Located in southeastern Wisconsin’s fertile Walworth County, Delavan is the economic and social center of this moderately populated area. It is within one hour’s driving distance of the following Wisconsin cities: Beloit, Janesville, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Madison. Rockford, Illinois is just south of the border while Chicago is only 90 minutes away.

Delavan is situated at state highway 50 and I-43, which runs between Milwaukee and Beloit and allows access to the federal interstate system.Air travelers can take advantage of the 4,400-ft. paved landing strip at Lake Lawn Airport, just inside the city limits on Highway 50. The airport can accommodate the largest corporate jets for quick commutes to and from important destinations.

Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field International Airport is 45 minutes from Delavan, Madison’s Airport is an hour away, and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport - the world’s busiest - is but 90 minutes from the city by car.

Shuttle service to O’Hare is provided daily - Monday through Saturday - from the Delavan House Hotel in downtown Delavan. Call the Delavan House Hotel, 728-9143 (or 800-621-4153) for information.

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You are sure to please your palette at any one of the area’s great dining establishments. Foods for every taste are cooked, grilled, sautéed, baked, and fried to perfection. From burgers to seafood, chicken to steak, casual family dining or a light lunch, you won’t have far to go to discover a restaurant to satisfy your appetite.

Weary travelers find Delavan’s bed and breakfasts, cottages, hotel and motel accommodations are the finest in the area.

Delavan’s historic downtown, recently renovated, includes brick streets and unique shopping. Antique shops, furniture stores, gift shops and a department store are just a few of the retail businesses that Delavan has to offer. Delavan also boasts three shopping plazas on the city’s east end.

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Delavan, one of Wisconsin’s early cities, has a rich nineteenth-century architectural heritage. From Greek Revival to turreted Queen Anne structures located throughout, Delavan is a showcase of Victorian architectural styles.

The former Israel Stowell Temperance House, built in 1840 at 67 E. Walworth Ave., housed the Old Delavan Book Co. and is among the earliest homes from this period. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A set of Greek Revival row houses built between 1841-1845 stand just across the street.

Phoenix Hall, an Italianate-style structure, rests amidst the more modern buildings of the Wisconsin School for the Deaf on Hwy. 11 designed by E. Townsend Mix and built in the early 1850’s. Another prominent building designed by Mix is the Allyn Mansion at 511 E. Walworth Ave., built in 1885. Both are on the National Historic Register as well. The Queen Anne Latimer House, built in 1904 by another of Delavan’s prominent citizens, is well worth a visit.

Some notable examples of early and late Victorian Gothic architecture are Christ Episcopal Church, built in 1877, and St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, completed in 1899, both located on Walworth Ave.

Downtown streets made of brick and continued restoration ensures that Delavan will retain much of its 19th century look and charm.

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Delavan has many quiet neighborhoods along tree-lined streets that are well lit and clean. They feature an appealing mix of housing types and styles - from those designed for the business executive to young buyers seeking their first home. Subdivisions like Whispering Pines and Turtle Creek offer ranch homes and attractive two-story dwellings. Delavan currently has 40 apartment complexes, 2,200 single-family homes, and 22 duplex units. Estimated costs of a new home per square foot; $55 - $65. Rental costs vary per month; apartment, $300 - $795; duplex, $550-$650. Prompt snow and ice removal during the winter months makes Delavan the envy of neighboring communities. Comprehensive plans for future controlled growth of the city were recently updated by professional planners and adopted by the City Plan Commission.

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