146-486: Waukesha County ( / ˈ w ɔː k ɪ ʃ ɔː / ) is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin . As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its median income of $ 88,985 placed it as the only county in Wisconsin on the list of the 100 highest-income counties in the U.S. by median income as of 2020. Its county seat and largest city
292-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
438-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
584-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
730-464: A few African American freedmen, arrived in Wisconsin while it was under British control. Charles de Langlade is generally recognized as the first settler, establishing a trading post at Green Bay in 1745, and moving there permanently in 1764. Settlement began at Prairie du Chien around 1781. The French residents at the trading post in what is now Green Bay, referred to the town as "La Baye". However, British fur traders referred to it as "Green Bay", because
876-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
1022-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
1168-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
1314-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
1460-562: A part of the Central Plain occupy the western part of the state, with lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan. Wisconsin is third to Ontario and Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline. The northern portion of the state is home to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest . At the time of European contact, the area was inhabited by Algonquian and Siouan nations, and today it
1606-568: A passion for education that led to the establishment of many schools as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church , though some were Episcopalian . Due to the second Great Awakening some converted to Methodism , and others became Baptists before moving to what is now Waukesha County. Waukesha, like much of Wisconsin , would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture for most of its early history, before
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#17327767242571752-520: A population of nearly 5.9 million. Its most populous city is Milwaukee , while its capital and second-most populous city is Madison . Other urban areas include Green Bay , Kenosha , Racine , Eau Claire , and the Fox Cities . Wisconsin's geography is diverse, shaped by Ice Age glaciers except for the Driftless Area . The Northern Highland and Western Upland along with
1898-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
2044-592: A religion or spiritual tradition were approximately 75% of the state's population. 69% of Wisconsinites self-identified as Christian . Specifically, 25% of respondents identified as Mainline Protestant , 12% as Evangelical Protestant , 4% as other Protestants, and 27% as Catholic . Roughly 25% of the population were unaffiliated with any religious body. Small minorities of Jews (1%), Hindus (1%), Buddhists (1%), Jehovah's Witnesses (1%), Unitarian Universalists (1%), Muslims (<1%), Mormons (<1%), and other faiths exist according to this study. Christianity
2190-599: Is Hmong , with significant communities in Milwaukee , Wausau , Green Bay , Sheboygan , Appleton , Madison , La Crosse , Eau Claire , Oshkosh , and Manitowoc . 61,629 people in Wisconsin, or around 1% of the population, identify as Hmong. Of the residents of Wisconsin, 71.7% were born in Wisconsin, 23.0% were born in a different US state, 0.7% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 4.6% were foreign born. In 2018,
2336-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
2482-443: Is Waukesha . Waukesha County is included in the Milwaukee – Waukesha – West Allis , WI Metropolitan Statistical Area . Known as forested and prairie land, the region was first home to Indigenous tribes like Menomonie, Ojibwe (Chippewa), Potawatomi, and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), who practiced agriculture and trade. In 1836, Native American tribes formally lost title to the land when treaties were disregarded and were forcibly removed by
2628-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
2774-599: Is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States . It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin is the 20th-largest state by population and 23rd-largest state by area . It is divided into 72 counties and as of the 2020 census had
2920-475: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Wisconsin Wisconsin ( / w ɪ ˈ s k ɒ n s ɪ n / wiss- CON -sin )
3066-549: Is derived from the Potawatomi word for 'fox' because the streams in the lower part of the county drain into the Fox River . Waukesha was a New England settlement, and Waukesha's founders were settlers from New England , particularly Connecticut , rural Massachusetts , Vermont , New Hampshire and Maine , as well as from upstate New York who were born to parents who had migrated there from New England shortly after
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#17327767242573212-582: Is dominated by manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture—specifically dairy, cranberries , and ginseng . Tourism is also a major contributor to the state's economy. The gross domestic product in 2020 was $ 348 billion. Wisconsin is home to one UNESCO World Heritage Site , comprising two of the most significant buildings designed by Wisconsin-born architect Frank Lloyd Wright : his studio at Taliesin near Spring Green and his Jacobs I House in Madison. The Republican Party
3358-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
3504-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
3650-534: Is home to eleven federally recognized tribes . Originally part of the Northwest Territory , it was admitted as a state in 1848. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many European settlers entered the state, most of whom emigrated from Germany and Scandinavia . Wisconsin remains a center of German American and Scandinavian American culture, particularly in respect to its cuisine , with foods such as bratwurst and kringle . Wisconsin
3796-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
