In Waukesha County, there’s a beautiful lakefront city that gives national weathermen the same pronunciation challenges as “Waukesha.” Oconomowoc is a place worth discovering, and if you spend a little time here, you’ll find the city will not only roll off your tongue – it might just find a place in your heart. Here’s the story of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and why you need to pay it a visit.

Humans have called Oconomowoc home for a very long time. Before the 1700s, Potawatomi people who were descended from Woodland indigenous peoples known as “mound builders,” lived in the area. There are also reports that Sauk chief Black Hawk had a campsite on Oconomowoc Lake.

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The city’s name was derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk, the Potawatomi term for “waterfall” and when you’re in the city you’re never far from a beautiful stretch of waterfront.

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Oconomowoc is located in the Lake Country area of Waukesha County and it’s right on the water. In the 1870s, Oconomowoc was envisioned as a summer resort town for wealthy families from around the Midwest.

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For many years, Oconomowoc was a largely rural community, but as the Milwaukee metropolitan area and its highways expanded, it became a suburb of Milwaukee; today, many of its residents commute into the city.

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The city has a strong local identity. It has about 15,000 residents, and visitors and locals alike enjoy lively outdoor events, an eclectic selection of stores and restaurants, and beautiful Lake Fowler, Lac La Belle, and Lake Oconomowoc.

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The city is filled with parks and green spaces - it’s one of the most beautiful communities in southeast Wisconsin.

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Learn more about things to see and do in Oconomowoc on the Visit Oconomowoc website. You may want to even call this city home. Here are 12 reasons why.

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Address: Oconomowoc, WI 53066, USA