Editing Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|image_skyline            = 0712 FA 0-99 block Main street even (west) side.JPG
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Downtown Fort Atkinson in December 2007
|image_map                = File:Jefferson County Wisconsin Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fort Atkinson Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Fort Atkinson in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
|pushpin_map              = Wisconsin#USA
|pushpin_label            = Fort Atkinson
|pushpin_relief           = yes
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|County]]
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Wisconsin}}
|subdivision_name2        = [[Jefferson County, Wisconsin|Jefferson]]
|government_type          = City Council
|leader_title             = President
|leader_name              = Mason Becker
|established_date         =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 15.03
|area_land_km2            = 14.66
|area_water_km2           = 0.37
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.80
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.66
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.14
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 787
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|55|38|N|88|50|26|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 12579
|population_density_sq_mi = 2222.4
|population_density_km2   = 858.2
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020-census-5526675" />
|population_est           =
|pop_est_as_of            =
|pop_est_footnotes        =
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|website                  = {{url|http://www.fortatkinsonwi.net}}
|postal_code_type         = Zip Code
|postal_code              = 53538
|area_code                = [[Area code 920|920]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 55-26675<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1565151<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1565151}}</ref>
|footnotes                =
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Fort Atkinson''' is a city in [[Jefferson County, Wisconsin]], United States. It lies along the [[Rock River (Illinois)|Rock River]] a few miles upstream from [[Lake Koshkonong]]. The population was 12,579 at the 2020 census.<ref name="2020-census-5526675" /> Fort Atkinson is the largest city located entirely in Jefferson County, as [[Watertown, Wisconsin|Watertown]] is split between Jefferson and [[Dodge County, Wisconsin|Dodge]] counties. Fort Atkinson is a principal city of the Watertown–Fort Atkinson [[micropolitan statistical area]] which is in turn a sub-market of the larger [[Milwaukee metropolitan area|Milwaukee–Waukesha–Racine combined statistical area]].

==History==
Fort Atkinson was named after General [[Henry Atkinson (soldier)|Henry Atkinson]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n127 128]}}</ref> the commander of U.S. forces in the area during the [[Black Hawk War]] (1832) against a mixed band of [[Sauk people|Sauk]], [[Meskwaki]] and [[Kickapoo people|Kickapoo]] peoples. The city developed at the site of [[Fort Koshkonong]], which was used during that war. A replica of the original 1832 [[stockade]] has been built just outside town, although not at the original site. The fort was located to control the [[confluence]] of the Rock and [[Bark River (Rock River)|Bark]] rivers.

The settlement grew rapidly in the mid-19th century, after the migration of pioneers from the east, especially New York State and the northern tier. They were among the many migrants carrying New England Yankee culture west across the northern tier of states.<ref>[[David Hackett Fischer]], ''[[Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America]]''. 1989).</ref>

The history and natural history of Fort Atkinson and the surrounding area are presented at the [[Hoard Historical Museum]] and [[National Dairy Shrine]] Museum.<ref>[http://www.hoardmuseum.org Hoard Museum information]</ref> [[William Dempster Hoard]] founded the nationally distributed dairy farm magazine ''[[Hoard's Dairyman]]'' in Fort Atkinson in 1885. The museums include the Frank and Luella Hoard House, the Dwight and Almira Foster House, and the Knox Research Library and Archive. The Dairy Shrine portion of the complex portrays the past, present, and future of the dairy industry.

The oldest manmade features near Fort Atkinson are a cluster of prehistoric earthworks [[Native Americans in the United States|indigenous]] mounds just south of town. Early European settlers named them the General Atkinson Mound Group. The mounds are a remnant of the [[Woodland period|Woodland Period]] in present-day Wisconsin. They are [[Effigy mound|effigy]] and geometric mounds, different from the [[platform mound]]s at nearby [[Aztalan State Park]], built by peoples of the [[Mississippian culture]], which reached its peak around 1300. They had settlements throughout the [[Mississippi Valley]] and its tributaries, extending from central Illinois northward to the [[Great Lakes]] and also to the Southeastern United States.  Materials were traded within the culture from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. A {{convert|125|ft|m|adj=on}} long panther [[intaglio (burial mound)|intaglio]], the [[Panther Intaglio Effigy Mound]], appears on a mound west of town, the last remaining intaglio in the state.<ref>[http://www.wisconsinstories.org/2001season/native/nj_journey.html  "Indian Mounds"], Wisconsin Stories website<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Fort Atkinson's 19th- and early 20th-century building history is preserved in the [[Main Street Historic District (Fort Atkinson)|Main Street]] and [[Merchants Avenue Historic District|Merchants Avenue]] historic districts. Other [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Wisconsin|Registered Historic Places]] include the [[Fort Atkinson Water Tower]], [[David W. and Jane Curtis House]], [[Hoard's Dairyman Farm]], and [[Jones Dairy Farm]].

