Waterloo blends rural surroundings with a vibrant core
Waterloo is a small Wisconsin city surrounded by farms, fields and forests. Despite its rural surroundings, the little place with fewer than 4,000 residents is full of life. "It's a vibrant rural community with the capacity to keep growing and changing," says Adriane Stuebs, broker and owner of Shine Realty, who has been selling in the area since 2014. A quaint downtown attracts diners and shoppers, and riverside parks keep Waterloo connected to its natural surroundings. Community events unite residents, and nearby employers make for a short commute. "It's a quirky and fun spot," Stuebs says. "It's also hard to get into Waterloo, and few people are moving out. Once they get into Waterloo, they stay."
City-backed development led to fast-selling new homes
Older homes are along semi-gridded streets south of the city's main road, East Madison Street. The ranch-style homes, Victorians, Cape Cods and small Colonial Revivals range from $170,000 to $370,000. Homes north of East Madison Street are mostly in subdivisions and pocket neighborhoods and have newer architectural designs. "A few years back, the city recognized a need for more housing, so they developed new homes," Stuebs says. "Those homes sold so fast." New Traditional homes, ramblers, and midcentury modern homes in subdivisions sell between $350,000 and $520,000.
A historic carousel and baseball field anchor the community park
The community's main outdoor space and central gathering spot is Waterloo Firemen's Park. "There's a historic carousel, walking paths, Little Leagues and concerts in the park," Stuebs says. "For a little community, a lot is going on." The carousel is over a century old, and Skalitzky Field at the park is the oldest active baseball diamond in the state; it's been hosting games since July 4th, 1905. Firemen's Park also has a rentable pavilion and a large stage for festivals and concerts. Walking trails along the Maunesha River connect Firemen's Park to Maunesha River Dog Park, where there are fenced areas for large and small breeds.
Local staples like Hartwig’s Diner anchor the business core
East Madison and North Monroe streets intersect, forming a small downtown area with clothing stores, diners, offices and specialty shops in Italianate row buildings. Not every storefront is occupied, but "the city is trying to bring in new businesses and shops to diversify the area," Stuebs says. Hartwig's Waterloo Diner is a long-standing, family-operated restaurant downtown, which Stuebs says has deep roots in the area and well-loved employees. Perry's Piggly Wiggly and Dollar General are in Waterloo. Walmart, Costco, Target, Menards and other national retailers are about 18 miles west in Sun Prairie.
Elementary through high school students learn under one roof
Children attend four schools from prekindergarten through graduation, all sharing the same building. Waterloo Elementary School teaches prekindergarten through fourth grade and is rated C by Niche. Waterloo Intermediate School for fifth and sixth grade is rated C-plus, while Waterloo Middle School is rated C-minus. Waterloo High School earns a B-minus. The community's public fitness center and pool are in the same building as the schools.
Between Madison and Milwaukee via Interstate 94
Two companies with recognizable products have their headquarters in Waterloo: Trek Bicycle Corporation and Van Holten's Pickles. The bicycle company encourages its employees to commute via bike, and West Madison Street has designated bike lanes. Wisconsin highways 89 and 19 meet in Waterloo, with Highway 89 leading south toward Interstate 94 and Lake Mills. "Waterloo is off the beaten path," Stuebs says. "If you're in the Lake Mills area, you have to snake your way through rural backroads to get there." Interstate 94 leads about 60 miles east to Milwaukee and 26 miles west to Madison, the state capital. Dane County Regional Airport is in Madison, while Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is in Milwaukee. The nearest hospitals are in Madison and Watertown.
Celebrating holidays and history as a group
Events at Firemen's Park include an Easter egg hunt, a Fourth of July celebration and Winterfest, an all-day event with vendors and a parade. A more unique-to-the-area event is the Weiner and Kraut Festival, which celebrates the cuisine and history of the area's Eastern European roots.
Written By
Heather Haggerty
