurgRN911 for getting this added to the database for me, right after her own surgery too! Di you are the best! Hope your feeling better.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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