Oconomowoc City Map Poster

About Oconomowoc

History [ edit ] The area that is now Oconomowoc was first settled by European Americans in 1835 as part of the Town of Summit. In 1846, it became part of the newly formed Town of Waukesha. The village incorporated from portions within both towns on March 7, 1850.[6] It separated itself from Waukesha and gained its current name on April 22, 1890.[7] The town had been named after a Potawatomi chief who lived near Lake Michigan at what is now Delafield;[8][9] his name meant "waterfall" in English,[10][11][12] and he may have been buried there.[13]:p.25–26 A waterfall still exists today where North Water Street crosses under Wisconsin Highway 83 just south-east (downstream) from downtown Oconomowoc; however this falls has not existed for many years due to channelization work done by We Energies to improve flow rates through their hydroelectric plant located below the falls along Lake Drive (Wisconsin Highway 83).