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Wisconsin State...
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Wisconsin Counties
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Wisconsin Counties
There are 72 counties in the state of Wisconsin. |
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Clark County, Wisconsin
Clark County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Neillsville
Year Organized: 1853
Square Miles: 1,216 |
Court House: 517 Court Street
County Courthouse
Neillsville, WI 54456-1971
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Clark County was named in honor of Gen. George Rogers Clark, the conqueror of the Northwest during the
American Revolution -- Wis. Hist. Colls., i, p. 12. Gannett, Place Names, p. 74, says the name was given for A. W.
Clark, an early settler. Dr. Lyman C. Draper, then editor of Wis. Hist. Colls., was, however, in a position to know.
Clark County was erected in 1853; the same year, Dr. Draper came to Madison as secretary of the Wisconsin Historical
Society. He was the acknowledged authority on the life and services of Gen. George Rogers Clark, whose papers form so
large and valuable a portion of the Draper MSS. now in the keeping of the Society. Draper knew many of the prominent
legislators, and no doubt suggested the name as a fitting one for the county about to be established. His testimony
thereon must be considered as conclusive. Gen. George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) was of Virginia birth, and early
emigrating to Kentucky took a prominent share in its defense (1775-78). Throughout the Revolution he was active in
defense of the frontier, and has been styled the "Washington of the West."
[Source: Kellogg, Louise Phelps. "Derivation of County Names" in Proceedings of the State Historical Society of
Wisconsin for 1909, pages 219-231.]
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts
History
Clark County in north central Wisconsin is a great place to visit, live or start a business. Residents and
businesses in the county have the best of both worlds - easy access to several large communities while enjoying the
peacefulness and beauty of the countryside.
CLARK.
From: Handbook of Wisconsin by S. Silas, 1855
pg. 57-59
A County recently formed from Chippewa and many of the characteristics of that County. It is yet but thinly
settled--most of the pine lands having been purchased by the lumberman, while most of the desirable portions for
farming are still vacant. Nearly all the produce of the farms will find a ready market for years to come, to the
lumbermen, without the labor and expense of transportation to a distant market. Labor, also, is in great demand, and
commands the highest prices. 50,000,000 feet is probably a low estimate for the amount of lumber cut and to be sent
to market this season.
The County is well watered by the Eau Clair, Black and Yellow Rivers, and their innumerable branches. It is
generally timbered along the water courses with the best quality of Pine; back from and between the streams with a
mixed growth of maple, oak, butternut, birch, ash, &c. In the southwest portion are some small prairies, and on the
heads of most of the small streams meadows made by beaver dams. The face of the country is slightly rolling, but
less so than the prairies in the southern portion of the State, and by many the soil is considered equally
productive.
The principal improvement made in the County is at Weston's Rapids, where a flouring mill has been built, and as
this is on the new road opening from Stevens Point to Hudson, a permanent bridge has been built across the Black
River, by the enterprising proprietor of the place.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,219 square miles (3,157 kmē), of which,
1,216 square miles (3,148 kmē) of it is land and 3 square miles (9 kmē) of it (0.28%) is water.
Neighboring Counties:
- Taylor County – north
- Marathon County – east
- Wood County – southeast
- Jackson County – south
- Eau Claire County – west
- Chippewa County – northwest
Cities and Towns:
| - Abbotsford |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Colby |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Curtiss |
village |
Incorporated Area |
| - Dewhurst |
town |
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| - Dorchester |
village |
Incorporated Area |
| - Eaton |
town |
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| - Grant |
town |
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| - Granton |
village |
Incorporated Area |
| - Green Grove |
town |
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| - Greenwood |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Hendren |
town |
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| - Hewett |
town |
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| - Hixon |
town |
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| - Hoard |
town |
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| - Levis |
town |
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| - Longwood |
town |
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| - Loyal |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Lynn |
town |
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| - Maplehurst |
town |
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| - Mead |
town |
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| - Mentor |
town |
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| - Neillsville (County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Owen |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Pine Valley |
town |
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| - Reseburg |
town |
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| - Seif |
town |
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| - Thorp |
city |
Incorporated Area |
| - Warner |
town |
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| - Willard |
town |
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| - Withee |
village |
Incorporated Area |
| - Worden |
town |
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| - York |
town |
County Resources:
Clark County Home Page
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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