Oshkosh, Wisconsin: City in and county seat of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States

It is located where the Fox River enters Lake Winnebago from the west. The population was 66,816 at the 2020 census. The city is located adjacent to and partially within the Town of Oshkosh.

In 1670, a French priest, Jean Claude Allouez, landed his canoe in what is now Menominee park in Oshkosh. He came to hold mass for the Indians. European settlers came to the area as early as 1818 and a trading post was set up. By 1837 the small community became known as 'Athens'. In an election in 1840 the name was changed to honor (or flatter) the Menominee chief Oshkosh (meaning 'claw' or 'brave'). Oshkosh became a city in 1853.

In 1847 the first Sawmill began making lumber. Soon other sawmills were operating up and down the Fox river. Oshkosh provided lumber for the railroads. When the Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of Chicago in 1871, Oshkosh sawmills provided much of the lumber used to rebuild the city.

By 1870, Oshkosh had become the third-largest city in Wisconsin. It had a population of over 12,000. The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern newspaper (now the Oshkosh Northwestern) was founded around this time. Oshkosh State Normal School later became the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh).

Oshkosh B’Gosh, a clothing manufacturer, started here in 1903. They started out making adult work clothing. But they became famous making children's clothing. Their bib overalls allowed children to dress just like their working fathers. In 2005 the company was purchased by Carter's, Inc., a children's clothing company. Oshkosh B'Gosh is still sold as a separate brand of clothing. The clothing is no longer made in Oshkosh but the corporate headquarters are still there.

 

The Experimental Aircraft Association, headquartered in Oshkosh, holds a yearly air show called AirVenture Oshkosh. It is mainly for experimental and recreational aircraft. The event has been held at Oshkosh since 1970. The large number of planes coming and going during the fly-in week makes the Wittman Field air traffic control tower the busiest in the world. The event has become so popular that fans simply call it "Oshkosh".