Page Contents for Madison, Wisconsin

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

Geography

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Government

Historical Events

Chamber of Commerce.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Libraries.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Wisconsin state capital is Madison.
The population of Madison is approximately 233,209 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 108,843 (2010).
The amount of land area in Madison is 177.9 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Madison is 68.7 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 41.4 sq kilometers.
The distance from Madison to Washington DC is 737 miles.
The distance to the Wisconsin state capital is miles. (as the crow flies)
Madison is positioned 43.07 degrees north of the equator and 89.38 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Madison elevation is 863 feet above sea level.
Madison per capita income is $ 28,129 (2009).
Madison median income is $ 49,595 (2009).
The Madison median home price is $ 220,200 (2009).
Madison average annual precipitation is 32.95 inches peryear.
Madison average annual snowfall is 49.2 inches per year.
The average low temperature is 36.4 degrees F.
The average high temperature is 55.8 degrees F.

Location

in southern Wisconsin off I-90 and I-94 about 122 miles northwest of Chicago. Other nearby communities include Shorewood Hills, Maple Bluff, Monona, Fitchburg, Blooming Grove, Middleton, Westport and McFarland.
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Geography

known as the City of Four Lakes as there are four successive lakes here of the Yahara River - Lake Mendota (fourth lake), Lake Monona (Third Lake), Lake Waubesa (Second Lake) and Lake Kegonsa (First Lake). Numbers 1 and 2 are actually south of Madison rather than right in the city. There is acctually a fifth lake, Lake Wingra that is in the city as well. The Yahara eventually flows into the Mississippi River. The downtown area is located between Lakes Mendota and Monona. The city's trademark reflects this geography - Lake, City, Lake.
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Climate

seasonal with cold winters and hot summers. Much of the heat is accompanied by high humidity too. Most of the precipitation falls during the hot summers.
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Weather

TransitWeather.com
Weather information for Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin since 2001. Current conditions, Forecasts, maps, severe weather alerts and more.
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History & History Related Items

Madison was named for James Madison, the 4th President of the United States. City founder, James Duane Doty, named the streets around the capitol square for the other signers of the Constitution.

Doty was a territorial judge and land speculator. After traveling through this area in 1829, he liked it so much that he bought 1200 acres and planned out the city right away. Before his new city was implemented, he convinced the territorial legislature that Madison, his proposed city, should be the new capital. He was successful in his bid and his city moved forward as the new capital. The Peck family moved to the area in April 1837 and built a boarding house for the workers who came to build the new capitol building. The first white baby born here was to this family.

Madison was incorporated in 1846 as a village. It became a city in 1856 while Wisconsin became a state in 1848. Madison remained the capital after statehood. The University of Wisconsin-Madison was built in 1849. Unincorporated areas around the city became the Town of Madison. The first capitol building was replaced in 1863 and the second one burned in 1904. The replacement was built between 1906 and 1917. Ultimately, in 2003, an agreement was made to gradually change all surrounding portions of the Town of Madison into either the City of Madison or the City of Fitchburg. This is to happen by 30 October 2022.

Here is a history page for Madison with lots of good links to other historical pages of interest.
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Attractions

Dane County Fair
Business office
3310 Latham Drive
Madison, WI 53713
Phone: 608-224-0500
Location:
Alliant Energy Center
1919 Alliant Energy Way
Madison, WI 53713

Wisconsin Veterans Museum
30 W. Mifflin St.
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
Phone: 608-267-1799

University of Wisconsin Geology Museum
1215 West Dayton STreet
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-262-2399

Tourist and Visitor Information
Toll-free: 800-373-6376

Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave.
Madison, Wisconsin
Phone: 608-246-4550

Henry Vilas Zoo
702 S. Randall Ave.
Madison, Wisconsin
Phone: 608-258-1460

Madison Children's Museum
100 State Street
Madison, Wisconsin
Phone: 608-256-6445

Wisconsin Historical Museum
30 N. Carroll Street
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-264-6555

Chazen Museum of Art
800 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-263-2246

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
227 State Street
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-257-0158

Wisconsin State Capitol Tour

Home of the World's Largest Brat Fest held each year on Memorial Day Weekend.

