When the first European, Jean Nicolet, visited the place in 1634–35, De Pere was the site of a polyglot settlement of several thousand attracted by the fishing at the first rapids of the Fox River.[9] In 1671, French Jesuit explorer Père Claude-Jean Allouez founded the St. Francis Xavier Mission at the last set of rapids on the Fox River before it enters The Bay of Green Bay. The site was known as Rapides Des Pères (rapids of the fathers) which became modern day De Pere.[10]
The present city of De Pere had its beginnings in 1836, when John Penn Arndt and Charles Tullar incorporated the De Pere Hydraulic Company and drew up the first plat of the town.[11] In 1837, a popular vote established De Pere as the county seat of Brown County; it maintained this status until 1854, when another election moved the county seat to Green Bay.[12]
Politically, under the first township plan for Brown County, the area that is now the city of De Pere fell on the boundary between the town of Howard (which comprised much of the area west of the Fox River) and the town of "Mason", which comprised roughly the southern half of the county. In 1838, the area was first formally established by the territorial government as a separate township entity. At that time it was named the town of "Wilcox", for Randall Wilcox, who was then president of the De Pere Hydraulic Company, and it comprised most of the area of the current city of De Pere as well as the area that is now the town of Ledgeview, Wisconsin.
In 1839, the town of Wilcox was divided along the Fox River, with the eastern half becoming the town of De Pere (Ledgeview); the area west of the river was re-integrated into the town of Howard.[11] The village of De Pere was incorporated within the town of De Pere by an act of the state legislature on March 6, 1857.[13] West De Pere, on the west side of the river, was eventually set off from Howard as a separate town, and in 1870, the village of West De Pere was incorporated.
The west–east division at the river persisted until 1890. In 1883 the village of De Pere was re-incorporated as the city of De Pere, that same year the village of West De Pere was re-incorporated as the city of Nicolet (after voyageur Jean Nicolet). In 1887 the city of Nicolet was renamed the city of West De Pere, and in 1890 the city of West De Pere was finally consolidated into the city of De Pere to form a single city government.[14]
The Mansion Street World War II Defense Housing Historic District and the Daviswood Ranch Homes Historic District were added to the list in 2021.[17][18]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 12.30 square miles (31.86 km2), of which 11.58 square miles (29.99 km2) is land and 0.72 square miles (1.86 km2) is water.[20]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 23,800 people, 9,254 households, and 5,869 families living in the city. The population density was 2,055.3 inhabitants per square mile (793.6/km2). There were 9,742 housing units at an average density of 841.3 per square mile (324.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.0% White, 0.9% African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 9,254 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the city was 33.7 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000,[4] there were 20,559 people, 7,724 households, and 5,020 families living in the city. The population density was 1,938.4 people per square mile (748.2/km2). There were 7,993 housing units at an average density of 753.6 per square mile (290.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.71% White, 0.54% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 7,724 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,282, and the median income for a family was $61,688. Males had a median income of $39,710 versus $27,166 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,013. About 2.3% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under the age of 18 and 5.4% of those 65 and older.
De Pere has a mayor-council form of government with a full-time city administrator. The mayor is elected. The city council consists of eight alderpersons, two elected from each of four districts. All elected officials serve two-year terms.[26]
De Pere City Council Chambers
Education
Aerial view of St. Norbert College
De Pere is served by two school districts.
The Unified School District of De Pere has the following schools:
Syble Hopp is a school for children ages 3–21 years old who have cognitive and other developmental disabilities. It is operated by the Brown County Children with Disabilities Education Board.[27]
Transportation
Broadway St, looking south
Interstate 41 travels north–south on the west side of De Pere. Wisconsin Highway 32/Wisconsin Highway 57 enter De Pere from the south and split in the middle of De Pere. WIS 32 heads east–west through De Pere before turning north. WIS 57 continues straight north. There is limited transit service operated by Green Bay Metro and the CN provides freight railroad service. The Fox River is navigable for boat and canoe traffic with the exception of a dam.
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