Winnebago County, Wisconsin

Winnebago County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Winnebago County took its name from the Indian tribe that had formerly lived in this vicinity. The word was an Algonquian term applied to the Siouan tribe, and signified, "people dwelling by the fetid or ill-smelling water" (possibly a sulphur spring) -- see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvi, p. 3; Thwaites, Wisconsin (Boston, 1908), pp. 16, 17.

[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

County History

Winnebago County, created in 1840 as a territorial county, is named for the Winnebago Indian Nation. Located in northeast Wisconsin, the county seat is Oshkosh.

WINNEBAO--Population 17,436.
From: Handbook of Wisconsin by S. Silas, 1855
pg. 109-110

Is on the west side of the Lake of the same name, and from its location, has the best advantage of inland commerce of any County in Wisconsin. Into this Lake flows the Fox, the largest and most easily navigated river in the State. The Wolf, the main stream instead of the Upper Fox, is also navigable for a great distance, and the increased business prophecies a large trade to centre around Lake Winnebago. The soil of the County is excellent; the eastern part, along the Lake Shore, is heavily timbered; the western, prairie and openings. The region along the Fox is marsh, extending from half to two miles back, and in no case, in its whole course through the County, has it high banks on both sides, except at Oshkosh. There is some Government land not yet taken.

Oshkosh is the County Seat, and the largest place in the State north of Fond du Lac. It is near the mouth of the Fox, and well situated to command a large trade. Several steam saw mills are located here, and along the Lake Shore employed in manufacturing lumber from logs floated down the Wolf.

Winneconne, on the Wolf, at the only crossing place, on account of the marsh, has a good bridge for crossing, and is a growing village.

Neenah and Menasha, on opposite sides of the Fox, at its outlet, are both places of note, and flourishing. The Fox is here divided into two streams, by Doty's Island, on both sides of which are falls, creating good and abundant power, which are partly improved for manufacturing purposes. The Fox River Improvement has its lower terminus at Menasha. This improvement consists in building canals around some of the rapids, and by creating slack water above them, thus rendering the whole stream navigable from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay.

The Green Bay district land office is at Menash, and the whole of Winnebago County is in that district.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 579 square miles (1,499 km²), of which, 439 square miles (1,136 km²) of it is land and 140 square miles (363 km²) of it (24.21%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

• Waupaca County - northwest
• Outagamie County - northeast
• Calumet County - east
• Fond du Lac County - south
• Green Lake County - southwest
• Waushara County - west

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

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