Manitowoc, WisconsonLocated on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River, the name Manitowoc is derived from the Ojibwe Indian name Mundeowk, meaning habitation of the good spirit. Discovered by French trappers in 1673, Manitowoc became the trading post for the Northwest Fur Company in 1795. As building began, the area was settled by people of Bohemina, French, German, Irish, Norwegian and Polish descent. Officially founded in 1836, the shipbuilding industry played a major role in the growth of Manitowoc. From the first wooden sailing ships in 1847, to submarines during wartime, and today as a recognized worldwide manufacturer of luxury yachts. Manitowoc today remains a manufacturing town with a steady population of 35,000 residents.