In the early 19th century, Native Americans and local fur traders named a portion of the Wisconsin River “Big Bull Falls” after the area’s loud, churning rapids. It was the Ojibwe tribe who nicknamed the area “Wausau.” Though translations vary from “far away place” to “noise like thunder,” the nickname stuck. From the 1800s lumber mills to turn-of-the-century technology, modern Wausau is a culmination of its sweeping natural landscape and rich industrial history.
“Our challenge as a city has been attracting younger people. But once they’re here, they stay,” says Gizo Ujarmeli, a real estate broker and owner of Amaximmo, LLC in Downtown Wausau. “For a small city, we have lots of things to do. It reminds me of the cities in Germany and Switzerland that I moved here from: It’s safe, there are good schools and wonderful people.”
The Wisconsin River flows through Wausau, and is easily accessible to residents of East Towne.
You can launch your own kayak near the southeastern side of DC Everest County Park in Wausau.
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Rib Mountain State Park is a haven for outdoor recreation
In the heart of Wausau, a renovated city square known as the 400 Block transforms from a holiday-themed ice rink in the winter to a lively green space in the summer. From there, residents can easily ride their bikes to waterfront parks like Barker-Stewart Island and the Isle of Ferns.
South of the Wisconsin River, the Ojibwe people once used Rib Mountain as a lookout point. Today, the billion-year-old hill has transformed into a sprawling tourist attraction, home to the largest ski area in Wisconsin: Granite Peak. “We’re trying to become the state capital of outdoor recreation,” Ujarmeli says. “We have some of the best kayaking on the river because of the rapids. Then there’s the hiking, skiing and snow-shoeing. Many bikers even brave the winter and bike in the snowy landscape.” The only downside, he continues, is the weather. “It’s so cold here, you’d think we’d never grow. When I first moved here, I couldn’t stand it. But now I’ve lived here for 24 years, and my favorite part of the year is when the ice rink opens downtown.”
The 400 Block of Wausau its the city's center, and every winter hosts an ice skating rink.
At nearly 2,000 feet elevation, Granite Peak at Rib Mountain in Wausau is a top ski spot.
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From Big Bull Falls Blues Fest to ARTrageous Weekend
Residents flock to the Isle of Ferns each summer for Big Bull Falls Blues Fest. The annual concert is one of many held throughout the city in the warmer months. "Wausau is all about the arts," Ujarmeli says. "We have the Grand Theatre downtown, which is quite unique for a small city like ours. Then we have concerts at the 400 Block that last the entire summer.” Also held downtown, Wausau's ARTrageous Weekend spans four locations, featuring live performances, art exhibits and even a chalk drawing competition.
The Grand Theater in Wausau offers a variety of live performances, from comedy to ballet and more.
Residents of Southeast Side Wausau have easy access to the amazing Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.
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Downtown Grocery & the Velveteen Plum
Beyond the 400 Block, Downtown Wausau is known for its small businesses and eateries. “Our ‘Main Street’ is Third Street, and it’s actually really cute,” Ujarmeli says. “We have a few nice restaurants like Ciao and Lemongrass Asian Fusion, and then this place called Downtown Grocery. Everything is local produce there. And they must be vegetarians since they basically sell everything but meat.” Known as the Wausau River District, Third Street and its surrounding avenues offer pubs, cafés and boutiques.
For the essentials, residents head to Highway 51 for chain grocery stores like Festival Foods and County Market. “There’s this restaurant over there called Velveteen Plum on top of a newly constructed apartment building,” he continues. “It’s one of the closest rooftop bars outside of Madison!” Rib Mountain also houses various big-name grocers and retailers, from Sam’s Club to Best Buy and Walmart Supercenter.
Wausau residents can head to Festival Foods for all their grocery needs.
Janke Book Store on Third Street is the oldest book store in Wisconsin.
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A historic housing market in Wausau
Wausau’s average home price is around $228,000, well below the national average. The city boasts two historic districts on the east side of the river: The Andrew Warren Historic District and East Hill. Both flaunt various traditional architectural styles built between 1868 and 1934. “If you drive the East Hill, you’ll see that the older properties are well-maintained,” Ujarmeli says. “We’re even known to host haunted tours there!” Closer to the city center, midcentury bungalows and ranch-style homes make up the bulk of the market. Newer developments have steadily increased on the outskirts of the city, particularly in areas like Rib Mountain and Riverview.
The eastern portion of Wausau has some of the larger historic builds, including Victorian styles.
Wausau has a variety of houses to choose from, including bungalows starting in the $180k range.
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Public schooling through the Wausau School District
The Wausau School District enrolls public school students citywide, including those farther south in Rib Mountain. The district earns an A-minus on Niche and ranks second in the county. Wausau is also home to three separate colleges: The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Wausau, Rasmussen University–Wausau and Northcentral Technical College.
With only an 11-1 Student teacher ratio, John Marshall Elementary School in Wausau is a great place for young learners.
The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point location in Wausau is a two-year campus.
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Trading lumber mills for medical centers
A century ago, the lumber industry was a major player in Marathon County. “Back then, to deal with injuries from the lumber factories, they started the first insurance company in Wausau,” Ujarmeli says. Today, Liberty Mutual owns Wausau Insurance and ranks as one of the largest employers in the city. Aspirus Hospital and manufacturing companies like Wausau Window and Wall Systems closely follow.
“Most people work within Wausau proper or surrounding communities like Schofield,” he continues. “We don’t see a lot of outward commuters because we have our entire infrastructure established.” Overall, residents are car-dependent. Wausau provides Metro Ride bus service throughout the city, while Route 51 and Interstate 39 are major arteries for commuters. Wausau Downtown Airport is a city-owned public-use airport, meaning residents usually fly out of Central Wisconsin Airport, 15 miles south.
Crime statistics in Wausau
Property and violent crime rates in Wausau over the last 5 years have been slightly higher than the state average but lower than the national average. The CAP Index identifies the downtown area as experiencing a higher overall crime risk. Generally, violent and property crime rates in Wausau sit well below the national average.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