3942-417: Is located to the west of Milwaukee and its suburban development was spurred by the construction of Interstate 94 in Wisconsin . Because of its large number of lakes, the northwestern corner of Waukesha County is referred to as "Lake Country" by local residents. It includes Pewaukee , Delafield , Hartland , Merton , Nashotah , Chenequa , Okauchee Lake , Oconomowoc , Summit , and Lac La Belle . As of
4088-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
4234-459: Is not limited to national politics. The county rejects Democrats at the state and local level as well. It last supported a Democrat for governor in 1974, one of only five times it did so in the 20th century even though it was known to support Progressive candidates in the 1930s and 1940s. It is split between 10 state assembly districts, all but one of which are held by Republicans, and six state senate districts, all held by Republicans. In much of
4380-544: Is one of the nation's leading dairy producers and is known as "America's Dairyland"; it is particularly famous for its cheese . The state is also famous for its beer , particularly and historically in Milwaukee , most notably as the headquarters of the Miller Brewing Company . Wisconsin has some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the country and is known for its drinking culture . Its economy
4526-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
Waukesha County, Wisconsin - Misplaced Pages Continue
4672-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
4818-661: Is supervised by the Airport Commission. The Department of Emergency Preparedness encompasses Waukesha County Communications, providing 9-1-1 dispatch services to the majority of the county, Waukesha County Emergency Management, and Waukesha County Radio Services, providing technical and maintenance support to the countywide trunked radio system (OASIS) and 9-1-1 centers. The Bridges Library System works in partnership with 16 public libraries in Waukesha County to cooperatively provide library services. This includes
4964-745: Is the largest inland lake, with over 137,700 acres (557 km ), and 88 miles (142 km) of shoreline. Along the two Great Lakes, Wisconsin has over 500 miles (800 km) of shoreline. Many of the named islands in Wisconsin are located in the Great Lakes; many surround the Door Peninsula in Lake Michigan or are part of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. The Mississippi River and inland lakes and rivers contain
5110-473: Is the last time that a Democratic presidential candidate has even garnered 40 percent of the county's vote, though Jimmy Carter , Michael Dukakis , Joe Biden , and Kamala Harris came close. In 2008, John McCain carried the county by a 25.7% margin over Barack Obama , when Obama won Wisconsin by 13.9% over McCain. In 2024, Kamala Harris became the first Democrat since 1976 to lose the county by less than 20 percentage points. The county's Republican bent
5256-491: Is the only county in the eastern United States with a Native American majority. African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. 86% of Wisconsin's African-American population live in four cities: Milwaukee , Racine , Beloit , Kenosha , with Milwaukee home to nearly three-fourths of the state's black Americans. In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African-American residents. About 33% of Wisconsin's Asian population
5402-894: Is the predominant religion in Wisconsin. Per the Association of Religion Data Archives ' 2020 study, Catholicism was the single-largest denomination with 1,237,342 adherents, followed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 316,245 members and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod with 209,788 adherents. 276,904 adhered to nondenominational Christianity . Statewide FBI Crime statistics for 2009 include 144 murders/non-negligent manslaughter; 1,108 rapes; 4,850 robberies; 8,431 aggravated assaults; and 147,486 property crimes. Wisconsin also publishes its own statistics through
5548-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
5694-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
5840-507: The Boaz mastodon , a prehistoric mastodon skeleton unearthed along with spear points in southwest Wisconsin. After the ice age ended around 8000 BCE, people in the subsequent Archaic period lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering food from wild plants. Agricultural societies emerged gradually over the Woodland period between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Toward the end of this period, Wisconsin was
5986-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
Waukesha County, Wisconsin - Misplaced Pages Continue
6132-671: The Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1,500,000-acre (610,000-hectare) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest , as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and
6278-483: The Great Lakes in 1634, and it is traditionally assumed that he came ashore near Green Bay at Red Banks . Pierre Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers visited Green Bay again in 1654–1666 and Chequamegon Bay in 1659–1660, where they traded for fur with local Native Americans. In 1673, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first to record a journey on the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway all
6424-810: The Magnesian Escarpment . In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River, and the Baraboo Range . This region is part of the Driftless Area , which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest. Wisconsin has geologic formations and deposits that vary in age from over three billion years to several thousand years, with most rocks being millions of years old. The oldest geologic formations were created over 600 million years ago during
6570-566: The Menominee at the time of European contact. Other Native American groups living in Wisconsin when Europeans first settled included the Ojibwa , Sauk , Fox , Kickapoo , and Pottawatomie , who migrated to Wisconsin from the east between 1500 and 1700. The first European to visit what became Wisconsin was probably the French explorer Jean Nicolet . He canoed west from Georgian Bay through
