Fox Cities Cleanup and Restoration

When Water-Fire-Storm Damage Happens in the Fox Cities, We’re Ready

The “Fox Cities of Wisconsin are the cities, towns and villages along the Fox River as it flows from Lake Winnebago northward into Green Bay.

The Fox Cities communities, as defined by its Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, include:^[1]

• Calumet County
• Outagamie County
• Winnebago County
• The cities of Appleton(pop. 74,526), Kaukauna (16,246), Menasha (18,268), Neenah (26,062), and Oshkosh (67,004).
• The villages of Combined Locks(pop. 3,588), Fox Crossing (19,029), Harrison (11,532), Hortonville (2,767), Kimberly (6,803), Little Chute (11,564), Sherwood (2,985), and Greenville (10,309)
• The townsof Buchanan (pop. 6,755), Clayton (3,951), Freedom (5,842), Grand Chute (20,919), Greenville, Kaukauna (1,238), Neenah (3,237), Vandenbroek (1,474)”

The Fox Cities have a rich native American history.  Archaeologists believe indigenous people lived in the area as early as 700 BC.  What is now known as the Fox Cities is believed to have been home to approximately 25,0000 native Americans.

French explorers began arriving to the area in the 17^th century in search of a water route to the Pacific.  But instead of a water route to the Pacific, they discovered a rich source of furs.  Furs were in high demand in Europe.  Fur is waterproof.  Beaver & other small mammal skins could be pressed into felt hats to keep people warm and dry. The fur trade quickly developed.  Native Americans provided furs in exchange for things like metal knives, guns, alcohol and more.  From 1650 to 1850, Wisconsin’s economy revolved around the fur trade.  By 1830 over-hunting nearly exterminated fur-bearing mammals in Wisconsin and the fur trade shifted to other areas.

As the fur trade was ending in the Fox Cities, the paper industry was taking hold.  While it originally started in the southern part of the state, it quickly moved to the Fox Cities.  The Fox River Valley was an ideal location due to its proximity to waterpower, transportation routes and rich reserves of northern Wisconsin Forests.

Today, a large, well-educated work force has drawn many other industries to the area including health care, financial services, and manufacturing.  SERVPRO is here to serve the Fox Cities communities should they experience a loss due to water, fire, mold, or any other disaster.