Grafton, WI

Grafton is an Ozaukee County village on the Milwaukee River, north of Milwaukee. The river shaped early settlement, and the area was visited by Jesuit missionaries Claude-Jean Allouez and Claude Bablon during the French colonial era. Grafton also has an unusual music-history claim through Paramount Records, whose local presence helped record important blues and jazz artists. Modern Grafton mixes older village streets with big-box retail, an Aurora hospital, schools, and suburban growth, giving it both small-town and north-metro Milwaukee roles.