6716-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
6862-650: The New England states. The Erie Canal facilitated the travel of both Yankee settlers and European immigrants to Wisconsin Territory. Yankees from New England and upstate New York seized a dominant position in law and politics, enacting policies that marginalized the region's earlier Native American and French-Canadian residents. Yankees also speculated in real estate, platted towns such as Racine, Beloit, Burlington, and Janesville, and established schools, civic institutions, and Congregationalist churches. At
7008-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
7154-768: The Precambrian , with the majority being below the glacial deposits. Much of the Baraboo Range consists of Baraboo Quartzite , and other Precambrian metamorphic rock . This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation . Langlade County has a soil rarely found outside the county called Antigo silt loam . The state has more than 12,000 named rivers and streams, totaling 84,000 miles (135,000 km) in length. It has over 15,000 named lakes, totaling about 1 million acres (4,000 km ). Lake Winnebago
7300-517: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
7446-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
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#17327767242577592-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
7738-573: The UW-Extension system at this time. Later, UW economics professors John R. Commons and Harold Groves helped Wisconsin create the first unemployment compensation program in the United States in 1932. Other Wisconsin Idea scholars at the university generated the plan that became the New Deal's Social Security Act of 1935, with Wisconsin expert Arthur J. Altmeyer playing the key role. In
7884-490: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
8030-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
8176-463: The University of Wisconsin , helped the state build a reputation as "America's Dairyland". Meanwhile, conservationists including Aldo Leopold helped re-establish the state's forests during the early 20th century, paving the way for a more renewable lumber and paper milling industry as well as promoting recreational tourism in the northern woodlands. Manufacturing also boomed in Wisconsin during
8322-533: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources . The Division of Forestry manages a further 471,329 acres (1,907.40 km ) in Wisconsin's state forests . Most of Wisconsin is classified as warm-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), while southern and southwestern portions are classified as hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa ). The highest temperature ever recorded in
8468-435: The census of 2020 , the population was 406,978. The population density was 740.3 people per square mile (285.8 people/km). There were 172,177 housing units at an average density of 313.2 units per square mile (120.9 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 87.0% White , 3.9% Asian , 1.7% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 1.5% from other races , and 5.7% from two or more races. Ethnically,
8614-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
8760-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
8906-556: The 20th century, a number of African Americans and Mexicans settled in Milwaukee ; and after the end of the Vietnam War came an influx of Hmongs . The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although German immigrants settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegian immigrants settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants settled primarily in urban areas. Menominee County
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#17327767242579052-633: The 20th century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of a service economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism. In 2011, Wisconsin became the focus of some controversy when newly elected governor Scott Walker proposed and then successfully passed and enacted 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 , which made large changes in the areas of collective bargaining, compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave of public sector employees, among other changes. A series of major protests by union supporters took place that year in protest to
9198-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
9344-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
9490-817: The Administration Center. The Department of Administration has five divisions that provide administrative services to the county: the finance division, the human resources division, the information technology division, the purchasing and risk management division, and the administrative services division. The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Waukesha County (ADRC) provides information, assistance, counseling and supportive services regarding adults age 60 and above, adults with physical or developmental disabilities; and adults with mental health or substance abuse concerns. It also provides publicly funded long-term care to county residents. The Waukesha County Airport serves commercial and private aircraft and
9636-801: The American Revolution. These people were " Yankees " descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal as well as the end of the Black Hawk War . The New Englanders built farms, roads, government buildings and established post routes. They brought many of their Yankee New England values, such as
9782-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
9928-537: The Federal Army. Prior to the 1830s, the area was unoccupied by settlers due to its inland location and the fact that the Fox River was not a water highway. The New England settlers only came to the area to set up fur trading posts between their new encampments and established cities like Milwaukee. Morris D. Cutler and Alonso Cutler, seeking claims for homesteads, were the first permanent white colonial settlers. The part of Wisconsin that Waukesha County occupies
