Appleton is a city that is in the northeastern part of the state of Wisconsin. It is about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southwest of the city of Green Bay, WI.http://www.travelmath.com/driving-distance/from/Appleton,+WI/to/GRB It has an approximate population of 71,000 people. http://www.city-data.com/city/Appleton-Wisconsin.html The Fox River is one of the main natural resources of the community and much of Appleton's industry is dependent upon the river. It was one of the nation's pioneers in hydroelectric power. Leading industries include paper products and machinery, food processing, printing and publishing, plastic and electronics. Its service industry is led by insurance and healthcare.http://www.foxcitieschamber.com/foxcitieschamber/community+profile/default.asp http://www.appleton.org/about_us/

Appleton has many recreational options for its citizens and tourists. The Fox River is a tributary of Lake Winnebago. This helps to populate the river with walleye and sturgeon. High Cliff State Park has a boat marina, beaches, camping sites and prehistoric effigy mounds. Each year, at the end of September, the downtown area features an Octoberfest celebration, with food and beverages, live music and a classic car show.http://www.foxcitieschamber.com/foxcitieschamber/community+profile/life+in+the+fox+cities/recreation/default.asp

The first settlers in the Appleton area were fur traders. They came to the Fox River Valley to do business with the Indians that lived in the area. The first settler was Hippolyte "Paul" Grignon. In 1835, he built the White Heron, an inn and trading post, in the area that is now known as Appleton's Lutz Park. The inn also served as home for Grignon's family. http://www.appleton.org/about_us/ http://www.apl.org/history/european.html

The Lawrence Institute was chartered in 1847 with the backing of Amos Lawrence. Samuel Appleton contributed $10,000 for the college's library and, in appreciation, the community was given his name. Appleton was incorporated as a village in 1853 and then as a city in 1857.http://www.appleton.org/about_us/

A sawmill was constructed in 1850, followed by dams and canals in 1852, and the city's first newspaper, The Crescent, in 1853. This helped establish Appleton as a community and, by 1853, there were 1,500 residents. At that time, there were five hotels, ten stores, four sawmills and a paper factory.http://www.apl.org/history/village.html In 1882, the first hydro-electric plant in the United States was built in Appleton, followed in 1886 by the first commercially successful electric streetcar system in the nation.http://www.appleton.org/about_us/

At the town's cultural center is the Appleton Public Library. The library is home to an over 240,000-volume book collection. In 1986, Appleton Public Library made the list of 50 outstanding libraries in the nation. In 1997, the library celebrated 100 years of service to the community.http://www.appleton.org/about_us/ http://www.apl.org/history/timeline.html

Appleton is at 44°15' 04" N latitude and 88°21'52" W longitude. Its elevation is 750 feet above sea level. Appleton receives an average precipitation of 2.51 inches per month. The average high temperature is 54.34° F, with an average low of 36.24° F.http://www.climate-charts.com/States/Wisconsin.html

Appleton is located in Outagamie County. The city has a land area of 17.1 square miles. Its water area covers 0.5 miles. Nearby towns include Kimberly, Menasha, Little Chute, Combined Locks and Neenah.http://www.idcide.com/citydata/wi/appleton.htm

• Gardens of the Fox Cities — Thirty-five acre botanical garden and arboretum located in Appleton Memorial Park . It has displays of seasonal plants and gardens of Wisconsin.
• Fox River Mall — Largest mall in northeast Wisconsin. Over 180 stores and large food court that includes the local Fox River Brewing Company restaurant.
• Wisconsin Timber Rattlers — Class A Minor League baseball team.
• Lawrence University — Founded in 1847.http://www.comevisitappleton.com/

• Harry Houdini — Magicianhttp://www.apl.org/history/houdini/biography.html
• Willem Dafoe — Actorhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000353/
• Edna Ferber — Novelisthttp://www.apl.org/history/ferber/index.html
• Joseph McCarthy — U.S. Senatorhttp://www.apl.org/history/mccarthy/biography.html