==Geography and climate==
[[File:Rock river flood FtAtkinson.jpg|left|thumb|Rock River flooding downtown area, 2004]]

Fort Atkinson is located at {{Coord|42|55|38|N|88|50|26|W|type:city}} (42.927091, −88.840446).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.80|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|5.66|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="gaz2020">{{cite web|title=2020 Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.2020.html |website=census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 21, 2022}}</ref>

The city developed along the river, which provided the earliest transportation pathways for trade and travel. Occasionally, the downtown area is flooded when the [[Rock River (Mississippi River tributary)|Rock River]] exceeds its banks. Just east of the city, the [[Bark River (Rock River tributary)|Bark River]] enters the Rock River and can add considerable volume in certain seasons. The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, which it joins at [[Rock Island, Illinois]].

{{Weather box
| width       = auto
| collapsed   = yes
| single line = yes
| location    = Fort Atkinson Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1941–present)
| Jan record high F = 58
| Feb record high F = 72
| Mar record high F = 84
| Apr record high F = 90
| May record high F = 96
| Jun record high F = 101
| Jul record high F = 103
| Aug record high F = 102
| Sep record high F = 98
| Oct record high F = 88
| Nov record high F = 78
| Dec record high F = 67
| year record high F = 103
| Jan avg record high F  = 45.6
| Feb avg record high F  = 50.3
| Mar avg record high F  = 65.0
| Apr avg record high F  = 77.1
| May avg record high F  = 85.1
| Jun avg record high F  = 90.4
| Jul avg record high F  = 91.1
| Aug avg record high F  = 89.2
| Sep avg record high F  = 86.9
| Oct avg record high F  = 79.1
| Nov avg record high F  = 63.9
| Dec avg record high F  = 50.2
| year avg record high F = 93.2
| Jan high F = 27.7
| Feb high F = 31.6
| Mar high F = 43.6
| Apr high F = 56.9
| May high F = 69.1
| Jun high F = 79.0
| Jul high F = 82.5
| Aug high F = 80.6
| Sep high F = 74.0
| Oct high F = 60.9
| Nov high F = 45.7
| Dec high F = 33.2
| year high F = 57.1
| Jan mean F = 19.2
| Feb mean F = 22.7
| Mar mean F = 34.1
| Apr mean F = 46.6
| May mean F = 58.3
| Jun mean F = 68.3
| Jul mean F = 72.1
| Aug mean F = 70.1
| Sep mean F = 62.6
| Oct mean F = 50.3
| Nov mean F = 37.2
| Dec mean F = 25.5
| year mean F = 47.2
| Jan low F = 10.7
| Feb low F = 13.8
| Mar low F = 24.7
| Apr low F = 36.2
| May low F = 47.5
| Jun low F = 57.7
| Jul low F = 61.7
| Aug low F = 59.6
| Sep low F = 51.2
| Oct low F = 39.7
| Nov low F = 28.6
| Dec low F = 17.9
| year low F = 37.4
| Jan avg record low F  = -11.6
| Feb avg record low F  = -7.2
| Mar avg record low F  = 4.1
| Apr avg record low F  = 22.8
| May avg record low F  = 33.5
| Jun avg record low F  = 44.3
| Jul avg record low F  = 51.0
| Aug avg record low F  = 49.7
| Sep avg record low F  = 36.9
| Oct avg record low F  = 26.1
| Nov avg record low F  = 13.0
| Dec avg record low F  = -2.7
| year avg record low F = -15.8
| Jan record low F = -33
| Feb record low F = -39
| Mar record low F = -21
| Apr record low F = -4
| May record low F = 25
| Jun record low F = 33
| Jul record low F = 39
| Aug record low F = 37
| Sep record low F = 28
| Oct record low F = 11
| Nov record low F = -14
| Dec record low F = -29
| year record low F = -39
| precipitation color   = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.51
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.43
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.96
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.56
| May precipitation inch = 4.13
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.98
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.03
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.86
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.33
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.84
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.20
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.71
| year precipitation inch = 35.54
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days  = 9.3
| Feb precipitation days  = 8.4
| Mar precipitation days  = 9.1
| Apr precipitation days  = 12.1
| May precipitation days  = 12.9
| Jun precipitation days  = 11.5
| Jul precipitation days  = 9.5
| Aug precipitation days  = 9.4
| Sep precipitation days  = 9.2
| Oct precipitation days  = 10.0
| Nov precipitation days  = 8.8
| Dec precipitation days  = 9.6
| year precipitation days = 119.8
| Jan snow inch = 10.7
| Feb snow inch = 9.4
| Mar snow inch = 4.0
| Apr snow inch = 1.2
| May snow inch = 0.2
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.1
| Nov snow inch = 2.1
| Dec snow inch = 8.7
| year snow inch = 36.4
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days  = 7.3
| Feb snow days  = 5.9
| Mar snow days  = 3.3
| Apr snow days  = 0.8
| May snow days  = 0.0
| Jun snow days  = 0.0
| Jul snow days  = 0.0
| Aug snow days  = 0.0
| Sep snow days  = 0.0
| Oct snow days  = 0.1
| Nov snow days  = 1.6
| Dec snow days  = 6.0
| year snow days = 25.0
| source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=mkx
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = March 31, 2024}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00472869&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = March 31, 2024}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 334
|1870= 2010
|1880= 1969
|1890= 2283
|1900= 3043
|1910= 3877
|1920= 4915
|1930= 5793
|1940= 6153
|1950= 6280
|1960= 7908
|1970= 9164
|1980= 9785
|1990= 10227
|2000= 11621
|2010= 12368
|2020= 12579
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Rock River Fort.JPG|Replica of early 19th-century army fortification built in Fort Atkinson|thumb|right]]

