Port Edwards sits along the Wisconsin River and Nepco Lake
The Wisconsin River splits the village of Port Edwards in two, creating two distinct sides across either side of the river. On the west side, Port Edwards is a retired paper mill town — the last mill closed in 2008. A handful of local restaurants and organizations support the community, while nearby Wisconsin Rapids and Nekoosa offer additional amenities. On the eastern side, Nepco Lake is at the center of everything, accessible through the public county park and private lakeside homes. Port Edwards has a Cap Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Fishing on the river and passing the day at Nepco Lake County Park
Anglers fish along the Wisconsin River, but boating is less common along this waterway. “The dams are in the way, so people can’t go from here to Wisconsin Rapids or Nekoosa,” says Diane Tremmel, clerk and treasurer for Port Edwards. Ripple Creek Park is the village’s largest community space, where visitors can enjoy the two playgrounds, disc golf course and the tennis and basketball courts. Trails go along Ripple Creek, which feeds into a pond where people can fish. Nepco Lake is accessible via Nepco Lake County Park, which has a public beach and a boat launch. Visitors can catch northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass, and there are 10 miles of multiuse trails open year-round.
Cape Cods, bungalows and ranch-style homes across Port Edwards
Homebuyers can find Cape Cods, bungalows and ranch-style homes across Port Edwards, typically selling from $140,000 to $310,000. Houses sit along tree-lined streets with sidewalks and small gardens in front yards. There are some homes along the river, which include private water access and piers. Around Lake Nepco, homes are slower to come on the market because of the location and lakeside amenities like private beaches and docks. “People come here for the summer, so there are quite a few summer homes as well,” Tremmel says. “Some of them are close to a million dollars.”
Port Edwards has its own school district and sports teams
Port Edwards has its own public school district, which receives a B-minus from Niche. Students start at Ed Heuer Elementary School for kindergarten through fourth grade. Fifth- through twelfth-grade students head to John Edwards Middle/High School, where they can play sports like basketball, baseball, golf and track.
Taking Wisconsin Route 73 to Wisconsin Rapids and Nekoosa
Port Edwards is about 4 miles from Wisconsin Rapids and Nekoosa, both accessible along Wisconsin Route 73. Because Port Edwards itself doesn’t have any bridges over the water, drivers need to head into one of those two towns to cross the river. Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital is just under 4 miles away. For air travel, private pilots can fly out of Alexander Field-South Wood County Airport, located right in the village. For other flights, people head to Central Wisconsin Airport, about 37 miles away in Mosinee. The airport offers regular flights to Chicago and Minneapolis.
Local restaurants and pubs in and around Port Edwards
Shopping and dining options within Port Edwards are slightly limited. El Café serves diner food and Mexican classics for breakfast and lunch. Switched II offers standard pub fare and occasional live music in the evenings. Down in Nekoosa, Goodfella’s Pizza Pub & Eatery serves Italian in the town's original city hall building. Nekoosa also has a Piggly Wiggly. Aldi and Pick 'n Save are about 4 miles away in Wisconsin Rapids. There's a Walmart Supercenter about 6 miles away.
Annual events hosted by local Port Edwards organizations
Every June, the Port Edwards Firefighters Athletic Association Annual Street Dance draws locals to the fire station for dancing and live music from regional bands. “The Lions Club sponsors a community picnic every year at the beginning of July,” Tremmel says. “They have a car show and activities for kids. They have food at food trucks and from local nonprofits to help them make some money.”
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Written By
Caroline Ernst
