What is Kenosha Known For?
Except for a few years, I’ve lived in Kenosha my whole life. When I travel to other cites, people often ask me what Kenosha is known for.
To locals, Kenosha is known for its foods, festivals, location, mega companies, vacation destination, homegrown celebrities, landmarks, and colleges/ universities. In addition, Kenosha has a little bit of a dark past with a couple of incidents that made national headlines. Overall, Kenosha is known for its beauty and proximity, and that it’s a medium sized city, with a small town feel.
In this blog post, I will discuss in further detail about what Kenosha is known for. I will discuss the location, food, a few of the companies, and so on that makes Kenosha a great place to live and work.
Location
One of the best things about Kenosha is its location. In this section, I will discuss why Kenosha is known for its location.
Shoreline
Kenosha’s Eastern border is the great Lake Michigan. And because of that, Kenosha has a ton of public and private beaches, a few marinas, and tons of things to do in the winter and summer on the water. These fun things include ice fishing, boat races, and large ships that come into the dock.
If the weather is above 60 degrees, you can be sure that someone is on or near the lake soaking up the sun.
Proximity to Milwaukee
Another great benefit of Kenosha is its proximity to Milwaukee. Depending on how fast you drive, you can make it to downtown Milwaukee in less than 30 minutes. Milwaukee has a ton of things you can do including art, sporting events, and the airport.
The proximity to Milwaukee provides all the benefits of big city life, without any of the big city headaches.
Proximity to Chicago
Like Milwaukee, Chicago is right down the street from Kenosha. Depending on the traffic, you can make it to downtown Chicago in one hour. If driving isn’t your thing, you can catch the train, or bus to the Windy City.
Like Milwaukee, Chicago provides all the benefits of the big city. Chicago has a great culture like the Shedd Aquarium, sports teams, and just about anything else you may need.
One reason I really like living in Kenosha is what I call the “Illinois Bump.” The Illinois Bump is Kenosha residents get all the benefits of Illinois (higher wages, jobs, etc), without any of the drawbacks (higher cost of living, taxes, etc). For example, compare the cost between a 2,40 square foot home in Kenosha, to a similar house in Northeastern Illinois.
Food
In addition to its location, I would say Kenosha is also known for its food. In this section, I will discuss the food groups of Kenosha.
Cheese
Like the entire state of Wisconsin, Kenosha is also known for its cheese. On any given weekend, you will find cars from all over in the parking lot of the Mars Cheese Castle. In fact, there are at least 4 places of stop and get various types of cheese along I-94.
Italian food
In addition to cheese, Kenosha is also known for its great Italian food. You can find great Italian food in every corner of Kenosha. Most of these restaurants have been passed down from previous generations and have the same recopies, prices, and ambiance. In addition, some churches are known for great Italian cooking.
Be sure to stop in any local restaurant on Friday for the famous “Friday Fish Fry.”
Bars
While not the state leader, Kenosha is also known for its large number of bars. Currently, there are over 70 bars in Kenosha. Kenosha has a bar to suit just about any need, Irish, Italian, Hookah, Biker, Karaoke, the list goes on.
As Seen on TV
There have been several local restaurants that have received national spotlight. For example, Franks Diner was on a nationally televised cooking show. It is impossible to get a meal at Franks on the weekend in the Summer. I’ve never eaten there, but it’s on my bucket list.
Companies
Kenosha also has many well-known companies that call Kenosha home. In this section, I will spend a bit of time discussing the biggest companies.
Jockey
The Jockey World Headquarters is in Kenosha. Jockey is most known for making underwear for men, women, and children. They are also known for sponsoring many events and their employees donate their time and money to good causes.
Uline
Another large company that calls Kenosha home is the Shipping company Uline. Uline is so big, it seems like 1 out of 25 Kenosha residents works at Uline. They have two huge buildings that sit just off I94. Finally, Uline is privately held and has warehouses all over the US.
Amazon
Recently, Amazon built one of its warehouses in Kenosha County. This Wearhouse employs a lot of residents ranging from Milwaukee to Northern Illinois. Also, it’s kind of cool when I get packages from there.
