Native American tribes, primarily the Winnebagos but also the Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and Mascoutin lived or gathered in the area long before European colonizers arrived.

Although the identity of the first European to colonize the southern end of Lake Winnebago is uncertain, it was probably Claude-Jean Allouez, followed by French fur trappers.

[10] James Doty, a federal judge for the western part of the Michigan Territory, thought the land at the foot of Lake Winnebago might be a good location for a city, so he and his partners bought land in the area.

In 1836, during the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, John Arndt proposed making Fond du Lac the new capital.

[16] Fond du Lac lies on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago.

As with the rest of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac has a humid continental climate.

[26] Fond du Lac has a small but rapidly growing Mexican community.

The St. Patrick and St. Joseph churches closed, while Sacred Heart, St. Mary, and St. Peter remain open.

The order founded and continues to sponsor Marian University in Fond du Lac.

Although Jewish people first came to Fond du Lac in the late 19th century, the first synagogue was not established until 1914.

[29] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains a local ward meetinghouse.

[30] The largest employer in Fond du Lac is Mercury Marine, a division of the Brunswick Corporation.

Other industry includes Giddings & Lewis, a manufacturer of machine tools, owned by the Fives Group; Brenner Tank, a builder of transport tankers; Chicago Tube & Iron, a division of Olympic Steel; Saputo Cheese; and J. F. Ahern, a mechanical and fire protection company.

Fond du Lac is also home to a Nielsen Corporation data gathering center.

The Fond du Lac County Fair takes place annually in late July.

Fond du Lac has a children's museum, which displays rotating child-centric exhibits.

Summer activities include flower displays, boating, picnics, and weddings within the park.

April 15 to October 15, the Lakeside Park Lighthouse(built 1933) and its observation tower are open to people.

A steam locomotive stands at the Main Street entrance to the park, donated by the Soo Line in 1955.

Lakeside Park hosts a holiday event featuring a "dancing lights" display,[37] decorations and music.

The current city manager is Joseph P. Moore and the council president is Keith Heisler.

[39] St. Mary's Springs Academy is Fond du Lac's Catholic school system.

The first public transit in Fond du Lac was a privately owned streetcar service in the 1880s; it converted to buses from 1944 to 1967.

The current city-owned transit system began operations on January 15, 1973, following the successful passing of the referendum on November 7, 1972.