About Racine

This Midwestern city located at the entrance of the Root River and situated between its two more well know neighbors, Chicago to the south and Milwaukee 30 miles north, is often overlooked by many. Racine's history dates back to the late 17th century when it was founded by French explorers as a trading post. Incorporated in 1848 as a city, Racine was active in the Abolition Movement and became a way station for runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad. Racine is the hometown of the stage and screen actor, Fredric March. It is also the home of singer and actress Barbara McNair. Racine is where the world's largest chemical specialty products company, S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. was founded in the late 19th century.

Racine is the fifth largest city in Wisconsin boasts and a population of approximately 82,000. Although the ethnic ancestry of Racine is German, Irish, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, and Italian, its current population is 56% White, 27.6% Black, 20.2% Hispanic, and.07% Asian. The median age is 33.1 years old, with 48.7% male and 51.3% female. The average size of a household is 2.54 people. The median household income is $35,041 and the median home value is $132,900. Some of the major educational institutions in Racine are the University of Wisconsin at Parkside, Midwest College of Oriental Medicine, and Gateway Technical College. The three major employers in Racine are All Saints Medical Center, Racine Unified School District, and S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Many different companies can be found in Racine, WI business directory. The major airport that serves the city is General Mitchell International Airport located eight miles south of Milwaukee.

Once known as an industrial town, Racine has become a newly revitalized city with emphasis on tourism. There is the Racine Art Museum, Racine Zoological Gardens, the Racine Symphony Orchestra, the River Bend Nature Center, and numerous parks. The Racine, WI yellow pages can provide information about the city. Although the architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, was born in Milwaukee, three buildings located in Racine were designed by him. The most notable of these is the S. C. Johnson headquarters, which consists of the administration building and research tower. These two structures are registered as U.S. national landmarks. Racine has made a roaring comeback, but violent crime is 66% greater than the national average, and property crime is 44% greater than the national average.

Written by Lyndsey Morgan