Winnebago Countyis acountyin theU.S. stateofWisconsin.As of the2020 census,the population was 171,730. Itscounty seatisOshkosh.[2]It was named for the historicWinnebago people,a federally recognized Native American tribe now known as theHo-Chunk Nation.Chief Oshkoshwas aMenomineeleader in the area. Winnebago County comprises the Oshkosh-Neenah,WIMetropolitan Statistical Area,which is included in theAppleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WICombined Statistical Area.
Winnebago County | |
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![]() | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state ofWisconsin | |
![]() Wisconsin's location within theU.S. | |
Coordinates:44°04′N88°38′W/ 44.06°N 88.64°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1848 |
Named for | Winnebago people |
Seat | Oshkosh |
Largest city | Oshkosh |
Area | |
• Total | 579 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
• Land | 434 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
• Water | 144 sq mi (370 km2) 25% |
Population | |
• Total | 171,730 |
• Density | 395.1/sq mi (152.5/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6(Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5(CDT) |
Congressional districts | 6th,8th |
Website | www |
History
editThe region was occupied by several Native American tribes in the period of European encounter, including theSauk,Fox,Menominee,andOjibwa(known as Chippewa in the US). French traders from what is now Canada had early interaction with them, as did FrenchJesuitmissionaries, who sought to convert them to Catholicism. European and American settlement encroached on their traditional territories, and the United States negotiated treaties in the mid-19th century to keep pushing the Indians to the west.
Winnebago County was created in 1840 by European Americans and organized in 1848.[3]The nameWinnebagois ofAlgonquinorigin, with variations used by the Fox and Potowatomi to refer to the Fox River below Lake Winnebago, which sometimes got muddy and full of fish.[4]It means 'people dwelling by the fetid or ill-smelling water', which may also refer to a sulfur spring.[5]The county seat, Oshkosh, was incorporated as a city in 1853, when it already had a population of nearly 2,800.[6]
Chief Oshkoshwas the namesake for the county seat. A leader of the Menominee in the region, he was successful in gaining authorization from the federal government for 2500 of his people to remain in Wisconsin, at a time when the government was pushing for theirremovalwest of the Mississippi River.
Geography
editAccording to theU.S. Census Bureau,the county has a total area of 579 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 434 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 144 square miles (370 km2) (25%) is water.[7]
Adjacent counties
edit- Waupaca County- northwest
- Outagamie County- northeast
- Calumet County- east
- Fond du Lac County- south
- Green Lake County- southwest
- Waushara County- west
Major highways
editRailroads
editBuses
editAirports
editWittman Regional Airport(KOSH) serves the county and surrounding communities.
Brennand Airport(79C) in the Town of Clayton is a major recreational aircraft hub year-round.
Commercialairlineservice for Winnebago County is provided byAppleton International Airportin the neighboringOutagamie County.
Demographics
editCensus | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1840 | 135 | — | |
1850 | 10,167 | 7,431.1% | |
1860 | 23,770 | 133.8% | |
1870 | 37,279 | 56.8% | |
1880 | 42,740 | 14.6% | |
1890 | 50,097 | 17.2% | |
1900 | 58,225 | 16.2% | |
1910 | 62,116 | 6.7% | |
1920 | 63,897 | 2.9% | |
1930 | 76,622 | 19.9% | |
1940 | 80,507 | 5.1% | |
1950 | 91,103 | 13.2% | |
1960 | 107,928 | 18.5% | |
1970 | 129,931 | 20.4% | |
1980 | 131,703 | 1.4% | |
1990 | 140,320 | 6.5% | |
2000 | 156,763 | 11.7% | |
2010 | 166,994 | 6.5% | |
2020 | 171,730 | 2.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9]1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11]2010–2020[12] |
2020 census
editAs of thecensus of 2020,[1]the population was 171,730. Thepopulation densitywas 395.1 people per square mile (152.5 people/km2). There were 76,046 housing units at an average density of 174.9 units per square mile (67.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.2%White,3.3%Asian,3.0%BlackorAfrican American,0.7%Native American,1.8% fromother races,and 5.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 4.8%HispanicorLatinoof any race.
