By the late 1800’s the citizens of Appleton felt they were ready to support a water works system to address these needs.Ī petition requested Appleton Common Council to order a special election to consider the formation of a City Water Works System. But as commercial use of area waterways increased and Appleton continued to grow, sources were sought for a good quality, community water supply that would meet residential, commercial, and fire protection needs. In the mid-1800’s drinking water was readily obtained from the plentiful streams, rivers, and lakes as well as from glacial deposits of artesian waters in the region surrounding Appleton. Appleton is still very much aware of its roots on the Fox River, its ties to Lake Winnebago, and its responsibilities to the world’s largest source of fresh surface water, the Great Lakes watershed basin. Today the City of Appleton has a population of over 70,000 residents who represent a diverse and thriving community. Appleton’s city charter initially identified three wards, an election at-large for mayor, and the ability to assess special city taxes by popular vote for waterworks, fire engines, and other municipal improvements deemed necessary. By this date Lawrence Institute had already been renamed Lawrence University. Commerce on the Fox River and in the village rapidly grew as the energy and transportation benefits of the area’s waterways were becoming apparent.Īppleton was incorporated as a city on May 2, 1857, boasting a population of 2000, over 100 homes, and a central core of downtown merchants. By 1854 the system of Fox River locks and canals were in operation and the community celebrated the first meeting of a boat from the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes in Appleton. In 1852 the Appleton Water Power Company was established to construct dams and reservoirs on the river. On Wisconsin became the 30th state in the Union. By 1848 the Wisconsin Territory was sufficiently settled to petition Congress for statehood. In 1847 the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature approved a charter for Lawrence Institute which encompassed much of the land occupied by the small village’s newly established businesses. At that time the Fox River was the only “sure way” of reaching what would later become the City of Appleton.īy land, a narrow Indian trail followed the river’s path, but the village had no roads to rely on for transportation. In 1846 the first farm was established in this new village on the Fox River, near what is now Prospect Avenue. Settlers soon found their way, often by water, into the area, which would become the Village of Appleton. Our local “water history” begins with Congress establishing the Wisconsin Territory in 1836. The state-of-the-art Appleton Water Treatment Facility, commissioned in July 2001 to provide its customers with an exceptional quality drinking water, is evidence of a 120-year commitment to sustain this valuable natural resource.
Today, water continues to play a major part in many of our city’s infrastructure and resource management decisions. Water has played a significant role in developing the community since the very first settlers found their way to the Fox River Valley by canoe. Today’s State-of-the-Art Water Treatment Facilityīuilds on a 120-Year Legacy, Spanning Three Centuries ofĪppleton began as a community of pioneers drawn to the rich water resources in the area.