Oconomowoc (owe-KAHN-ah-mah-WOK) is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, just west of Milwaukee. The name, Oconomowoc, was derived from "Coo-no-mo-wauk," the native Potawatomie term for distinguishing a waterfall in the vicinity. The population was 12,382 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Oconomowoc township. There is also the nearby Village of Oconomowoc, Town of Oconomowoc and Oconomowoc Lake.

The pioneering and developing of Oconomowoc began in 1837 when the first white man, Charles Sheldon, came to this area to build his log cabin. As the town grew and word of its beauty and natural wealth spread, tradesmen began to arrive. One such early settler was a young man by the name of John S. Rockwell. He built the grist mill, owned the first store and hotel, and donated sites to all the churches. He started the fire department, the library, the elementary school and a young ladies convent called Bord du Lac. His stoutheartedness and ingenuity earned him the title "Father of Oconomowoc."

Fueled by its growing reputation, Oconomowoc entered a new era marked by the title "Newport of the West." This era began in the 1870s and continued into the 1930s. Lured by Oconomowoc's great beauty, families of wealth from Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee crowded its lake shores with palatial, colonnaded country mansions and lavish landscapes. At one time, Lake Road was referred to as Presidents' Avenue since Taft, Grant, Cleveland, Coolidge, McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt all had visited and enjoyed famous Draper Hall and the hospitality of its wealthy residents.

Today, the summer mansions have become year-round homes and thriving industries help support what was once primarily heralded as a vacation destination. The largely intact, late 19th century downtown and many stately historic houses are reminders of those years. Historic walking tours around Fowler Lake, either guided or self-guided, provide a snapshot of the grandeur of yesterday.

Oconomowoc is home to Olympia Resort and Spa, so named since there are five O's in Oconomowoc, the same number as rings in the Olympic Games logo. Oconomowoc is also noted for several other familiar pop culture facts, including...

• The Wizard of Oz premiered at the Strand Theatre in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on August 12, 1939.
• Oconomowoc is also mentioned in episodes of Law & Order, The Cosby Show and Married... with Children.
• Bobby Shaftoe, fictional U.S. Marine Corps hero of Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon, hailed from Oconomowoc.

For more information on activities in and around Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, visit:

• City of Oconomowoc, WI
• Waukesha County, WI
• Oconomowoc Chamber of Commerce
• The State of Wisconsin
• Oconomowoc, WI Google Earth Map
• View Oconomowoc, WI Area Jobs
• Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on Wikipedia.com
• Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on epodunk

For more information on activities in and around South Central Wisconsin, visit:

• Wisconsin State Parks – Kettle Moraine State Forest
• Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit
• Jefferson County Tourism

Oconomowoc Homes, Properties and Special-Feature Real Estate

Oconomowoc, Wisconsin real estate includes a wide variety of homes for sale, condos for sale, water access properties (waterfront or scenic view), active adult communities, hobby farms and executive properties. Sellers who have been in the area for a while know our reputation for knowledgeable advice, enthusiastic service, creative marketing and professional networking. We mine every source for suitable properties so you can feel at ease that your search will produce the right kind of solution for you.

For buyers new to the area, Laura Staude will provide the specialized services you deserve: a strong work ethic, personal real estate expertise to help define your needs, help with selecting and securing standard financing for your purchase, special technology, constant communication throughout the transaction, and more. Our many years living and working in the area, combined with our cumulative years of experience in real estate, means we can cover all aspects of your search - from existing homes for sale, properties for sale, lots, vacant land, new construction, 55-plus and retirement communities, investment properties, waterfront, golf and recreational properties, golf course lots - all the way to luxury villas, estates and executive homes.

So when you're ready to buy or sell real estate in or around Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, please let Laura Staude help you purchase the home or property of your dreams. Contact Laura Staude today!

Other nearby communities have similar real estate characteristics as Oconomowoc and may also be of interest to you in your home search. Please feel free to ask Laura Staude about homes for sale, lakeside/riverside properties and other real estate listings for nearby communities, such as Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Rock Lake, Cambridge, Lake Ripley, Watertown, Rock River, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Ft. Atkinson, Lake Koshkonong, Koshkonong (Lake Koshkonong, Ixonia, Oconomowoc, Sullivan, Jefferson County, Dodge County, Dousman, Deerfield, Cottage Grove, Marshall, Waterloo, Ashippun, Whitewater, Aztalan and much more.

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