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|census of 2020]],<ref name="2020-census-5526675">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Fort Atkinson city, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5526675&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 21, 2022}}</ref> the population was 12,579. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2,222.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 5,590 housing units at an average density of {{convert|987.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 85.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.9% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.7% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 7.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 10.6% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 18, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 12,368 people, 5,125 households, and 3,214 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2181.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 5,429 housing units at an average density of {{convert|957.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 92.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 4.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 9.1% of the population.

There were 5,125 households, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 38.4 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 11,621 people, 4,760 households, and 3,070 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 2,154.8 people per square mile (832.4/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 4,983 housing units at an average density of 924.0 per square mile (356.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 93.09% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.34% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.29% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.60% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.87% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.79% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 4.37% of the population.

There were 4,760 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,807, and the median income for a family was $51,689. Males had a median income of $36,442 versus $23,852 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $21,008. 5.3% of the population and 3.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

== Economy ==
[[File:0707 Fort Atkinson from Rock River.JPG|right|thumb|Downtown Fort Atkinson]]
The city's largest employer is Fort HealthCare, an integrated hospital and health system. Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital has 82 licensed beds and more than 100 physicians on staff. Fort Medical Group, a subsidiary of Fort HealthCare, employs more than 60 physicians, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fort HealthCare to close home health|url=http://www.dailyunion.com/news/article_3240a164-60ec-11e3-8a74-001a4bcf6878.html|publisher=Daily Union|access-date=May 15, 2014}}</ref> The city is also home to [[Cygnus Business Media]], [[Nasco Agricultural Sciences|NASCO]], [[Spacesaver]] and [[Jones Dairy Farm]].

[[Fireside Dinner Theatre]] draws thousands of visitors each year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.firesidetheatre.com/group.htm |title=Fireside information |access-date=April 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515233856/http://www.firesidetheatre.com/group.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another tourist attraction is a reconstruction of the original fort.

