West Bend, Wisconsin

West Bend, Wisconsin
City
Aerial view of downtown
Seal
Location of West Bend within Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°25′N 88°11′W / 43.42°N 88.18°W / 43.42; -88.18Coordinates: 43°25′N 88°11′W / 43.42°N 88.18°W / 43.42; -88.18
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Washington
Incorporated	1885
Government
• Mayor	Kraig Sadownikow
Area
• Total	14.72 sq mi (38.12 km2)
• Land	14.57 sq mi (37.74 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2)
Elevation	932 ft (284 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	31,078
• Estimate (2012)	31,540
• Density	2,133.0/sq mi (823.6/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	262
Website	www.ci.west-bend.wi.us

West Bend is the county seat of Washington County, Wisconsin, United States, in southeastern Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,078.

Before the arrival of European settlers in southeastern Wisconsin, the Potawatomi and Menominee Indians inhabited the land now occupied by the city of West Bend.

In 1845, the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature authorized the building of a road to connect Fond du Lac and Milwaukee. Byron Kilbourn, one of the highway commissioners, and Jasper Vliet, a surveyor, were put in charge of determining the route the road would take and of identifying a good halfway point for travelers. The path they chose is now U.S. Route 45 and the rest stop is present-day West Bend. Because many people used the resting place, it evolved into a popular area. The Milwaukee River running through the town eventually played a major role in the city's history. It was because of the western bend in the river that West Bend got its name. The river also produced enough energy to power saw mills and gristmills. Early buildings included Holy Angels Catholic Church, built in 1852 at the corner of Hickory and 7th. In 1866 this building was converted into a school, and a new church was built at Elm and 7th under the direction of Reverend Johann Baptist Reindl (1827–1891); the building is now Trinity Lutheran Church. The railroad arrived in 1873, bringing with it more settlers and industrialization. At this time, West Bend saw a growth spurt, and in 1885 the city officially became an incorporated Wisconsin community.

In 1845 early settler Barton Salisbury, while on a surveying trip up the Milwaukee River, found a rapids that he believed would be a good source of power for a sawmill. He built a log hut on the west side of the river and the village of Barton was born. On November 1, 1961, the city of West Bend annexed the Village of Barton.

The West Bend tornado on April 4, 1981 struck the city killing three people, and injuring over 100 more. There is a monument at a park near Green Tree Elementary School.