10074-514: The French and Indian War, taking control of Green Bay in 1761 and gaining control of all of Wisconsin in 1763. Like the French, the British were interested in little but the fur trade. One notable event in the fur trading industry in Wisconsin occurred in 1791, when two free African Americans set up a fur trading post among the Menominee at present-day Marinette . The first permanent settlers, mostly French Canadians , some Anglo- New Englanders and
10220-499: The Lake Superior snowbelt each year. Wisconsin has three types of municipality: cities, villages, and towns. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties with limited self-government. Over two-thirds of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas. Milwaukee , in southeastern Wisconsin, is the state's most populous city, with approximately 580,000 people. The Milwaukee metropolitan area accounts for 1.57 million of
10366-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
10512-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
10658-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
10804-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
10950-405: The U.S. resulted in a net decrease of 72,006 people. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 4,775 homeless people in Wisconsin. (of any race) In 2022, the five largest European ancestry groups were: German (36%), Irish (10.2%), Polish (7.9%), English (6.7%), and Norwegian (6.3%). German is the most common ancestry in every county in
11096-576: The United States in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War . In 1787, it became part of the Northwest Territory . As territorial boundaries subsequently developed, it was then part of Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1809, Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, and Michigan Territory from 1818 to 1836. However, the British remained in control until after the War of 1812 , the outcome of which finally established an American presence in
11242-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
11388-594: The Waukesha city of Brookfield . The newly reported votes gave Prosser the lead, and he retained his seat. Media reports stemming from this incident referred to the county as "crucial Waukesha County," and the phrase has continued to be widely used in U.S. political media as an in-joke, despite the county being a Republican stronghold. School districts include: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: 43°01′N 88°19′W / 43.02°N 88.31°W / 43.02; -88.31 County (United States) In
11534-667: The aftermath of these events. During the Civil War , around 91,000 troops from Wisconsin fought for the Union . Wisconsin's economy also diversified during the early years of statehood. While lead mining diminished, agriculture became a principal occupation in the southern half of the state. Railroads were built across the state to help transport grains to market, and industries like J.I. Case & Company in Racine were founded to build agricultural equipment. Wisconsin briefly became one of
11680-473: The area. Under American control, the economy of the territory shifted from fur trading to lead mining. The prospect of easy mineral wealth drew immigrants from throughout the U.S. and Europe to the lead deposits located at Mineral Point , Dodgeville , and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug, and earned the nickname "badgers", leading to Wisconsin's identity as the "Badger State". The sudden influx of white miners prompted tension with
11826-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
11972-549: The changes, and Walker survived a recall election held the next year , becoming the first governor in United States history to do so. Wisconsin is located in the Midwestern United States and is part of both the Great Lakes region and Upper Midwest . The state has a total area of 65,496 square miles (169,630 km ). Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River ; Lake Superior and Michigan to
12118-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
12264-536: The countries of origin for Wisconsin's immigrants came from Mexico, India, China, Laos and the Philippines . Note: Births in table add to over 100%, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey According to Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey , those identifying with
12410-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
12556-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
12702-553: The county was 93.3% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.0003% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 4.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 152,663 households 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.8% of households were one person and 10.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size
12848-532: The county, there are no elected Democrats above the municipal level. The initial unofficial statewide tally in the 2011 Wisconsin Supreme Court election had Democratic challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg defeating incumbent justice David Prosser by a 204-vote margin. On the Thursday after the election, Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus reported, among other smaller errors, a failure to report votes in
12994-403: The county. The population density was 649 people per square mile (251 people/km). There were 140,309 housing units at an average density of 252 units per square mile (97 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 95.77% White, 0.73% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 2.63% of
13140-528: The current spelling official in 1845. The Algonquian word for Wisconsin and its original meaning have both grown obscure. While interpretations vary, most implicate the river and the red sandstone that lines its banks. One leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing , meaning ' it lies red ' , a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows through
