Click Image to Enlarge
Wisconsin Counties
There are seventy-two counties in the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin became part of the Territory of Michigan and divided into two counties: Brown County in the northeast along Lake Michigan and Crawford County in the southwest along the Mississippi River. The state of Wisconsin was created from Wisconsin Territory on May 29, 1848, with 28 counties.Kenosha County, Wisconsin
Kenosha County Education, Geography, and History
Kenosha County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the state of Wisconsin. Based on the 2010 census, the population was
166,426. Its county seat is Kenosha. The county is named after the county seat.
Kenosha County is included in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Kenosha County Name
Kenosha County - named for its principal town, which was first known as Southport. As this settlement was situated upon Pike Creek, a change was made to the Indian word for that fish - Wis. Hist. Colls., iii, p. 414. See also Handbook, i, p. 673, where "Kenozhe," signifying pickerel, is given to a Chippewa gens [clan].
[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: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Kenosha County History
Kenosha County is a county located along the West Shore of Lake Michigan in the far southeastern corner US
state of Wisconsin. Its county seat is Kenosha. As of 2006, the population of Kenosha County was 162,001, and
As reported by the Census Bureau, between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007 the county was tied in fifth place for
growth among Wisconsin's 72 counties with a one-percent population gain, approximately twice the statewide growth
average of 0.5%. Kenosha County has traditionally attracted newcomers from suburban Chicago and in March 2008 the
demographers of the Wisconsin Department of Administration report that Kenosha County's improvements in roads,
businesses' need for personnel and quality-of-life factors have contributed to the decades-long influx of Illinois
transplants. For 2006-2007, Kenosha County had a net gain of 424 new residents. Kenosha County is part of the
Chicago metropolitan area and simultaneously the southernmost part of the Milwaukee area.
Kenosha County is a county located along the West Shore of Lake Michigan in the far southeastern corner US state
of Wisconsin. Its county seat is Kenosha. As of 2006, the population of Kenosha County was 162,001, and according to
the US Census Bureau, between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007 the county was tied in fifth place for growth among
Wisconsin's 72 counties with a one-percent population gain, approximately twice the statewide growth average of
0.5%. Kenosha County has traditionally attracted newcomers from suburban Chicago and in March 2008 the demographers
of the Wisconsin Department of Administration report that Kenosha County's improvements in roads, businesses' need
for personnel and quality-of-life factors have contributed to the decades-long influx of Illinois transplants. For
2006-2007, Kenosha County had a net gain of 424 new residents. Kenosha County is part of the Chicago metropolitan
area and simultaneously the southernmost part of the Milwaukee area.
John W. Hunt's 1853 Wisconsin Gazetteer
"KENOSHA, County, is bounded on the north by Racine, east by Lake Michigan, south by the State of Illinois, and west by Walworth and a portion of Racine. The county seat is at Kenosha, formerly known as Southport, on the lake shore, about midway between the northern and southern extremity of the county. It was set off from Racine and fully organized, 30th January, 1850. The eastern portion of the county is mostly prairie, with occasional groves of timber. In the northeast part is a large tract of heavy timber. The western portion is mostly openings. The soil is productive in the highest degree, and well adapted to the growing of all the crops of the climate, and the raising of stock. It has the best of market facilities, Kenosha close at hand, and Milwaukee and Chlicago easy of access. It has a healthy climate, and is settled by an intelligent and enterprizing class of farmers. The principal streams are the Fox, (Pishtaka,) the Aux Raines and Pike creeks. Population 10,734; 927 farms, and 1,812 dwellings."
KENOSHA.--Population 12,373.
From: Handbook of Wisconsin by S. Silas, 1855
pg. 78
This is one of the oldest and smallest Counties in the State, occupying the south-east corner on Lake Michigan.
The County is mostly prairie, under excellent cultivation, and is but a sample of what Wisconsin will be in its
manhood, wealthy and prosperous. There are of course no public lands to be obtained.
The Lake Shore Rail Road passes along the Lake, and the Kenosha and Janesville Rail Road is building.
Kenosha, the County Seat, is a prosperous place, and is noted for the enterprise and intelligence of its
inhabitants. A large produce export business is done at this port, for which see the table of exports under its
appropriate head.--Population 3,879.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 754 square miles (1,954 km2), of which, 273 square miles (707 km2) of it is land and 481 square miles (1,247 km2) of it (63.83%) is water.
Although the county contains much area from Lake Michigan, it is the fourth-smallest county in Wisconsin by land area.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Racine County (north)
- Lake Michigan (east)
- Lake County, Illinois (southeast)
- McHenry County, Illinois (southwest)
- Walworth County (west)
Education
Click Image to Enlarge
