Ixonia evolved from a rural post town to a bedroom community
When Ixonia was formed in 1846, its townspeople could not decide what to call it. As a result, they randomly drew letters of the alphabet written on paper until a word was created. Ixonia remains the only town in the country with the unique name. The area had very slow development, with little more than a post office, a hotel, a general store and a few homes for over a century. The late 1900s, however, brought heavy industrial and residential development. "Ixonia is more of a bedroom community than the other rural, small communities of Jefferson County," says Leah Thorp, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Elite specializing in Jefferson and Waukesha counties. "There is an industrial park with factories and warehouses, but the area is mostly subdivisions."
Older homes line main streets, and newer ones fill the suburbs
Bungalows and simple Victorians are along the area's main streets, Marietta Avenue and North Street. They sell at prices between $315,000 and $400,000. Most homes, however, are in subdivisions built in the past few decades with uniform-sized lawns speckled with trees. "There was a surge of new builds between 1990 and 2010, but that has tapered off since," Thorp says. "There isn't any new construction going on now that I know of." The ranch-style homes, split-levels, Colonial Revivals and New Traditional homes range from $390,000 to $520,000. One condo development has units between $160,000 and $240,000.
The local school feeds into an A-minus-rated district
Students begin learning locally at Ixonia Elementary School, rated B-plus by Niche. Though Ixonia is in Jefferson County, students continue to Oconomowoc's schools. "That's attractive to families because Ixonia is a tad less expensive than Oconomowoc," Thorp says. Oconomowoc Area School District has an overall grade of A-minus. Music, art and performing arts are well-supported, and the Oconomowoc Arts Center was built with a nearly $50 million referendum, voted on by 13 surrounding municipalities. Nature Hill Intermediate School and Oconomowoc High School both earn an A-minus.
Wisconsin Highway16 links residents to nearby cities and employers
The town has a large industrial sector with warehouses, manufacturers, contractors and transportation services. Those who work outside of the area often commute to Watertown, Oconomowoc or Waukesha via Wisconsin Highway 16. No buses go through the area, and the tracks through the center of Ixonia are for freight trains only. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is about 45 miles away, and ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital is in Oconomowoc.
Outdoor recreation includes a regional trail and local sports
The Watertown Oconomowoc Interurban Trail is an in-progress, paved bike trail between the two namesake towns on an abandoned rail corridor. It passes by Ixonia's southwestern border and is used year-round by bikers, runners or snowmobilers. Fireman's Park has a disc golf course, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and a playground. Youth baseball leagues and Ixonia Knights Baseball, a town travel league for eight- through 14-year-olds, play at the park.
A single restaurant in town, with more dining options east and west
The only restaurant in town is Von Loppy's Bar & Bistro. Donny's in Pipersville is a few miles east. "They have a really good supper club that residents in Ixonia like going to," Thorp says. Pernat's of Ixonia is a butcher shop that sells pantry items, grocery staples and prepared meals. Aldi, Walmart, Pick 'n Save and other national brands are west in Watertown, and Oconomowoc to the east has many restaurants, cafés and bars.
Written By
Heather Haggerty
