The mission of the City of Sheboygan is to provide fair, accessible and fiscally responsible municipal governance which provides quality and efficient services in a professional, cost-effective and caring manner. The City will promote Sheboygan as one of the best places in the nation to live, work and raise a family.

History of Sheboygan:

There are many theories as to how Sheboygan got its name, but the one most likely indicates Sheboygan was a Chippewa Indian word meaning "passage or waterway between the lakes." French explorers Jean Nicolett (1635) and Joliet and Marquette (1643) were probably the first "white men" to experience the shores of Sheboygan.  Many years passed until in 1699, Father St. Cosme landed at a Pottawatomie Indian village at the site of the Sheboygan River.  Many more years passed before it was recorded that Wm. Farnsworth landed here in 1814.  He moved on but returned in 1818 to establish a fur trading post, which he maintained for 14 years.

Wm. Paine and Colonel Oliver Crocker joined Farnsworth in 1822 and built a small saw mill and two log cabins.  From these humble beginnings, more people made their way to the "water's edge".  In 1834, a Mr. Harrison built a shanty on the south bank of the river and two years later, 1836, "The Sheboygan House", Sheboygan's first hotel was built.  That same year saw the creation of a post office with Chas. Cole as Sheboygan's first postmaster.  Up to this point, Sheboygan was part of Brown County.  December 7, 1836, Sheboygan County was created.  As the population continued to grow, so did the need for schools.  Sheboygan's first schoolhouse, located on the east side of 8th St. between Niagara Ave. and Wisconsin Ave. was built.  The year was 1837 and it had a total of 12 students.