==Media==
Fort Atkinson is home to a daily newspaper, the ''Daily Jefferson County Union'',<ref>[http://www.dailyunion.com/ ''Daily Jefferson County Union'']</ref> as well as two radio stations, [[WFAW (AM)|WFAW]] and [[WSJY]]. Fort Atkinson shares a radio market with the [[Janesville, WI|Janesville]]-[[Beloit, WI|Beloit]] area and is also served by stations from [[Milwaukee]] and [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]].
A small student newspaper and website called "the Signal"<ref>{{cite web |title=The signal: The student voice of fort atkinson |url=https://fortatkinsonsignal.com/ |website=The Signal |publisher=Fort Atkinson High School |access-date=September 27, 2021}}</ref> is also run in the [[Fort Atkinson High School]], which focuses on local events that affect students in the district. Fort Atkinson is a part of the Milwaukee television market with stations from Madison also available over the air and on cable.

== Healthcare ==
Fort Memorial Hospital is a 49 bed hospital located in Fort Atkinson.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Hospital Directory - Fort Memorial Hospital (520071) - Free Profile |url=https://www.ahd.com/free_profile/520071/Fort_Memorial_Hospital/Fort_Atkinson/Wisconsin/ |access-date=May 17, 2022 |website=www.ahd.com}}</ref> There are 45.6 [[primary care physician]]s per 100,000 population in the area.<ref name="Reports">{{Cite web |title=Reports |url=https://www.wcmew.org/reports |access-date=May 17, 2022 |website=WCMEW |language=en-US}}</ref> Fort Atkinson is designated as both a [[mental health]] and primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) qualifying the area as a [[Medical deserts in the United States|medical desert]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find Shortage Areas by Address |url=https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/by-address |access-date=May 17, 2022 |website=data.hrsa.gov}}</ref> By 2035, Fort Atkinson is expected to have a 50.3% deficit in primary care physicians, the seventh largest expected deficit in Wisconsin.<ref name="Reports"/> There are two behavioral health professionals in Fort Atkinson.<ref name="Reports"/>

==Education==

Fort Atkinson School District<ref>[http://www.fortschools.org/ Fort Atkinson School District]</ref> has four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. Barrie, Rockwell, Purdy, and Luther elementary schools serve grades kindergarten to 5, Fort Atkinson Middle School (FAMS) grades 6 to 8, and [[Fort Atkinson High School]] grades 9 to 12.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Atkinson School District |url=http://fortschools.org/ |access-date=September 2, 2013}}</ref> The high school's mascot is the Blackhawk, named after the Sauk leader Chief [[Black Hawk (Sauk leader)|Blackhawk]].

Crown of Life Christian Academy (2K–8)<ref>{{cite web |title=Crown of Life Christian Academy |url=https://crownoflifeacademy.org/}}</ref> and St. Paul's Lutheran School (3K–8)<ref>{{cite web |title=Faithfully Educating Children Since 1868! |url=http://stpaulsfort.org/school/}}</ref> are Christian schools of the [[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] (WELS) in Fort Atkinson.

Saint Joseph's school <ref>{{cite web |title=St. Joseph Catholic Church |url=https://stjosephfort.org/ |publisher=St. Joseph Catholic Church & School |access-date=September 27, 2021}}</ref> is a private catholic school that teaches kindergarten through 8th grade. It is located in the southwest portion of the town on the corner of hackbarth road and Endl Bulevard. The school is located<ref>{{cite web |title=Diocese of Madison schoolfinder |url=https://madisondiocese.org/schoolfinder |publisher=Diocese of Madison |access-date=September 27, 2021}}</ref> in the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison]]

The [[Dwight Foster Public Library]], established in 1892, serves as [[Jefferson County, Wisconsin|Jefferson County]]'s resource library.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jefferson County Library Service|url=http://jeffersoncountylibraryservice.wordpress.com|access-date=April 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517070830/http://jeffersoncountylibraryservice.wordpress.com/|archive-date=May 17, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
It serves residents of Fort Atkinson and its surrounding communities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wisconsin Public Library Service Data, 2010|url=http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/pdf/10publib.pdf|publisher=Department of Public Instruction|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306202912/http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/pdf/10publib.pdf|archive-date=March 6, 2012}}</ref>

