Manitowoc is the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053 people, and over 50,000 people in the surrounding communities.

History

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In 1820 Matthew Stanley was the first to settle in the area with his wife. In 1847, the first wooden sailing vessel was crafted in the area, a modest precursor to the shipbuilding industry which produced schooners and clippers used for fishing and trading in the Great Lakes and beyond the St. Lawrence Seaway. In addition, landing craft, tankers and submarines became the local contributions to U.S. efforts in World War II. Manitowoc was the landing site of a piece of Sputnik IV on September 5, 1962.

Manitowoc is home to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and is one endpoint of the ferry route of the SS Badger, which connects the route of U.S. Route 10 to Ludington, Michigan.

The mayor of Manitowoc is Kevin Crawford, a Democrat, serving his 6th term since being elected in 1989. The city also has a 10 member common council.

Since the late 1990s several new shopping centers have opened in the city, mostly on the south west side of the city along Interstate 43, including the new Harbor Town Center shopping complex. The downtown area has also seen a resurgence, with several new restaurants opening, and the recent announcement of new $100,000+ condominiums on the Manitowoc river, along with a completion of the riverwalk trail. The bulk of the redevelopment in the city has been undertaken by the public/private partnership the Manitowoc County Economic Development Corporation.

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.5 km² (17.2 mi²). 43.7 km² (16.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.86%) is water.

The city is located at 044º 5' 47" N 087º 40' 30" W, on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River.

The nearest other cities are Green Bay, 35 minutes away, Sheboygan 25 minutes away, Appleton 60 minutes away, and Milwaukee 90 minutes away. Together with Two Rivers and the surrounding towns, the Manitowoc micropolitan area was, according to the 2000 census, home to 52,197 people. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Manitowoc Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Manitowoc County (2000 population: 82,887).

Notable businesses

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The Manitowoc Company that is based in the town grew out of the shipbuilding industry and is a diversified manufacturer with interests in the construction, shipbuilding and food service industries.

The city is also the world headquarters of Lakeside Foods Company.

Burger Boat Company, the oldest custom yacht builder in America is located in Manitowoc and produces 2-3 yachts per year.

Points of interest

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The Rahr-West Art Museum is housed in an 19th century mansion near downtown Manitowoc. Donated by the Rahr family in 1941 for use as a community civic art center, it has been since expanded numerous times. The Museum...