Horse pastures and farm fields surround the rural town of Winchester
The one-and-a-half-mile stretch of Winchester’s main road has the town hall, one tavern and no stoplights. The community is deeply connected to the larger Fox Cities, where residents go for big-box stores, restaurants and other conveniences. “It was originally settled by farmers,” says Matthew Olson, the Town Chairman of Winchester, adding that fields with corn, soybeans and alfalfa surround the village, which still has one full-time dairy farm. “Around the town, you’ll see horses out on pasture here and there.” The tides are slowly changing in Winchester, however. “Now, it’s more of a bedroom community of the Fox Valley,” he says, explaining that while many residents are lifelong, newcomers have been trickling in within the last 20 years.
Older homes and New Traditional builds in Winchester have acreage
Lengthy driveways — some of which are gravel — lead to a diverse collection of homes framed by mature trees with wide, sturdy trunks. Victorian houses that have been around since the 1890s and the first years of the 20th century sit near midcentury ranch-style homes and New Traditional styles built from the 1980s onward. Properties largely range from $220,000 to $425,000 in price and a third of an acre to two acres in size. Many come with sheds, detached garages and outdoor living spaces tucked in the backyard.
Winchester has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Most Winchester children attend Winneconne Community School District
“Winchester is part of the Winneconne school system, which is pretty desirable,” says Kim Mueller, a Realtor with First Weber, Inc. They may begin their educational journeys at Winneconne Elementary School, which earns an A-minus from Niche, before moving forward to A-rated Winneconne Middle School. Winneconne High School maintains a B-plus and offers more than 20 extracurricular activities, which include a fishing team, the Winneconne Robotics Club, the Academic Bowl and a creative writing club.
Students who live in the northern part of Winchester may attend the School District of New London, beginning with Readfield Elementary School and New London Intermediate/Middle School, both of which score B-plus grades. They may then conclude their secondary education at New London High School, which receives a B-minus.
United States routes lead to Oshkosh, New London and the Fox Cities
Winchester is located near the intersection of U.S. routes 10 and 45. The former creates almost a straight shot east to several communities part of the Fox Cities. One of them — Menasha — is about 15 miles from Winchester, and nearby Appleton Airport offers flights to destinations across the country. United States Route 45 travels south to Oshkosh and north toward New London, both about 16 miles away. Interstate 41 traces the outskirts of Oshkosh and the Fox Cities, continuing northeast toward Green Bay, which is about a 50-mile drive from Winchester.
Winchester Hill Golf Course and the 40-mile Wiouwash State Trail
Golfers have been playing the 18-hole layout at the public Winchester Hill Golf Course since it opened in 1960. Trailhead Park, which is technically in the neighboring community of Clayton, has a playground, a basketball court, a soccer field and a heated restroom for Wisconsin winter days. The Wiouwash State Trail passes the green space to the east, spanning over 40 miles. Its name is a portmanteau of the four counties it traverses: Winnebago, Outagamie, Waupaca and Shawano. Though it consists of two legs with a 30-mile gap between them, the trail travels from Aniwa south to downtown Oshkosh. Native tallgrass and wildflowers flank the path, which is open to hikers, cyclists, snowmobilers and equestrians.
Winchester has one bar and a Dollar General with other eateries nearby
A handful of eateries are scattered along Winchester’s main road. The Winchester is the only restaurant in the town itself, and it’s surrounded by homes. Farther west, Antler's Sports Bar & Grill serves a loaded Bloody Mary and Old Fashioned cocktails in a rustic setting. Deer head trophy mounts and antlers cover the bar’s wood-paneled walls, and spirits are sometimes served on a shot ski. Guests at the Cattails Supper Club may start their meals at the salad and potato bars before digging into baby back ribs, steak or fish filet. The supper club builds community with events like wine or bourbon tastings, Easter egg decorating and “Sunday Funday” gatherings. A Dollar General along U.S. Route 45 carries some essentials, while the closest big-box stores and supermarkets are about 10 miles away in Neenah.
