Mayor’s Column March 8th, 2024
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Hello Waupun!
At this past week’s common council meeting, Ice Fest organizer and all around great Waupunian, Jeni Maly, presented us with a letter of recognition from Governor Tony Evers. The letter is hung up in the main hallway at city hall and notes several of Waupun’s great art pieces including The End of the Trail, The Recording Angel, and The Citadel. The letter acknowledges Clarence Shaler’s work in curating and creating Waupun’s public sculptures. It also recognized Waupun for its work in celebrating its public art with regular events. The letter concludes, “Whereas: on this occasion, the state of Wisconsin joins the city of Waupun in recognizing the importance of public art and wishes “The City of Sculpture” many more years of success. Therefore, I, Tony Evers, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby congratulate the city of Waupun for its success as a vibrant art community and thank everyone involved for their service and support for art in the state.”
Since becoming Mayor, I’ve loved how this community has rallied around Mr. Shaler and his legacy. Waupun really is Wisconsin’s Sculpture City, and we’re not only celebrating that legacy, we’re taking it to the next level. With Ice Fest’s ice sculptures, along with the new Sculpture Tours Program coming this spring, Waupun really has it going on, and we’re making Waupun a destination for people wishing to learn more about our rich heritage of public art.
It’s appropriate that Waupun receives this letter in March, because March 20th is Waupun’s birthday. This year Waupun will turn 185, 185 years since Seymour Wilcox settled his family along the Rock River here. Over the nearly two centuries, Waupun has made a difference. We’ve been Wisconsin’s Prison City, Wisconsin’s Sculpture City, we were America’s Rivet Capital during World War II, and we’ve had Wisconsin’s best water for decades. We’re really blessed to live in America’s greatest little city, and being your mayor has been the honor of my life.
Thank you and God Bless,
Mayor Rohn
