| Official Name: | Menasha, Wisconsin |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Motto: | "Your Place on the Water" |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name2: | Winnebago, Calumet |
| Government Type: | Mayor-council government |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Austin Hammond |
| Established Title: | First settled |
| Established Date: | 1835 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 20.16 |
| Area Land Km2: | 15.66 |
| Area Water Km2: | 4.50 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 7.78 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 6.05 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 1.74 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 17873 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2019 |
| Population Total: | 18268 |
| Population Density Km2: | 7825.64 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 3,021.5 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | −6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −5 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [2] |
| Elevation M: | 230 |
| Elevation Ft: | 755 |
| Coordinates: | 44.2167°N -114°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 54952[3] |
| Area Code: | 920 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 55-50825[4] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1569330 |
| Website: | menashawi.gov |
| Pop Est Footnotes: | [5] |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated as a town |
| Established Date1: | 1848 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated as a city |
| Established Date2: | 1874 |
| Population Demonym: | Menashan |
| Named For: | Winnebago word for "Island" |
Menasha is a city in Calumet and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 18,268 at the 2020 census. Of this, 15,144 were in Winnebago County, and 2,209 were in Calumet County. The city's name comes from the Winnebago word meaning "thorn" or "island".[6] In the Menominee language, it is known as Menāēhsaeh, meaning "little island".[7] It is part of the Fox Cities region of Wisconsin. Doty Island is located partially in Menasha, which it shares with Neenah.
Menasha's location on the Fox River and Lake Winnebago led to its rich history, dating back to the inhabitation by Native American tribes for centuries.[8] European settlement in the 1800s led to the development of Menasha as a transportation hub and later a center for paper production and wooden ware products.[9] Today, Menasha is home to the Barlow Planetarium and the Weis Earth Science Museum on the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus.
Ancestors of the Ho-Chunk occupied what is currently Menasha. In the 1600s, the Meskwaki established a village just north of Menasha. A sneak attack by the French soldiers and traders resulted in the death of nearly all of the Fox Native Americans in the area. They are said to have piled the bodies in a large mound that became known as Butte des Morts, or "Hill of the Dead." The mound was a prominent landmark until it was destroyed by the construction of the railroad in 1863.
In 1836, the land was ceded to the United States in the Treaty of the Cedars. This opened up land for public sale, and territorial governor James Duane Doty was one of the first investors in the land. In 1848, Doty and his associates, including Curtis Reed, formed the town of Menasha on the channel north of Doty Island.[10] 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.[11] 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.
Menasha is located at 44.2167°N -114°W (44.2129, −88.4362).[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.52sqmi, of which, 6.03sqmi is land and 1.49sqmi is water.[13]
Menasha is a city in the Appleton–Oshkosh–Neenah CSA, a Combined Statistical Area which includes the Appleton (Calumet and Outagamie counties) and Oshkosh–Neenah (Winnebago County) metropolitan areas, which had a combined population of 392,660 at the 2010 census and an estimated population of 409,881 as of 2019.
At the 2020 census there were 18,268 people residing in the city. The population density was 3021.5PD/sqmi. 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%.
At the 2010 census there were 17,353 people, 7,405 households, and 4,415 families living in the city. The population density was 2877.8PD/sqmi. There were 7,973 housing units at an average density of 1322.2/mi2. 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%.[14]
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.
At the 2000 census there were 16,331 people, 6,951 households, and 4,233 families living in the city. The population density was 3106.9/mi2. There were 7,271 housing units at an average density of 1383.3/mi2. 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.
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) has two churches in Menasha: Bethel Lutheran Church[15] and Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.[16]
Architect Harry Weese designed Menasha's St Thomas' Episcopal Church.
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.[17] 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.[18] Smith Park is the oldest park in the Menasha Park system, founded 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.[19]
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 mayors:[20]
| 1 | 1874 | 1875 | align=left | ||||
| 2 | 1875 | 1879 | align=left | ||||
| 3 | 1879 | 1882 | align=left | ||||
| 4 | 1882 | 1883 | align=left | ||||
| 5 | 1883 | 1885 | align=left | ||||
| 6 | 1885 | 1886 | align=left | ||||
| 7 | 1886 | 1890 | align=left | ||||
| 8 | 1890 | 1892 | align=left | ||||
| 9 | 1892 | 1893 | align=left | ||||
| 10 | 1893 | 1894 | align=left | ||||
| 11 | 1894 | 1895 | align=left | ||||
| 12 | 1895 | 1896 | align=left | ||||
| 13 | 1896 | 1897 | align=left | ||||
| 14 | 1897 | 1898 | align=left | ||||
| 15 | 1898 | 1900 | align=left | ||||
| 16 | 1900 | 1901 | align=left | ||||
| 17 | 1901 | 1902 | align=left | ||||
| 18 | 1902 | 1904 | align=left | ||||
| 19 | 1904 | 1908 | align=left | ||||
| 20 | 1908 | 1910 | align=left | ||||
| 21 | 1910 | 1912 | align=left | ||||
| 22 | 1912 | 1919 | align=left | ||||
| 23 | 1919 | 1922 | align=left | align=left | "Elected mayor of Menasha to fill out an unexpired term" and then re-elected without opposition. | ||
| 24 | 1922 | 1924 | align=left | ||||
| 25 | 1924 | 1928 | align=left | ||||
| 26 | 1928 | 1930 | align=left | ||||
| 27 | 1930 | 1934 | align=left | ||||
| 28 | 1934 | 1936 | align=left | ||||
| 29 | 1936 | 1938 | align=left | ||||
| 30 | 1938 | 1946 | align=left | ||||
| 31 | 1946 | 1956 | align=left | ||||
| 32 | 1956 | 1960 | align=left | ||||
| 33 | 1960 | 1966 | align=left | ||||
| 34 | 1966 | 1968 | align=left | ||||
| 35 | 1968 | 1970 | align=left | ||||
| 36 | 1970 | 1974 | align=left | ||||
| 37 | 1974 | 1982 | align=left | ||||
| 38 | 1982 | 1988 | align=left | ||||
| 39 | 1988 | 2008 | align=left | ||||
| 40 | 2008 | 2024 | align=left | ||||
| 41 | 2024 | Present | align=left |
Menasha's Public School system, called the Menasha Joint School District has one high school (Menasha High School), one middle school, and five elementary schools.
Menasha is home to the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus, a two-year campus part of the UW System.
