Grand Chute was founded in 1849, just one year after Wisconsin became a state, and celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2024. The name, Grand Chute, originated from a large rapid that existed in the adjacent Fox River. Today, our Grand Chute population exceeds 24,000, making it the largest township in Wisconsin.
Grand Chute is special for many reasons. There is a unique blend of attributes that residents of our Fox Cities area and beyond find attractive. This blend includes our business make up, regional tourism amenities and recreational activities. Grand Chute is also home to Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC), a highly regarded, regional educational institution that serves more than 50,000 people, annually, and is responsive to our area’s need for skilled employees. FVTC offers more than 200 associate degrees, technical diplomas and certificate programs, as well as instruction for 20 apprenticeship trades.
Manufacturing
Grand Chute has a vibrant and diverse business environment. Altogether, businesses comprise about 40 percent of Grand Chute’s $2.3 billion of equalized value (i.e. real and personal assets). Major manufacturing companies with facilities or corporate offices located in Grand Chute include Dixon Ticonderoga, McCain Foods, Pierce Manufacturing, Presto Products and Werner Electric.
Retail Shopping, Hospitality and Entertainment
Grand Chute’s location-based retail environment has made the Fox Cities a regional hub for shopping since the time the Fox River Mall was constructed in 1984. The continued success of the mall over the past 40 years has been a catalyst for the development of associated attractions, including a wide variety of restaurants and eateries, entertainment facilities and a hospitality segment that includes many of our Fox Cities lodging facilities.
Competitive Sports and Tourism
Sports-centered tourism also abounds in Grand Chute. The construction of Fox Cities Stadium (now known as Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium), which was completed in 1995, ushered in a new era of professional, minor-league baseball in our Fox Cities. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball team plays in the Midwest League, which is a Class High-A development league for Major League Baseball clubs. The ‘Rattlers’ are an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
In 2019, Grand Chute celebrated the opening of the Community First Champion Center, a 164,000 SF sports tourism facility, that draws teams from throughout the Midwestern United States. The venue includes a year-round ice rink, which is primarily used for tournament ice hockey competition. The facility also has a multi-use arena area, which can be configured with four basketball courts or eight volleyball courts. There is also a seasonal arena that can be set up as an ice rink, or with four additional basketball courts, or with six additional volleyball courts. Already, in its young life, the Champion Center has enjoyed great popularity and success to the extent that a facility addition is already being discussed.
A Natural Element
While Grand Chute touts a great educational institution, a broad business and employment base, and a booming tourism, hospitality, shopping and entertainment environment, it also still offers individuals and families a softer, natural and more rural experience. It is home to the 700-acre Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve. The preserve has miles of hiking and seasonal cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, along with other offerings. Also, included in Grand Chute’s community and neighborhood park facilities are a sledding hill (located at Prairie Hill Park), a wetlands boardwalk experience (located at Arrowhead Park) and hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and fat tire bicycling trails (located at Lecker Park).
As a tribute to Grand Chute’s rich agricultural heritage, known century farms were recognized at the Town’s September 7, 2024, 175th Anniversary celebration. According to plat records, there were at least nine such farms, including, including the Abendroth, Heenan, Hegner, Fickel, Kohl, Long, Plamann, and Wilharm family farms. The Plamann farm is still being operated by the Plamann family.
Grand Chute is indeed a special community for residents and visitors, alike.
Jeff Ings