2000 census
editAs of thecensus[13]of 2000, there were 156,763 people, 61,157 households, and 39,568 families residing in the county. Thepopulation densitywas 357 people per square mile (138 people/km2). There were 64,721 housing units at an average density of 148 units per square mile (57 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.92%White,1.12%BlackorAfrican American,0.46%Native American,1.84%Asian,0.02%Pacific Islander,0.72% fromother races,and 0.92% from two or more races. 1.96% of the population wereHispanicorLatinoof any race. 52.4% were ofGerman,6.2%Irishand 5.7%Polishancestry. 94.6% spokeEnglish,2.5%Spanishand 1.0%Hmongas their first language.
There were 61,157 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% weremarried couplesliving together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.
By age, 23.80% of the population was under 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.
In 2017, there were 1,833 births, giving a general fertility rate of 56.5 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 15th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[14]Additionally, there were 123 reported induced abortions performed on women of Winnebago County residence in 2017.[15]
Government
editWinnebago County is governed by the 36-member Winnebago County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors are elected to the board in anonpartisanelection held the first Tuesday of April in even numbered years and serve two-year terms. The board has several committees. It meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Winnebago County Courthouse in Oshkosh.
Politics
editWinnebago County has become a swing county in recent decades. It has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980, except in 1992 when it supportedGeorge Bush,and in 2020, when it supportedDonald Trump.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 47,796 | 50.83% | 44,060 | 46.86% | 2,176 | 2.31% |
2016 | 43,445 | 49.86% | 37,047 | 42.52% | 6,643 | 7.62% |
2012 | 42,122 | 47.24% | 45,449 | 50.97% | 1,602 | 1.80% |
2008 | 37,946 | 43.28% | 48,167 | 54.94% | 1,564 | 1.78% |
2004 | 46,542 | 52.53% | 40,943 | 46.21% | 1,111 | 1.25% |
2000 | 38,330 | 50.38% | 33,983 | 44.67% | 3,767 | 4.95% |
1996 | 27,880 | 42.73% | 29,564 | 45.31% | 7,803 | 11.96% |
1992 | 33,709 | 43.56% | 27,234 | 35.19% | 16,443 | 21.25% |
1988 | 35,085 | 54.82% | 28,508 | 44.54% | 410 | 0.64% |
1984 | 39,014 | 62.74% | 22,791 | 36.65% | 378 | 0.61% |
1980 | 34,286 | 53.28% | 24,203 | 37.61% | 5,864 | 9.11% |
1976 | 32,149 | 55.35% | 24,485 | 42.16% | 1,448 | 2.49% |
1972 | 29,488 | 57.28% | 20,450 | 39.72% | 1,544 | 3.00% |
1968 | 25,361 | 53.84% | 18,605 | 39.50% | 3,138 | 6.66% |
1964 | 21,084 | 47.03% | 23,636 | 52.72% | 115 | 0.26% |
1960 | 28,598 | 61.72% | 17,656 | 38.11% | 80 | 0.17% |
1956 | 28,759 | 71.44% | 11,115 | 27.61% | 380 | 0.94% |
1952 | 28,172 | 68.17% | 13,016 | 31.49% | 140 | 0.34% |
1948 | 17,165 | 55.18% | 13,116 | 42.16% | 829 | 2.66% |
1944 | 19,310 | 59.56% | 12,841 | 39.61% | 269 | 0.83% |
1940 | 18,697 | 54.14% | 15,570 | 45.08% | 268 | 0.78% |
1936 | 11,679 | 36.93% | 18,522 | 58.57% | 1,420 | 4.49% |
1932 | 11,505 | 41.31% | 15,591 | 55.98% | 756 | 2.71% |
1928 | 16,191 | 61.10% | 9,995 | 37.72% | 315 | 1.19% |
1924 | 11,239 | 48.70% | 1,801 | 7.80% | 10,038 | 43.50% |
1920 | 12,035 | 69.53% | 3,397 | 19.63% | 1,876 | 10.84% |
1916 | 5,923 | 50.49% | 5,242 | 44.69% | 566 | 4.82% |
1912 | 1,922 | 17.01% | 4,631 | 41.00% | 4,743 | 41.99% |
1908 | 6,797 | 52.24% | 5,511 | 42.36% | 703 | 5.40% |
1904 | 7,720 | 62.63% | 4,006 | 32.50% | 600 | 4.87% |
