Kewaskum was the leader of a group of Potawatomi Native Americans who lived in Washington County in the 1840s. He was friendly with the early settlers, including future Wisconsin state senatorDensmore Maxon. He died sometime between 1847 and 1850. In 1849, the early settlers named the Town of Kewaskum in his honor. In the Potawatomi language, Kewaskum means "turning back on his tracks" or "retracing his steps."
History
In the early 19th century, the Kewaskum area was home to Potawatomi Native Americans, who surrendered the land the United States Federal Government in 1833 through the Treaty of Chicago, which required them to leave Wisconsin by 1838. While many Potawatomis moved west of the Mississippi River to Kansas, some chose to remain, and were known as "strolling Potawatomi" because they were itinerant squatters. One band of strolling Potawatomi travelled through Dodge, Jefferson, and Washington counties, and was led by Chief Kewaskum, who had a camp onPike Lake. The chief was friendly with the white settlers who began arriving in the 1840s. He died sometime between 1847 and 1850, but itinerant Potawatomis lived in Washington County into the late 19th century, when many of them gathered in northern Wisconsin to form the Forest County Potawatomi Community. A post office called Kewaskum has been in operation since 1849. Kewaskum was incorporated as a village in 1895. It was further expanded by annexations in the Town of Kewaskum; first in 1959, and then in twenty of the next forty-six years. In 1963, Kewaskum annexed a noncontiguous parcel of land in the Town of Auburn in Fond du Lac County.
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,004 people, 1,581 households, and 1,148 families living in the village. The population density was. There were 1,698 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 96.0% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population. There were 1,581 households, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.4% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the village was 36.8 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,274 people, 1,212 households, and 895 families living in the village. The population density was 2,217.3 people per square mile. There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 856.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 97.95% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 1,212 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09. In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males. The median income for a household in the village was $49,861, and the median income for a family was $55,144. Males had a median income of $37,639 versus $25,806 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,509. About 4.0% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
Louis D. Guth, Wisconsin State Representative and businessman, lived in Kewaskum.
Kenneth William Haebig, Wisconsin State Representative and lawyer, lived in Kewaskum.
Einar H. Ingman Jr., Medal of Honor recipient, lived in Kewaskum.
Glenway Wescott, noted American author, was born in Kewaskum in 1901. He lived abroad, wrote poetry, novels, and criticism, returned to the United States, and died in 1987.
