Moving to Saint Nazianz, Wisconsin
Saint Nazianz is a small village located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The village is situated in the northwest corner of the county, near the intersection of state highways 42 and 57. With a population of just over 500 people, Saint Nazianz is a quiet and quaint community with a rich history.
The area now known as Saint Nazianz was first settled by German immigrants in 1854. The settlers established a religious community that was centered around the teachings of Father Ambrose Oschwald and his Order of St. Benedict. Oschwald had been sent to Wisconsin by his friend and mentor, German theologian Johannes Ronge, who wanted to establish an experimental settlement based on Catholic principles. The settlement was named after St. Nazarius, an early Christian martyr who became one of the patron saints of Germany in the Middle Ages.
The settlement prospered for several decades under Oschwald’s leadership until his death in 1887. After his death, many of the settlers moved away from Saint Nazianz and it began to decline economically as well as socially. Despite this decline however, many original buildings remain standing today including Saint Boniface Church which was built in 1889 and still serves as an active parish today.
Saint Nazianz has undergone something of a revival in recent years thanks to its close proximity to Lake Michigan and other nearby recreational areas such as Point Beach State Park and Rawley Point Lighthouse which attract visitors from all over the Midwest each year. In addition to its outdoor attractions, Saint Nazianz is also home to several unique shops such as Kneifel’s General Store which offers visitors a variety of locally made products including cheese curds, jams & jellies, maple syrup and honey among other things.
The village also hosts several popular annual events including Oktoberfest which takes place each fall at St Boniface Church grounds; Art on The Green – an outdoor art show held every summer; and Wurstfest – a local sausage festival held each August at Kneifel’s General Store where visitors can enjoy live music along with traditional German food & drink offerings including bratwurst sandwiches & beer gardens that feature local craft brews from nearby breweries such as Two Roads Brewing Company located just outside Manitowoc County line in Sheboygan County .
All-in-all Saint Nazianz is an idyllic rural village full of beautiful scenery, friendly locals and plenty of interesting sights & activities for visitors to explore throughout the year making it an ideal destination for anyone looking for some peace & quiet or just wanting to get away from it all for a while.
Population: 749. Estimated population in July 2024: 806 (+7.6% change)
Males: 380 (50.7%), Females: 369 (49.3%)
Manitowoc County
Zip code: 54232
Demographics
Median resident age: 34.6 years
Median household income: $40,139
Median house value: $87,200
Population by Race
Races in St. Nazianz:
- White Non-Hispanic (95.6%)
- Hispanic (2.3%)
- Two or more races (2.3%)
- American Indian (0.7%)
- Other race (0.5%)
Ancestries: German (61.7%), Irish (9.3%), Polish (6.0%), Czech (3.5%), Dutch (3.2%), English (3.2%).
Elevation: 880 feet
Land area: 0.8 square miles
Population by Education
For population 25 years and over in St. Nazianz
- High school or higher: 83.6%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 10.6%
- Graduate or professional degree: 3.1%
- Unemployed: 5.6%
- Mean travel time to work: 20.7 minutes
For population 15 years and over in St. Nazianz village
- Never married: 21.5%
- Now married: 57.5%
- Separated: 2.5%
- Widowed: 6.9%
- Divorced: 11.5%
0.8% Foreign born
Population change in the 1990s: +56 (+8.1%).
Hospitals
Hospitals/medical centers near St. Nazianz:
- HOLY FAMILY MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 18 miles; MANITOWOC, WI)
- VALLEY VIEW MEDICAL CTR (about 18 miles; PLYMOUTH, WI)
- CALUMET MEDICAL CENTER (about 18 miles; CHILTON, WI)
Airports
Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to St. Nazianz:
- AUSTIN STRAUBEL INTERNATIONAL (about 36 miles; GREEN BAY, WI; Abbreviation: GRB)
- WITTMAN REGIONAL (about 44 miles; OSHKOSH, WI; Abbreviation: OSH)
- OUTAGAMIE COUNTY REGIONAL (about 45 miles; APPLETON, WI; Abbreviation: ATW)
Other public-use airports nearest to St. Nazianz:
- NEW HOLSTEIN MUNI (about 14 miles; NEW HOLSTEIN, WI; Abbreviation: 8D1)
- SHEBOYGAN COUNTY MEMORIAL (about 18 miles; SHEBOYGAN, WI; Abbreviation: SBM)
- MANITOWOC COUNTY (about 20 miles; MANITOWOC, WI; Abbreviation: MTW)
Amtrak station near St. Nazianz:
- 17 miles: MANITOWOC (1545 S. 41ST ST.) – Bus Station
Colleges and Universities
Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to St. Nazianz:
- LAKELAND COLLEGE (about 29 miles; SHEBOYGAN, WI; Full-time enrollment: 2,103)
- SAINT NORBERT COLLEGE (about 31 miles; DE PERE, WI; Full-time enrollment: 2,031)
- NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 32 miles; GREEN BAY, WI; Full-time enrollment: 4,198)
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY (about 33 miles; GREEN BAY, WI; Full-time enrollment: 4,794)
- FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE AT APPLETON (about 40 miles; APPLETON, WI; Full-time enrollment: 3,364)
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-OSHKOSH (about 43 miles; OSHKOSH, WI; Full-time enrollment: 9,057)
- MORAINE PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 46 miles; FOND DU LAC, WI; Full-time enrollment: 3,037)