1900 | 7,467 | 55.67% | 5,605 | 41.78% | 342 | 2.55% |
1896 | 7,898 | 59.23% | 5,089 | 38.17% | 347 | 2.60% |
1892 | 5,354 | 45.06% | 5,893 | 49.60% | 635 | 5.34% |
Communities
editCities
edit- Appleton(mostly inOutagamie CountyandCalumet County)
- Menasha(partly inCalumet County)
- Neenah
- Omro
- Oshkosh(county seat)
Villages
editTowns
editCensus-designated places
editUnincorporated communities
edit- Adella Beach
- Allenville
- Black Wolf
- Black Wolf Point
- Clarks Point
- Decorah Beach
- Elo
- Fairview Beach
- Fisk
- Fitzgerald
- Harbor Springs
- Highland Shore
- Indian Shores
- Island Park
- Larsen
- Lasleys Point
- Leonards Point
- Little Point
- Koro
- Medina Junction
- Melrose Park
- Metz(partial)
- Mikesville
- Nichols Shore Acres
- Oakwood
- Orihula
- Paukotuk
- Piacenza
- Pickett
- Plummer Point
- Point Comfort
- Reighmoor
- Ricker Bay
- Ring
- Rivermoor
- Rush Lake
- Shangri La Point
- Snells
- Sunrise Bay
- Waverly Beach(partial)
- Winnebago
- Zion
- Zittau
Ghost towns/neighborhoods
editNotable people
edit- Martin Madison(born 1854, Winnebago County), South Dakota politician[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"2020 Decennial Census: Winnebago County, Wisconsin".data.census.gov.U.S. Census Bureau.RetrievedJuly 3,2022.
- ^"Find a County".National Association of Counties.RetrievedJune 7,2011.
- ^"Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies".Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.The Newberry Library.2007. Archived fromthe originalon April 14, 2017.RetrievedAugust 15,2015.
- ^"Winnebago",Dictionary.com
- ^"Winnebago Took Its Name from an Indian Tribe".The Post-Crescent.December 28, 1963. p. 14.RetrievedAugust 25,2014– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^City of Oshkosh.About Us.
- ^"2010 Census Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^"U.S. Decennial Census".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^"Historical Census Browser".University of Virginia Library.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995)."Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000"(PDF).United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001.Archived(PDF)from the original on October 9, 2022.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^"State & County QuickFacts".United States Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon February 24, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 24,2014.
- ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMay 14,2011.
- ^"Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables".Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2019.RetrievedJune 19,2019.
- ^Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin,Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18
- ^Leip, David."Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".uselectionatlas.org.RetrievedNovember 11,2020.
- ^The leading "other" candidate,ProgressiveTheodore Roosevelt,received 4,098 votes, while Socialist candidateEugene Debsreceived 478 votes,ProhibitioncandidateEugene Chafinreceived 146 votes, andIndependentcandidateArthur Reimerreceived 21 votes.
- ^"Madison, Martin".Political Graveyard.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
Further reading
edit- Commemorative Biographical Record of the Fox River Valley Counties of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago.Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1895.
- Lawson, Publius V. (ed.)History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People.Chicago: C. F. Cooper, 1908.
External links
edit- Winnebago County official website
- Winnebago County mapfrom the Wisconsin Department of Transportation