Wisconsin County Resources
This entry was originally written by Dawn M. Knauft and Carol L. Maki in Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
When mailing requests to any Wisconsin county office, use the name of the county and 'County Courthouse,' with the address listed below. Records at the county level are the responsibility of the following offices: birth, marriage, death, and land'register of deeds; court'clerk of courts; probate'county probate court.
Setting up a county with a fully functional government was usually done in three stages: 'establishment,' legally defining a specific area as a county; 'organization for county purposes,' which involved setting up a governing body or board, land registry office, and fiscal structure; and 'organization for judicial purposes,' which involved setting up a county court and law enforcement. In some counties the three stages were accomplished more or less simultaneously. In others they were done separately over many years. When a county was established, but not fully organized, it was typically 'attached' to another county that was often, but not always, a parent county. Since these levels of organization and questions of attachment affect the creation and location of records, they can be quite important to the researcher.
For example, when Ashland County was attached for judicial purposes to Bayfield County in 1866, the courthouse in Ashland County did not close. The county board still met, land transactions and marriages were still recorded by the register of deeds, and taxes were still collected in and for Ashland County. Only the courts and law enforcement were affected, and for those records between 1866 and 1873, the researcher would have to check in Bayfield County.
The year given in the county charts for 'Date Formed' is the year that passage of the law created the county. With that date is the name of the parent county or counties. Additional lines identify the purposes (c-county purposes; j-judicial purposes), the county or counties to which it was attached, and the dates of that attachment.
The date listed for each category of record is usually the earliest registration filed. The earliest date does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually registered. It has been estimated that less than 50 percent of the vital records, for example, were prepared and submitted for permanent filing prior to 1907. Land deeds, probate, and court records generally begin in Wisconsin with the organization of the county. Prior to that date, check the 'Parent County.' Some counties formed from other counties transcribed their portion of property deeds to be kept with the new county deed records.
Information on county formation and earliest record dates was provided by James L. Hansen, Reference Librarian, Wisconsin Historical Society. Addresses were obtained from the Wisconsin Counties Association website at www.wicounties.org or the relevant county's website.
Map | County | County Address | Date Formed- Parent County(ies) | Jurisdictional Purposes | Birth | Marriage | Death | Land | Probate | Court |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5 | Adams | 402 Main/P.O. Box 278, Friendship 53934 | 1848 Portage | (c/j-Sauk, 1848'53) | 1857 | 1854 | 1876 | 1853 | 1855 | 1854 |
C4 | Ashland | 201 W. Main St., Ashland 54806 | 1860 La Pointe | (j-Bayfield, 1866'73) | 1876 | 1871 | 1877 | 1856 | 1878 | 1873 |
Bad Axe | 1851 Crawford (renamed Vernon, 1862) | |||||||||
D2 | Barron | 330 E. LaSalle Ave., Barron 54812 | 1859 (as Dallas) Polk | (c/j-Polk, 1859'60; Dunn, 1860'68;j-Dunn, 1868'74) renamed Barron, 1869 | 1877 | 1868 | 1877 | 1870 | 1880 | 1874 |
B3 | Bayfield | 117 E. Fifth St., Washburn 54891 | 1845 (as La Pointe) St. Croix | (j-Crawford, 1845; St. Croix, 1849'50) renamed Bayfield, 1866 | 1879 | 1869 | 1870 | 1850 | 1857 | 1859 |
F7 | Brown | 305 E. Walnut St., Green Bay 54305 | 1818 unorganized territory | 1814 | 1823 | 1834 | 1820 | 1824 | 1823 | |
F2 | Buffalo | 407 S. Second St., Alma 54610 | 1853 Jackson | 1855 | 1856 | 1873 | 1854 | 1854 | 1853 | |
C1 | Burnett | 7410 County Road K, Siren 54872 | 1856 Polk | (j-Polk, 1856'59; c/j-Polk, 1859'64; j-Polk, 1866'71) | 1853? | 1869? | 1846? | 1866 | 1868 | 1870 |
G7 | Calumet | 206 Court St., Chilton 53014 | 1836 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1836'42; j-Brown, 1842'44 Fond du Lac, 1844'50) | 1858 | 1850 | 1856 | 1840 | 1850 | 1850 |
E3 | Chippewa | 711 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls 54729 | 1845 Crawford | (c/j-Crawford, 1845'51; La Crosse, 1851'53) | 1858 | 1854 | 1855 | 1854 | 1856 | 1856 |
