Chilton is growing and improving through community projects
Chilton is a small Calumet County town, but it is slowly growing. “Since the 2020 Census, we are up 5.8%,” says David DeTroye, City Administrator for the City of Chilton. Public works projects and a welcoming atmosphere, as well as proximity to Appleton and Green Bay, attract homebuyers, and the city is putting in effort to support a growing population and its current residents. “We are an aggressive municipality. We are actively bringing more amenities to the public,” DeTroye says. “We utilize a hotel and motel tax that is put 100% into the parks system.” DeTroye explains that this tax goes into improving the visitor experience, like adding more signage and navigation tools in parks, and bringing new equipment to the outdoor spaces. Plenty of public green spaces and local events create opportunities for new residents to meet people. “The Chamber of Commerce does a welcome basket for new residents,” DeTroye says.
Community parks, riverside access and caving at county parks
The South Branch Manitowoc River goes through town, and the Optimist Riverwalk runs along the riverbank between the Chilton Public Library and Madison Street. “We just added two fishing piers and a kayak launch last year,” DeTroye says. The community built Morrissey Park’s wooden playground. The space also includes athletic amenities for the local high school. In the winter, kids go sledding down the hill here. Right outside city limits, Ledge View Nature Center is a county park. Three miles of trails run through the 105 acres, where an observation tower rises over the scenery. It also offers access to the Ledge View cave system, only through guided walking tours or caving adventures.
Historic, midcentury and modern homes around Chilton
Chilton includes a mix of older American Foursquares and Nationals and midcentury ranch-style homes with a mix of detached and attached garages. Some New Traditionals are also available, especially as the city keeps expanding. “We have added 100 multifamily housing units and 25 to 30 single-family homes in the past five years,” DeTroye says. Trees shade sidewalks and flower gardens in front yards. Homes range from $100,000 to $320,000.
Recent improvements and projects to Chilton's public schools
All three of Chilton’s public schools are on the same campus, with the elementary and middle school also sharing a building. Chilton Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade. It completed renovations in September 2024 to increase classroom spaces and add more natural light. Both it and Chilton Middle School receive B ratings from Niche. Chilton High School receives a B-minus. The district also opened the Athletic Complex in August 2023, which includes a turf football field, track and a 1,500-capacity stadium.
Chilton has distinct uptown and downtown districts
Chilton has two commercial districts — downtown and uptown. Downtown includes most of the city’s employers, which are mainly manufacturers and warehouses. Meanwhile, uptown is Chilton’s local restaurants and businesses lining Main Street and U.S. Route 151. Dining options include American sports bars like Cheers and Ethel’s Pub and Grill. Hilde’s Deli and Bakery has prepared foods, a deli counter and grocery items. Terra Verde Coffeehouse isn’t downtown, but it is a frequent stop for coffee and pastries. “We have Subway, McDonald's and Dairy Queen, but not your large box stores. We don’t have a Chick-fil-A,” DeTroye says. “We do have a Walmart Supercenter.”
Taking the highways to Appleton and Green Bay
Chilton is a more car-dependent community. U.S. Highway 151 and Wisconsin Route 32 link the city with others, like Appleton, about 27 miles away, and Green Bay, about 36 miles away. Out of the two Wisconsin cities, Appleton’s airport is closer, about 33 miles away. Chilton is home to a regional medical center — Ascension Calumet Hospital.
Hosting the county fair and a fall apple festival
As the county seat, Chilton hosts the Calumet County Fair every Labor Day weekend. People come for the car show, tractor pull, live music and competitions. The Craft Apple Fest kicks off fall every early September. Over 200 vendors showcase crafts and art. The food is all apple-themed, like pies, sundaes and beer. Pumpkin bowling is a staple. The Chilton Summer Festive spans four days, typically around Father’s Day. The Father’s Day parade has been a 50-year tradition, but the festival now includes fireworks, live music and a street dance.
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Written By
Caroline Ernst
