News

Update 8/30/25 @ 4:00 p.m. – Sherry Stanek indicates that a food truck will be onsite.

SAVE THE DATE! Watch 1,000 Chimney Swifts dive into the Whitewater Middle School Chimney!!

ATTENTION SWIFTIES. What are Chimney Swifts and why do we care about them? Chimney Swifts are unique birds that migrate north in the spring and south in the fall. While here, they eat thousands of insects each, EVERY day as they swoop and glide through the skies. As the summer days get shorter, Chimney Swifts from a wide area will gather in large chimneys to stay warm overnight. In Whitewater, that roosting chimney is located at Whitewater Middle School. Last fall an estimated 1,000 Swifts dove nightly into the Whitewater Middle School chimney to roost prior to flying to the Amazon for the winter! The roosting lasts for a short number of days. The ‘ganging up’ of the Swifts picks up speed during the last couple of weeks of August. Urban Forestry, with cooperation from the Whitewater Unified School District, is inviting the public to enjoy this spectacle of nature which occurs at sunset. Bring your blankets or chairs and settle in behind the middle school to watch this “Swift-nado” during the last week of August.

Then please join us to help us count how many Swifts do the ‘dive at dusk’ on Saturday, August 30th at 7 pm. Plan on arriving at 6:30 for a short program with speakers talking about birds and bugs and trees during our official Swift Night Out! This is an amazing spectacle that you won’t want to miss. See you there!

To pique your interest, take the quiz:
Chimney Swift Quiz
1 How long do Swifts fly without landing?
2 Can Swifts perch in a tree?
3 What life functions do Swifts perform on the wing?
4 How many rest stops do Swifts take on their migration to South America?
5 What is the average life span of a Swift?
6 How many Swifts occupy a single chimney during chick raising season?
7 Swift nests are comprised of what?
8 When Swifts hang in chimneys, what prevents their butts from rubbing against the chimney wall?

Scroll down for the answers.

Answers
1 Swifts fly continuously for 10 months!
2 Swifts cannot land as they do not have an opposable thumb.
3 Swifts eat, sleep, and mate on the wing.
4 Swifts fly non-stop to South America!
5 The average life span of Swifts is 21 years! Other small wild birds 4-5 years
6 During the chick raising season, each chimney will host only one pair.
7 Swifts use saliva to build their nests gluing small sticks together in a corner.
8 Swifts have porcupine type quills in their tail feathers to support them when they hang in chimneys.

The Whitewater Nifty Ladies Red Hat group hosted Red Hat members from Fort Atkinson’s Sizzling Sweethearts and several members from the Madison area’s, Red Dazzling Dames, for a pizza party, bunko and silent auction on Monday, August 18, at The Real MacCoys restaurant.   24 Red Hatters enjoyed sharing a meal and getting some great bargains for numerous Red Hat items including hats, scarves, jewelry and collectibles after playing the rousing game of bunko.  

The Red Hat groups are open to any “young at heart” lady who is 50 years young or older.  Red Hats “In Training” can join if they are under 50 years young.  For more information on how to become a member of this fun raising, NOT fund raising group feel free to call Recording Secretary, Jeanine Fassl, at 262-473-4906.

Editor’s note: This report was provided by Jeanine Fassl.

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. Not only is this Labor Day Weekend, but it is also the Walworth County Fair weekend. The fair has been held on this weekend for many years and in 1906, it was held in September as shown on the sign on the old Town Line Creamery seen in this photo. Creameries were small factories that made butter and purchased milk directly from local farmers. In this view, we see farmers dropping off their milk to the creamery. Creameries and cheese factories like this one helped transform Wisconsin into the “dairy state” during the turn of the twentieth century.

The historical society hopes you enjoy your Labor Day weekend, perhaps with a day at the fair!

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

3033P Whitewater Historical Society

The construction signs have been removed, and Walworth Avenue has reopened to through traffic. It had been closed for full reconstruction since June 9, with completion having been projected to be by the end of August. The entire stretch of the road now has a double line, indicating that passing is not allowed.

As was previously mentioned on The Banner, “Normally road construction in the city is its own responsibility. The Walworth Avenue project, however, was selected to be included in the funding provided to the state under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Consequently, the state will be responsible for 80% of the cost, leaving the city with only 20%.”

Editor’s note: This announcement was submitted by Shelby Reese.

The registration form for either of these online seminars may be found here.

YARD SALE – FRIDAY, 8/29 ONLY!!!
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
129 N. Park St, Whitewater
Kids Clothes (Ages 5 and up), Adult Men and Women Clothes, Winter Coats, Household Items, Decor. Shoes, Toys.
or come say hi at the “Lemonade Stand.”