Mayor’s Column March 21, 2026
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Happy Birthday, Waupun!
Waupun was founded on March 20, 1839, when Seymour Wilcox brought his wife, Lucy; four sons and started a settlement along the Rock River, near where Shaler Park is today. They were soon joined by John Ackerman, Edwin Hillyer and others, who helped Waupun begin to quickly develop!
What a difference a week can make! From a blizzard warning to sunshine and 50 degree days. Thanks to our DPW team for their efforts all week, and to all on the Emergency Government team as we prepared and responded to the storm.
On Thursday, Administrator Schlieve and I attended the 35th Anniversary Main Street Awards in Wausau, to be on hand to see Waupun’s very own Hoya Hop House Brewering win the Connect Communities Award. Owners Matt and Michelle Brown, Jarrett Mack, and Caitlin and Jesse Huizenga purchased the property in fall 2023. In partnership with the City of Waupun, Envision Greater Fond du Lac, and Horicon Bank, the owners secured a $199,000 Community Development Investment (CDI) Grant from WEDC to support the restoration. The project leveraged more than $1 million in total public-private investment in the city’s central business district. To learn more please visit: https://waupunpioneer.com/2026/03/20/press-release-public-private-partnership-fuels-downtown-revitalization-in-waupun/
I’m excited to announce that new flags and spinning flag poles have been ordered for downtown Waupun. This will allow us to display the US flag, State flag, and City flag, throughout the summer, while saving us money because we won’t have to have the DPW crew putting up and taking down the flags as often. The new spinning poles are designed to keep the flags from wrapping around, so they always look nice, and I’ve asked that we work in the Wisconsin and Waupun flags as well, to help add color, heritage, and vibrancy to Waupun. We’ll also be decorating the exterior of city hall this spring to help celebrate America’s 250th.
Thank you and God Bless,
Mayor Rohn