13286-481: The early 20th century, driven by an immense immigrant workforce arriving from Europe. Industries in cities like Milwaukee ranged from brewing and food processing to heavy machine production and tool-making, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910. The early 20th century was also notable for the emergence of progressive politics championed by Robert M. La Follette . Between 1901 and 1914, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created
13432-597: The first governor of Wisconsin , was a Democrat . Dewey oversaw the transition from the territorial to the new state government. He encouraged the development of the state's infrastructure, particularly the construction of new roads, railroads, canals, and harbors, as well as the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers . During his administration, the State Board of Public Works was organized. Dewey, an abolitionist ,
13578-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
13724-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
13870-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
14016-466: The heartland of the " Effigy Mound culture", which built thousands of animal-shaped mounds across the landscape. Later, between 1000 and 1500 CE, the Mississippian and Oneota cultures built substantial settlements including the fortified village at Aztalan in southeast Wisconsin. The Oneota may be the ancestors of the modern Ioway and Ho-Chunk nations who shared the Wisconsin region with
14162-773: The immediate aftermath of World War II , citizens of Wisconsin were divided over issues such as creation of the United Nations , support for the European recovery, and the growth of the Soviet Union 's power. However, when Europe divided into Communist and capitalist camps and the Chinese Communist Revolution succeeded in 1949, public opinion began to move towards support for the protection of democracy and capitalism against Communist expansion. Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in
14308-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
14454-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
14600-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
14746-508: The local Native American population. The Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832 culminated in the forced removal of Native Americans from most parts of the state. Following these conflicts, Wisconsin Territory was created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1836. By fall of that year, the best prairie groves of the counties surrounding what is now Milwaukee were occupied by farmers from
14892-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
15038-438: The metro area. Other metropolitan cities in the state include Appleton , Racine , Oshkosh , Eau Claire , Janesville , Wausau , La Crosse , Sheboygan , and Fond du Lac . Furthermore, another 12 cities function as centers of micropolitan statistical areas which typically anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. As of 2011, there were 12 cities in Wisconsin with a population of 50,000 or more, accounting for 73% of
15184-517: The mid to late 20th century, ranging from the anti-communist crusades of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to the radical antiwar protests at UW-Madison that culminated in the Sterling Hall bombing in August 1970. The state undertook welfare reform under Republican Governor Tommy Thompson during the 1990s. The state's economy also underwent further transformations towards the close of
15330-510: The nation for many years. It is one of the WOW counties , which share similar traits in suburban Milwaukee . It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964, and has only supported a Democrat four other times since 1892. While other non- Southern suburban counties have moved towards Democrats since the 1990s, Waukesha and the other WOW counties have continued to vote solidly Republican. Underlining this, Lyndon Johnson 's narrow win in 1964
15476-482: The nation's first comprehensive statewide primary election system, the first effective workplace injury compensation law, and the first state income tax , making taxation proportional to actual earnings. During World War I , due to the neutrality of Wisconsin and many Wisconsin Republicans , progressives , and German immigrants which made up 30 to 40 percent of the state population, Wisconsin would gain
15622-421: The nation's leading producers of wheat during the 1860s. Meanwhile, the lumber industry dominated in the heavily forested northern sections of Wisconsin, and sawmills sprang up in cities like La Crosse , Eau Claire , and Wausau . These economic activities had dire environmental consequences. By the close of the 19th century, intensive agriculture had devastated soil fertility, and lumbering had deforested most of
15768-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
15914-517: The nickname "Traitor State" which was used by many "hyper patriots". As the war raged on in Europe, Robert M. La Follette , leader of the anti-war movement in Wisconsin. led a group of progressive senators in blocking a bill by president Woodrow Wilson which would have armed merchant ships with guns. Many Wisconsin politicians such as Emanuel L. Philipp and Irvine Lenroot were accused of having divided loyalties. Even with outspoken opponents to
16060-534: The north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa to the southwest and Minnesota to the northwest. A border dispute with Michigan was settled by two cases, both Wisconsin v. Michigan , in 1934 and 1935. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between
16206-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
16352-515: The period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish , who settled the southwestern area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees", migrants of English descent from New England and upstate New York ; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics, and education. Between 1850 and 1900, the immigrants were mostly Germans , Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian ), Irish , and Poles . In
16498-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
