These refer to the annual spawning of trout, in which thousands of fish entered the rivers from Lake Michigan, providing food for the coming months.

[25] The first European settlers, part of the Western Emigration Company, arrived in the early 1830s, from Hannibal and Troy, New York, led by John Bullen Jr., who sought to purchase enough land for a town.

Thwarted in Milwaukee and Racine, the group arrived at Pike Creek on 6 June 1835, building log houses and later homes of frame, native stone, and brick.

[26] As more settlers arrived and the first post office was established, the village was known as Pike Creek, then renamed Southport in 1837, a name which lives on as a southeast-side neighborhood, park, and elementary school, and has been adopted by several businesses.

[28] Between 1902 and 1988, Kenosha produced millions of automobiles and trucks[29] including makes and models such as Jeffery, Rambler, Nash, Hudson, LaFayette, and American Motors Corporation (AMC).

In 1973, residents in the Town of Pleasant Prairie sought to have territory annexed and rezoned to allow for the industrial development of agricultural property.

In partnership with French automaker Renault, AMC manufactured several models in Kenosha in the early 1980s, including the Alliance, which won the 1983 "Car of The Year" award from Motor Trend.

The AMC Lakefront plant (1960–1988), a smaller facility, was demolished in 1990 (a chimney-demolition ceremony that June drew 10,000 spectators) and was redeveloped into HarborPark.

[36] In the aftermath of the August 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake, protests, riots, and civil unrest occurred in Kenosha.

Demonstrations were marked by daily peaceful protesting followed by confrontations with law enforcement and rioting, looting, vandalism, and arson at night.

[38] Protests continued daily through August 29 with approximately 2,000 members of the National Guard assisting the city in restoring order.

[42] In November 2021, Kenosha once again became the subject of worldwide attention as the jury trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the defendant in the 2020 unrest shooting, commenced.

Kenosha's downtown is located along the Lake Michigan shoreline and consists of government buildings, parks, beaches, restaurants, shops, museums, and entertainment venues.

[53] Uptown Kenosha consists of a largely blue-collar population and is a mixture of locally owned businesses and residential areas.

[57] Kenosha has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa, bordering on Dfb) with warm summers and cold winters.

The Chamber of Commerce attributed this to the city's museums, lakeshore attractions, cultural and work opportunities, its public-school system, transportation amenities, and relatively lower costs-of-living.

The majority of occupations included management, business/financial, and office/administrative support position", and 73 percent of out-commuters have a bachelor's degree or a higher level of education.

[82][83][84][85][86] In 2022, Square Roots farm opened a fully indoor hydroponic facility within refurbished shipping containers in Kenosha.

In recent years, organizations such as Downtown Kenosha Inc. (DKI) manage the day-to-day economic development efforts, business support and promotional activities for the district.

On Simmons Island, the Kenosha History Center and adjacent Maritime Museum offer memorabilia from the city's nautical past.

[109][110] In recent years, Kenosha became home to multiple craft breweries, and in 2021 hosted the Great Lakes Brew Fest.

[115] Since 2002, the outdoor Peanut Butter and Jam Concert Series has been held every Thursday in July and August at Veterans Memorial Park.

[118] Bands that have originated in Kenosha include Electric Hellfire Club, Lazarus A.D., Jungle Rot, and Product of Hate.

[citation needed] Kenosha is home to a number of summer festivals including the Outta Sight Kite Flight,[119] Taste of Wisconsin,[120] Pike River Rendezvous (a historical reenactment),[121] the Kenosha Classic Cruise-In Car Show,[122] Celebrate America (Fourth of July event),[123] Food Folks & Spokes (a cycling event),[124] Cheese-A-Palooza,[125] and the Border War Beer Fest (brewers from Wisconsin and Illinois competing for best beer).

Daniel H. Burnham designed the 1900 Beaux-Arts Gilbert M. Simmons Memorial Library, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[131] It was also the home of the Kenosha Cardinals, a semi-professional football team between 1937 and 1941[132] which played at Lake Front Stadium at 58th Street and Third Avenue.

It is currently home to the Kenosha Kingfish, a collegiate baseball team in the Northwoods League, which played its first game on May 31, 2014,[136] and in 2015 won their first championship.

[142] The Kenosha Velodrome Association sponsors American Track Cycling sanctioned races and training sessions at the "Bowl" throughout the summer.

Just outside of the city limits in neighboring Pleasant Prairie is the St. Catherine's Medical Center Campus, which opened in 2002 and has a heart institute named in honor of cardiac surgeon Michael E.

In August 2020, during the Kenosha unrest, a probation and parole building utilized by the Division of Community Corrections was burned down by rioters.