== Transportation ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
Primary automobile transportation is provided via [[U.S. Route 12|Highway 12]], [[Highway 26 (Wisconsin)|Highway 26]], [[Highway 89 (Wisconsin)|Highway 89]] and [[Highway 106 (Wisconsin)|Highway 106]]. Highway 26 provides easy access to [[Interstate 94]] (to the north in [[Johnson Creek, Wisconsin|Johnson Creek]]), leading to downtown [[Milwaukee]] in about an hour; and to [[Interstate 90]] (to the south in [[Janesville, Wisconsin|Janesville]]) leading to downtown [[Chicago]] in about 2.5 hours. Highway 12 provides access to the [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] metro area in about 45 minutes.
Fort Atkinson was a stop on the C&NW Janesville to Fond Du Lac line. There is no public transportation available within city limits.

=== Airport ===
Fort Atkinson is served by the [[Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport]] {{airport codes|||61C}}.

==Notable people==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
{{div col}}
* [[Helmut Ajango]], architect
* [[Kyle Borland]], former professional [[National Football League|football]] player
* [[Neal Brown (Wisconsin politician)|Neal Brown]], lawyer, businessman, politician, and writer
* [[Lucien B. Caswell]], served in the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] and as a draft commissioner during the [[American Civil War]]
* [[David Whitney Curtis]], businessman, [[American Civil War]] veteran, and Republican politician; built the [[David W. and Jane Curtis House]] in Fort Atkinson, which is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]
* [[Palmer F. Daugs]], Wisconsin State Representative
* [[Wallace Dollase]], Thoroughbred racehorse trainer of two national Champions
* [[Gerald L. Endl]], [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
* [[Charlie Grimm]], [[major league baseball]] player and manager
* [[Charles Hammarquist]], state legislator; first immigrant from Sweden to be elected as a legislator from a Western state
* [[William D. Hoard]], [[Governor of Wisconsin]] 1889–1891, founder of ''Daily Jefferson County Union'' and ''[[Hoard's Dairyman]]''
* [[Joel Hodgson]], host and creator of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''
* [[David Keene]] political consultant & former chairman of the [[American Conservative Union]]
* [[Rosemary Kennedy]], sister of [[John F. Kennedy]], died in Fort Atkinson in 2005
* [[Randall S. Knox]], Wisconsin State Representative
* [[George Marston (California politician)|George Marston]], [[San Diego]] community leader and department store owner
* [[Archie McComb]], Wisconsin State Representative
* [[Guy Moon]], composer
* [[Keith Neubert]], former professional [[National Football League|football]] player
* [[Lorine Niedecker]], only woman associated with the [[Objectivist poets]]
* [[John Offerdahl]], former professional [[National Football League|football]] player
* [[Craig Rice (author)|Craig Rice]], author, mystery writer
* [[Jeff Sauer]], ice hockey player and coach
* [[Josh Sawyer]], video game designer
* [[Mark Seidl]], Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge
* [[Robert J. Shelby]], U.S. District Court judge – author of precedent-making decision on gay marriage
* [[Charles A. Snover]], Wisconsin State Senator
* [[Howard Weiss]], 1938 [[Big Ten]] football MVP
* [[Horace B. Willard]], Wisconsin State Representative, physician, and businessman
* [[Whitey Woodin]], former professional [[National Football League|football]] player
* [[Nick Zentner]], professor at [[Central Washington University]] and [[Science communication|science communicator]]
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Panther Intaglio Effigy Mound]]
* [[Hoard's Dairyman]]
* [[Dwight Foster Public Library]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fortatkinsonwi.net/ City of Fort Atkinson]
* [http://www.fortchamber.com/ Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://madisondiocese.org/schoolfinder]
* [https://stjosephfort.org/]
{{Commons}}
{{Jefferson County, Wisconsin}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Cities in Jefferson County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of Wisconsin|Watertown-Fort Atkinson]]
[[Category:1832 establishments in Michigan Territory]]