The arts are thriving in Madison. The city is home to the Madison Opera, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Madison Ballet. There are numerous theater companies in all genres.
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Economy & Industry

The largest employers in the area are Wisconsin state government and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The economy has had a steady growth even during the early 2000s. More businesses are moving to the area, especially those in the health, biotech and advertising sectors.
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Madison City Government

City of Madison
City-County Building
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
City Clerk Phone: 608-266-4601

Madison has a Mayor-council form of government. The city council is called the Common Council and has 20 members, one from each district. The Mayor is an elected position.

Madison Municipal Building
215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703

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COUNTY INFORMATION

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Dane County Adm Dept
210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Madison, WI 53709-0001
Phone: 608-266-9253

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Dane County Regional Airport
4000 International Ln
Madison, WI 53704
Phone: 608-246-3380

Madison Historical Events

2004, August 19-20
National Miss American
Moriah S. Mott, from Meadison, WI, age 7, was in a pageant for National Miss American as a state finalist, 2004 Miss Wisconsin Princess Pageant. She was a top ten finalist and got a fourth place trophy in her talent. She did the cha cha slide. Dad, Ryan Mott and mom, Lisa Stevens, are so very proud of her because it was not being first, but it was finding the courage to get on stage in front of a lot of people and judges. The pageant was not like I thought it would be. It was a lot of encouragement and no makeup at all and for ages 4-19 they could be anyone they wanted to be and that no one is perfect - just do your best. She know that she and the other girls are priceless and they did not need a crown to tell them that. The pageant was encouragement that getting up on stage is easy and the girl who gets the crown was just more comfortable on stage than the others. We had so much fun and we will do it again next year, so look for her!
Mom, so very proud
Lisa S., Ryan M

Madison Chamber

Greater Madison Chamber Of Commerce
615 E Washington Ave
P.O. Box 71
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-256-8348

Madison Organizations

Greater Madison Chamber Of Commerce
615 E Washington Ave
P.O. Box 71
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-256-8348

Madison Libraries

Madison Public Library
201 W. Mifflin St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-266-6300

Madison Schools

Capri College
6414 Odana Rd
Madison, WI 53719-1111
Phone: 608-274-5390

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Cardinal Stritch College
8017 Excelsior Dr
Madison, WI 53717
Phone: 608-831-2722

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Concordia University
2909 Landmark Pl # 101
Madison, WI 53713
Phone: 608-836-7600

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Edgewood College
855 Woodrow St
Madison, WI 53711
Phone: 608-257-4861

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Lakeland College
3106 International Ln
Madison, WI 53704
Phone: 608-244-2725

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University of Wisconsin Undergraduate
750 University Ave
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-262-3961

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University Of Wisconsin
500 Lincoln Dr
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-262-1234 Madison

Miscellany

The population of Madison was:
1840 - 172
1850 - 1,525
1860 - 6,611
1870 - 9,176
1880 - 10,324
1890 - 13,426
1900 - 19,164
1910 - 25,531
1920 - 38,378
1930 - 57,899
1940 - 67,447
1950 - 96,056
1960 - 126,706
1970 - 171,809
1980 - 170,616
1990 - 191,262
1999 - 203,211
2000 - 208,903
2010 - 233,209

Median age:
2000 - 30.6 years
2010 - 31 years

Population Density:
2000 - 3,029.8 persons per square mile

Number of Housing Units:
1990 - 80,047
2010 - 108,843

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Median Household Income:
2000 - $ 41,941
2009 - $ 49,595

Per Capita Income:
2000 - $ 23,498
2009 - $ 28,129

Median House Value:
2000 - $ 137,700
2009 - $ 220,200

Madison is located in the Central Time Zone and does participate in daylight savings time during a portion of the year.