West Bend, WI

West Bend is the county seat of Washington County, Wisconsin, and part of the Milwaukee metropolitan orbit. The Milwaukee River runs through the city, and a paved riverwalk follows its banks, giving downtown a clear natural spine. The area also has Native history, including Potawatomi people who remained in Wisconsin after many others were pushed west. Today West Bend combines county government, riverfront recreation, local industry, and an Army National Guard armory near the airport into a solid small Wisconsin city.