Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Sun Prairie in June 2007
Logo
Nickname:  Groundhog Capital of the World
Motto:  Revolves Around You
Location of Sun Prairie in Dane County, Wisconsin.
Coordinates: 43°11′0.97″N 89°13′56.41″W / 43.1836028°N 89.2323361°W / 43.1836028; -89.2323361
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Dane
Settled	1839
Incorporated (city)	1958
Government [1][2]
• Type	Mayor-city council
• Mayor	Paul Esser
• Municipal Judge	Tom Hebl
• City Council president	Maureen Crombie
• City Council members	Alderpersons District 1  - Theresa McIlroy  - Steve Stocker District 2  - Bob Jokisch  - Brent Eisberner District 3  - Maureen Crombie  - Michael Jacobs District 4  - Faustina Bohling  - David Virgell
Area [3]
• Total	12.93 sq mi (33.49 km2)
• Land	12.91 sq mi (33.44 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation [4]	984 ft (300 m)
Population  (2020)[5]
• Total	35,967
• Density	2,685.03/sq mi (1,036.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time)
ZIP code	53590
Area code	608
FIPS code	55-78600[6]
GNIS feature ID	1584255[7]
Website	cityofsunprairie.com

Sun Prairie is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. A suburb of Madison, it is part of the Madison metropolitan area. The city's population was 35,967 at the 2020 census, the second-most populous in Dane County.^[9]

History

President Martin Van Buren commissioned a party of 45 men, including Augustus A. Bird, to build a capital for the Territory of Wisconsin in Madison. The group left Milwaukee on May 26, 1837, and traveled for days in the rain. On June 9, the group emerged at the edge of the prairie and with the sun shining for the first time in days, carved the words "Sun Prairie" into a tree. Charles Bird returned to the area two years later and became the first settler.^[10][11]

The Town of Sun Prairie was created on February 2, 1846.^[12] The village of Sun Prairie, which grew from that town, was incorporated in an act of the Wisconsin legislature on March 6, 1868.^[13]

On March 17, 1958, the Village Board ordered a referendum election on whether Sun Prairie should incorporate as a city of the fourth class after receiving a petition signed by over 100 electors. In the referendum election on May 6, 1958, 295 voted for incorporating as a city and 284 voted against. On May 15, 1958, the Wisconsin Secretary of State filed the certificate of incorporation of the city of Sun Prairie.^[14]

On July 10, 2018, a gas explosion leveled a downtown city block, destroying a bar and a pizza restaurant, as well as damaging the historic old city hall building and multiple other nearby buildings. Bar owner and Fire Captain Cory Barr was injured in the explosion and died as a result soon after. Many citizens and businesses around Sun Prairie offered their support to the Barr family and the affected businesses through fundraising campaigns. This tragic event was the origin of the tagline "Sun Prairie Strong", a slogan which signifies the city's strength as it comes together as a community.^[15]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.25 square miles (31.73 km²), of which, 12.23 square miles (31.68 km²) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km²) is water.^[16] The city of Sun Prairie includes land that once was part of the towns of Bristol, Burke, Sun Prairie, and Windsor. On January 5, 2007, the city of Sun Prairie, city of Madison, village of DeForest, and town of Burke entered into a cooperative plan under which all remaining land in the town of Burke has been designated for attachment into the cities and village.^[17]

Geology

The Yahara River Valley encompasses part of the city of Sun Prairie. This area contains deep glacial deposits created by the Wisconsin Glaciation. The eastern part of Dane County, known as the drumlin and marsh physiographic area, includes most of Sun Prairie. The deposits found in this area include general glacial deposits and marsh deposits, and consist of many small drumlins interspersed with shallow glacial deposits having poorly defined drainage.

The general soils associations in the Sun Prairie area include the Dodge-St. Charles-McHenry, Plano-Ringwood-Griswold, and Batavia-Houghton-Dresden Associations.^[18] The Dodge-St. Charles-McHenry soils are found in the eastern, southern, and central portions of Sun Prairie. This association has a varied landscape, which is mostly sloping, with some areas on benches and in depressions. The Dodge, St. Charles and McHenry soils are well drained to moderately well drained. The Sable soils in this association are nearly level and poorly drained. Most of the soils in this association have moderate permeability and a high available water capacity. Most also have slight to moderate limitations for urban uses and farming.^[19]

Cityscape

The landscape of the city consists mostly of gently rolling hills and plains. The elevation of the city averages about 984 feet (300 m) above mean sea level.^[4]

Sun Prairie has developed a number of traditional neighborhood developments (TND).^[20] Often referred to as "new urbanism", these neighborhoods focus on the pedestrian and the appearance of city streets. While these developments have sought to address the problems and concerns associated with conventional suburban development and urban sprawl, many occupy former farmland and undeveloped rural lands. The city's planners addressed the criticisms that they were "attempting to recreate "pretend" neighborhoods"^[20] by noting that the aim of the TND was to borrow those design ideas and features effective in older neighborhoods and adapting them to current needs.^[21]

Climate

In the Köppen climate classification, Sun Prairie is in the warm summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa). Summers tend to be hot and humid. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average maximum temperature of 82.1 °F (27.8 °C) and the coldest month of the year is January, with an average minimum temperature of 9.3 °F (−12.6 °C). Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with an average difference of 21 °F (12 °C), and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 16 °F (9 °C).

The annual average precipitation at Sun Prairie is 32.95 inches (837 mm). Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, and the wettest month of the year is August with an average rainfall of 4.33 inches (110 mm).

Flooding

The city of Sun Prairie encounters occasional flooding because of the presence of hydric soils, spring melting and its proximity to the Koshkonong Creek. This condition is compounded by storm water runoff from development and urbanization in the upper reaches of the watershed. Many residents of the city believe that the problems with flooding are worsening, becoming more frequent over the last 14 years.^[23]

A flood on April 11, 2008, caused by heavy overnight rains that outpaced the city's storm drain system and leaked into the sewer system, resulted in flooding in residential basements.^[24] The city suffered considerably from the June 2008 Midwest floods.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[5] of 2010, there were 29,364 people, 11,636 households, and 7,641 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,401.0 inhabitants per square mile (927.0/km²). There were 12,413 housing units at an average density of 1,015.0 per square mile (391.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.4% White, 6.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 11,636 households, of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 33.3 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.8% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[6] of 2000, there were 20,369 people, 7,881 households, and 5,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,133.7 people per square mile (823.5/km²). There were 8,198 housing units at an average density of 858.8 per square mile (331.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.68% White, 3.10% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,881 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,345, and the median income for a family was $61,197. Males had a median income of $40,510 versus $28,786 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,277. About 3.8% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Sun Prairie has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor is elected at large every odd-numbered year. Paul Esser was elected mayor on April 7, 2015, when he defeated challenger Bill Clausius.^[26]

The city council consists of eight alderpersons, who along with the mayor, make up the common council. There are four aldermanic districts, with two alderpersons per district, each serving for two-year terms over alternating years. The council manages the city's budget and financial operations as well as determines the salaries of all officers and employees of the city.

Sun Prairie has a full-time city administrator, who is responsible for the administration of the city government in accordance with the policies established by the common council. Other city officers consist of assistant administrator, city clerk, treasurer, assessor, municipal judge, police chief and fire chief.

Representative Melissa Ratcliff and Senator Melissa Agard represent the city of Sun Prairie in the Wisconsin State Legislature. At the federal level, the city is represented by Ron Johnson (R) and Tammy Baldwin (D) in the U.S. Senate and Mark Pocan (D) in the House of Representatives.

Mayors