16644-448: The population was 5.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race. Its 2020 median income was $ 88,985. This ranked 97th in the nation . At the 2010 census there were 389,891 people, 152,663 households, and 108,810 families living in the county. The population density was 672 people per square mile (259 people/km). There were 160,864 housing units at an average density of 277 units per square mile (107 units/km). The racial makeup of
16790-564: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.5% were of German , 9.2% Polish , 7.5% Italian , and 7.7% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000 . 94.3% spoke English , 2.2% Spanish and 1.2% German as their first language. Of the 135,229 households 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 20.90% of households were one person and 8.10% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size
16936-935: The purchase of shared electronic databases, summer library programming, and circulation services. Bridges also oversees Internet access for member libraries. The Medical Examiner investigates suspicious or unexplained deaths or deaths that result from a homicide, suicide, or accident. The office also generates statistics for the county. The Department of Parks and Land Use (PLU), oversees six divisions that design and maintain county parks. The division also works with state and federal agencies. The planning division administers permits for construction and landscaping activities. The land conservation division works to educate on and regulate soil and water issues. Most programs look to control water runoff and soil erosion. The recycling and solid waste division oversees recycling and disposal programs. It also performs educational outreach on topics such as composting and waste reduction. The official mascot of
17082-439: The recycling division is Recycle Raccoon. The environmental health division oversees animal welfare issues, food safety, and air, water and sewage, and safety issues (such as radon testing, well testing, and septic system monitoring). The land information systems division coordinates databases of information relating to land use and development. The University of Wisconsin-Extension is a partnership with Waukesha County and brings
17228-553: The reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells . Other theories include claims that the name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning ' red stone place ' , ' where the waters gather ' , or ' great rock ' . Wisconsin has been home to a wide variety of cultures over the past 14,000 years. The first people arrived around 10,000 BCE during the Wisconsin Glaciation . These early inhabitants, called Paleo-Indians , hunted now-extinct ice age animals such as
17374-446: The region licenses for fur trading had been issued scarcely and only to select groups of traders, whereas the British, in an effort to make as much money as possible from the region, issued licenses for fur trading freely, both to British and to French residents. The fur trade in what is now Wisconsin reached its height under British rule, and the first self-sustaining farms in the state were established as well. From 1763 to 1780, Green Bay
17520-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
17666-470: The research of the UW System to families, businesses, governments, and organizations through educational outreach programs. The UW-Extension office also houses 180° Juvenile Diversion, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates first-time young offenders in Waukesha County. Waukesha County is the largest Republican -leaning county in Wisconsin and has been one of the most Republican suburban counties in
17812-816: The rest of the islands of Wisconsin. Areas under the protection of the National Park Service include the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore , Ice Age National Scenic Trail , and portions of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway and North Country National Scenic Trail . There are an additional 18 National Natural Landmarks in the state that include dune and swales, swamps, bogs, and old-growth forests. Wisconsin has 50 state park units , covering more than 60,570 acres (245.1 km ) in state parks and state recreation areas maintained by
17958-448: The river Meskousing (likely ᒣᔅᑯᐤᓯᣙ meskowsin ) in his journal. Subsequent French writers changed the spelling from Meskousing to Ouisconsin , and over time this became the name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling from Ouisconsin to Wisconsin when they began to arrive in large numbers during the early 19th century. The legislature of Wisconsin Territory made
18104-699: The same time, many Germans , Irish, Norwegians , and other immigrants also settled in towns and farms across the territory, establishing Catholic and Lutheran institutions. The growing population allowed Wisconsin to gain statehood on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. Between 1840 and 1850, Wisconsin's non-Indian population had swollen from 31,000 to 305,000. More than a third of residents (110,500) were foreign born, including 38,000 Germans, 28,000 British immigrants from England, Scotland, and Wales, and 21,000 Irish. Another third (103,000) were Yankees from New England and western New York state. Only about 63,000 residents in 1850 had been born in Wisconsin. Nelson Dewey ,
18250-458: The state received a substantial influx of German immigrants in the latter half of the 19th century. In 2024, Waukeshaaspis , a prehistoric genus of trilobite , was named after the county. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 581 square miles (1,500 km), of which 550 square miles (1,400 km) is land and 31 square miles (80 km) (5.3%) is water. The Fox River runs through it. Waukesha County
18396-495: The state was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where it reached 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the village of Couderay , where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and 4, 1996. Wisconsin also receives a large amount of regular snowfall averaging around 40 inches (100 cm) in the southern portions with up to 160 inches (410 cm) annually in
18542-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
