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Wausau Local Communities
Kronenwetter Kronenwetter www.kronenwetter.org, incorporated in 2002, is Wisconsins largest village at 52 square miles. Residential neighborhoods in the villages northwest, a part of the Wausau urbanized area, give way southeastward to Central Wisconsins back road rural beauty. Bordered on the west by the Wisconsin River, Kronenwetter is home to eagles, osprey, turkey, deer, occasional bear and even peregrine falcons. Snowmobiling opportunities abound with trails through scenic countryside and the pristine Kronenwetter Unit of Marathon County Forests. Bisected by I-39 and located adjacent to all that Cedar Creek Village has to offer, Kronenwetter is among the fastest growing communities in Central Wisconsin.
The first city to greet you as you travel north on I-39 was originally known as Little Bull Falls. The local postmaster felt that the name was too vulgar for women to write on their letters so in 1857 the settlement was renamed 'Mosinee' in honor of Chief Mosinee of the Chippewa Indians. Access to the railroad system and the growth of the logging industry were important influences on Mosinee. The major industry in the 1800s, lumber continues to play a significant role in the local economy in the form of Wausau/Mosinee Paper. In addition to being home to the Central Wisconsin Airport and the Central Wisconsin Business Park, the City of Mosinee www.mosinee.wi.us is committed to redeveloping its downtown. Stroll the brick sidewalks of Main Street to find restaurants and specialty stores. The Wisconsin River runs through the city and offers a wide array of recreational opportunities including fishing, boating, and canoeing.
Long known for its wealth of recreational opportunities, the Town of Rib Mountain www.townofribmountain.com has evolved into a destination for shopping as well. Rib Mountain Drive is dotted with retail developments featuring national chain stores. Situated between Rib Mountain State Park and the Wisconsin River, the Town of Rib Mountain is synonymous with outdoor fun. Hit the slopes at Granite Peak Ski Area, put your boat in on Lake Wausau, or enjoy some of the best mountain biking in the state. The Nine Mile Forest Recreation Area is a multi-purpose,
multi-season recreation area popular for hiking, biking, archery, cross-country
skiing and snowmobiling. The only thing that Nine Mile doesn't offer is racing,
and that you can find in the summer at State Park Speedway. Rothschild Rothschild www.rothschildwi.com was established in 1909 when a group of Wausau businessmen built a pulp and paper mill on the Wisconsin River. Today, this paper industry heritage is represented by the impressive Weyerhaeuser Paper Company located on Business 51. The Village of Rothschild has enjoyed exciting growth in recent years. The most visible part of that growth is the Cedar Creek Mall area featuring restaurants, lodging and retail/outlet stores. Rothschild is convenient to both Interstate 39 and Highway 29. Business 51 will take you from one end of the village to the other. Rothschild's western boundary is the Wisconsin River and offers opportunities for boating in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter.
In the middle of it all is the City of Schofield. Just south of Wausau, Schofield is bordered by the Eau Claire River and Lake Wausau. With its convenient access to the Wisconsin River, Schofield is attractive to boating, fishing and canoeing enthusiasts. Like most of these communities, Schofield's existence was determined by where a sawmill was built. Dr. William Scholfield erected a sawmill known as the Scholfield Mill in the 1840s. Later on, as a village, the 'l' was dropped. Schofield is home to a successful Business Park on Ross Avenue while Grand Avenue and Schofield Avenue offer visitors a choice of specialty stores, restaurants, and lodging. During the summer months cool off at the Rothschild/Schofield Aquatic Center.
The most populous of the six communities at 40,000 people, Wausau www.ci.wausau.wi.us has more to offer than other communities several times its size. Watch a kayak competition on a course cut from the Wisconsin River. Take a walk through the Andrew Warren Historic District. Visit the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, one of the top art museums in the state. Take in a show at the historic Grand Theater, one of the hardest working theaters in the Midwest. Wausau's motto is 'Welcome Home' and has events and festivals throughout the year that draw a loyal following. Pencil in Wisconsin Woodchuck baseball games, the Wisconsin Valley Fair, the Big Bull Falls Blues Festival, and the celebrated Artrageous Weekend. Wausau's most noted shopping district is located downtown. The Wausau Center Mall anchors one end of the Third Street Pedestrian Mall. This bricked street is partly closed to vehicles and is lined with specialty stores, restaurants, and attractions.
The Village of Weston www.westonwisconsin.org is the largest community, experiencing strong growth in its residential and buisiness development. Located along Highway 29, the state's busiest east-west route, Weston has several developers looking to build in the village, including the new Weston Business Park. Weston is proud to be the western entry point to the Mountain-Bay Trail: the longest bike trail in the state's 'Rails to Trails' program. The Weston Aquatic Center is a $2.3 million facility located at Kennedy Park and is the perfect place to spend a hot summer day. Even with these fine facilities, Weston's crown jewel remains the Greenheck Field House, an indoor recreation facility featuring a state of the art ice-skating rink.
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