Snap-on Tools
Snap-on Tools is another global name that calls Kenosha home. Snap-on has been around since 1920 and owns Blackhawk, Bahco, Car-O-Liner, and Truck Cam. If your vehicle was worked on, chances are the mechanic used a Snap-on tool.
Jelly Belly
There is a Jelly Belly factor that resides in Kenosha County. Jelly Belly gives tours, where you can eat some of the flavored not offered in stores. In addition, they host a carnival on their front lawn every year.
Many Manufacturing Companies
Finally, when you think of Kenosha, you must think of all of the manufacturing companies with warehouses located in Kenosha. In addition, to the companies listed above, Kenosha has major companies like Rustoleum and companies that make and process food for McDonald’s.
Vacation
Kenosha is also known as a great place to vacation during the summer months. In this section, I will discuss why people think Kenosha when they plan their vacations.
Summer Homes/ Vacation Destination
Tourists think Kenosha is a great place to vacation because it is away from the demands of the city, but just close enough to their home. Kenosha’s beach front properties are beautiful, and there are a lot of things to do while here. Kenosha offers a lively downtown and tons of festivals for
In the summer, you will find license plates from all 50 states, Canada, and European Countries.
Vacation Spot for Mobsters
All through high school, students shared stories about different mobsters taking up temporary residence in Kenosha. The word on the street was mob figures from Chicago would come up to take a break from their criminal activities.
While I cannot confirm or deny, just typing these words feels like I’ve said too much.
Actors and Athletes
Kenosha is also known for famous actors and athletes and in this section, I will discuss a few of the most well known.
Actors/ Celebrities
Below is a brief list of actors and celebrities that once called Kenosha home. In addition, I will include their claim to fame
- Mark Ruffalo – The Hulk (The Avengers, 2012)
- Orson Wells – Citizen Kane (1941)
- Al Molinaro – Happy Days
- Laura Kaeppeler – Miss America (2012)
- Concetta Torrei (China Beach)
Athletes
In addition, to actors, there have been many professional athletes that came from Kenosha. Below are just a few
- Nick Van Exel – NBA
- Melvin Gordon – NFL
- Trae Waynes – NFL
- Megan Oster – figure skater
Fun fact: Melvin Gordon and Trae Waynes were the first high school teammates to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Local Landmarks
Kenosha is also known for its local landmarks including the Lighthouse and the streetcar. The lighthouse, named Kenosha North Pier Light, is an attraction for both locals and tourists. You will see two things on every Summer Saturday in Kenosha: wedding pictures in front of the lighthouse, and tourists taking pictures of it.
The streetcar, also know as the Lakefront Trolley, is a streetcar that travels on a
Colleges and Universities
Parents and college-aged students in the region are away of University of Wisconsin Parkside, Carthage College, and Gateway Technical College. However, Kenosha has 6 colleges and universities. In addition to the three mentioned above, you can also find the following schools:
- Marquette University Nursing School
- Concordia University Wisconsin
- Herzing University
Festivals
I’ve mentioned a few times in this post about the summer festivals. In the Summer there are multiple festivals happening every weekend. You will find everything from the Taste of Wisconsin to Greek festivals and festivals hosted by Catholic Churches.
There are a few food staples at all of these festivals. These staples include
- Cheese Curds
- Fried Cheese
- Butter Corn
- More Fried stuff
- Funnel Cake
If you are in town during the summer, you have to check out at least one festival.
Mass Shootings
Not to end this post on a somber note, but Kenosha is known for a few mass shootings. The most memorable shooting was a shooting that occurred at a McDonalds in the early 1990s. The shooting was one of the worst of its time and made many people nervous when stepping in a fast food restaurant.
Car Plants
Finally, Kenosha is known for all of the car plants that came, and went. Kenosha used to be a hub for domestic cars like AMC and Chrysler. Those plants have since closed, and many of the plants have been torn down.
Conclusion
What do you think? Did I miss anything? Was it too much?
Leave a comment below!