18688-447: The state's employment. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Wisconsin was 5,822,434 on July 1, 2019, a 2.4% increase since the 2010 United States census . This includes a natural increase since the last census of 150,659 people (i.e., 614,771 births minus 464,112 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 12,755 people. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 59,251 people, and migration from within
18834-602: The state's highest point, Timms Hill . In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. The ridges include the Niagara Escarpment that stretches from New York, the Black River Escarpment and
18980-446: The state's residents. With a population of nearly 280,000, the state capital of Madison is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in both the state and country and is the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin. The Madison metropolitan area in southern Wisconsin has about 680,000 residents. Medium-size cities dot the state. The largest of these is Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin, with approximately 320,000 people in
19126-533: The state, except Menominee, Trempealeau, and Vernon. Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. According to the 2022 American Community Survey , 7.6% of Wisconsin's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race). The largest Hispanic ancestry groups were Mexican (5.1%), Puerto Rican (1.1%), Central American (0.4%), and Cuban (0.1%), with 0.9% reporting other Hispanic or Latino origins. Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following
19272-402: The state. These conditions forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline. Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese-making traditions that, combined with the state's suitable geography and dairy research led by Stephen Babcock at
19418-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
19564-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
19710-459: The war, at the onset of the war many Wisconsinites would abandon neutrality. Businesses, labor and farms all enjoyed prosperity from the war. With over 118,000 going into military service, Wisconsin was the first state to report for the national drafts conducted by the U.S. military . The progressive Wisconsin Idea also promoted the statewide expansion of the University of Wisconsin through
19856-410: The water and the shore assumed green tints in early spring. The old French title was gradually dropped, and the British name of "Green Bay" eventually stuck. The region coming under British rule had virtually no adverse effect on the French residents as the British needed the cooperation of the French fur traders and the French fur traders needed the goodwill of the British. During the French occupation of
20002-653: The way to the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien . Frenchmen like Nicholas Perrot continued to ply the fur trade across Wisconsin through the 17th and 18th centuries, but the French made no permanent settlements in Wisconsin before Great Britain won control of the region following the French and Indian War in 1763. Even so, French traders continued to work in the region after the war, and some, beginning with Charles de Langlade in 1764, settled in Wisconsin permanently, rather than returning to British-controlled Canada. The British gradually took over Wisconsin during
20148-429: Was $ 71,773 (these figures had risen to $ 71,907 and $ 85,116 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $ 49,232 versus $ 31,643 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 29,164. About 1.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over. There are 12 departments in Waukesha County, with most located in
20294-424: Was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00. The age distribution was 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males. At the 2000 census there were 360,767 people, 135,229 households, and 100,475 families living in
20440-399: Was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.08. The age distribution was 26.30% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.40 males. The median household income was $ 62,839 and the median family income
20586-546: Was a part of Michigan Territory when Milwaukee County was organized in September 1834. On July 4, 1836, the Wisconsin Territory was formed, which included land that is now in the state of Minnesota . In January 1846, part of Milwaukee County was split off into Waukesha County. Curtis Reed was the first county chairman. When a vote decided the county seat, Waukesha defeated Pewaukee by two votes. The name
20732-679: Was a prosperous community which produced its own foodstuff, built graceful cottages and held dances and festivities. Joseph Roi built the Tank Cottage in Green Bay in 1776. Located in Heritage Hill State Historical Park , it is the oldest standing building from Wisconsin's early years and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Wisconsin became a territorial possession of
20878-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
21024-532: Was founded in Wisconsin in 1854; in modern elections, it is considered a swing state . The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian -speaking Native American groups living in the region at the time of European colonization . The French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River, arriving in 1673 and calling
21170-714: Was taken into custody under the Federal Fugitive Slave Law , but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. In a trial stemming from the incident, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional. The Republican Party , founded on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery expansion activists in Ripon, Wisconsin , grew to dominate state politics in
21316-481: Was the first of many Wisconsin governors to advocate against the spread of slavery into new states and territories. Politics in early Wisconsin were defined by the greater national debate over slavery. A free state from its foundation, Wisconsin became a center of northern abolitionism . The debate became especially intense in 1854 after Joshua Glover , a runaway slave from Missouri , was captured in Racine . Glover
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