F4 | Clark | 517 Court St., Neillsville 54456 | 1853 Jackson | (c/j-Jackson, 1853; j-Jackson, 1854'56) | 1869 | 1857 | 1877 | 1855 | 1870 | 1857 |
H5 | Columbia | 400 DeWitt St./P.O. Box 177, Portage 53901 | 1846 Portage | 1860 | 1849 | 1877 | 1826 | 1847 | 1851 | |
J3 | Crawford | 220 North Beaumont Rd., Prairie du Chien 53821 | 1818 unorganized territory | 1858 | 1816 | 1876 | 1820 | 1819 | 1824 | |
Dallas | 1859 Polk (renamed Barron, 1869) | |||||||||
J5 | Dane | 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison 53703 | 1836 Crawford/Iowa/Milwaukee | (c/j-Iowa, 1836'39) | 1860 | 1839 | 1876 | 1835 | 1847 | 1841 |
H6 | Dodge | 127 E. Oak St., Juneau 53039 | 1836 Brown/Milwaukee | (c/j-Milwaukee, 1836'40) | 1870 | 1843 | 1852 | 1877 | 1844 | 1844 |
E8 | Door | 421 Nebraska St./P.O. Box 670, Sturgeon Bay 54235 | 1851 Brown | (j-Manitowoc, 1851'55;Brown, 1855'60) | 1852 | 1856 | 1856 | 1857 | 1861 | 1861 |
B2 | Douglas | 1313 Belknap St., Superior 54480 | 1854 La Pointe | 1861 | 1854 | 1877 | 1854 | 1856 | 1855 | |
E2 | Dunn | 800 Wilson Ave., Menomonie 54751 | 1854 Chippewa | (j-Chippewa, 1854'56) | 1861 | 1858 | 1869 | 1877 | 1858 | 1859 |
F3 | Eau Claire | 721 Oxford Ave., Eau Claire 54703 | 1856 Chippewa | 1870 | 1857 | 1876 | 1856 | 1858 | 1854 | |
C7 | Florence | 501 Lake Ave., Florence 54121 | 1882 Marinette/Oconto | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 | |
H7 | Fond du Lac | 160 S. Macy St., Fond du Lac 54935 | 1836 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1836'39;j-Brown, 1839'44) | 1852 | 1844 | 1854 | 1836 | 1839 | 1844 |
D6 | Forest | 200 E. Madison St., Crandon 54520 | 1885 Langlade | 1891 | 1886 | 1871 | 1865 | 1887 | 1885 | |
Gates | 1901 Chippewa (renamed Rusk, 1905) | |||||||||
J3 | Grant | 111 S. Jefferson St., Lancaster 53813 | 1836 Iowa | 1870 | 1842 | 1876 | 1837 | 1836 | 1836 | |
K5 | Green | 1016 Sixteenth Ave., Monroe 53566 | 1836 Iowa | (c/j-Iowa, 1836'38) | 1862 | 1838 | 1874 | 1836 | 1850 | 1838 |
H6 | Green Lake | 492 Hill St., Green Lake 54941 | 1858 Marquette | 1864 | 1858 | 1877 | 1843 | 1853 | 1858 | |
J4 | Iowa | 222 N. Iowa St., Dodgeville 53533 | 1829 Crawford | 1876 | 1836 | 1871 | 1832 | 1837 | 1834 | |
B4 | Iron | 300 Taconite St., Hurley 54534 | 1893 Ashland | 1886 | 1893 | 1887 | 1886 | 1893 | 1893 | |
G3 | Jackson | 307 Main St., Black River Falls 54615 | 1853 La Crosse | 1861 | 1853 | 1872 | 1854 | 1869 | 1854 | |
J6 | Jefferson | 320 S. Main St., Jefferson 53549 | 1836 Milwaukee | (c/j-Milwaukee, 1836'39) | 1852 | 1844 | 1856 | 1838 | 1846 | 1842 |
G4 | Juneau | 220 E. State St., Mauston 53948 | 1856 Adams | 1877 | 1857 | 1876 | 1857 | 1860 | 1857 | |
K7 | Kenosha | 1010 56th St., Kenosha 53140 | 1850 Racine | 1876 | 1850 | 1876 | 1838 | 1850 | 1852 | |
F8 | Kewaunee | 613 Dodge St., Kewaunee 54216 | 1852 Door | (j-Manitowoc, 1852'55;Brown, 1855'58) | 1861 | 1859 | 1872 | 1856 | 1859 | 1858 |
G3 | La Crosse | 400 Fourth St. North, La Crosse 54601 | 1851 Crawford | 1866 | 1851 | 1876 | 1851 | 1851 | 1850 | |
K4 | Lafayette | 626 Main St./P.O. Box 40, Darlington 53530 | 1846 Iowa | (c/j-Iowa, 1846'47) | 1854 | 1847 | 1877 | 1836 | 1847 | 1847 |
E6 | Langlade | 800 Clermont St., Antigo 54409 | 1879 (as New) Oconto | (c/j-Shawano, 1879'81) renamed Langlade, 1881 | 1882 | 1881 | 1882 | 1858 | 1881 | 1881 |
La Pointe | 1845 St. Croix (renamed Bayfield, 1866) | |||||||||
E5 | Lincoln | 1110 E. Main St., Merrill 54452 | 1874 Marathon | (j-Marathon, 1874'75) | 1875 | 1875 | 1871 | 1867 | 1883 | 1885 |
G7 | Manitowoc | 1010 S. Eighth St., Manitowoc 54220 | 1836 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1836'38;j-Brown, 1839'48) | 1858 | 1849 | 1864 | 1835 | 1850 | 1848 |
E5 | Marathon | 500 Forest St., Wausau 54403 | 1850 Portage | 1870 | 1861 | 1868 | 1841 | 1851 | 1849 | |
D7 | Marinette | 1926 Hall Ave., Marinette 54143 | 1879 Oconto | 1874 | 1878 | 1868 | 1879 | 1879 | 1849 | |
H5 | Marquette | 77 W. Park St., Montello 53949 | 1836 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1836'44;j-Fond du Lac, 1844'48) | 1864 | 1848 | 1876 | 1836 | 1860 | 1849 |
E6 | Menominee | P.O. Box 279, Keshena 54135 | 1961 Oconto/Shawano | (c/j- Shawano) | 1961 | 1961 | 1961 | 1961 | 1961* | 1961 |
*In Shawano County, except for Native Americans. | ||||||||||
K7 | Milwaukee | 901 N. Ninth St., Milwaukee 53233 | 1834 Brown | (j-Brown, 1834'35) | 1835 | 1836 | 1872 | 1836 | 1838 | 1837 |
G3 | Monroe | 202 South K St., Sparta 54656 | 1854 La Crosse | 1854 | 1854 | 1867 | 1851 | 1855 | 1854 | |
New | 1879 Oconto (renamed Langlade, 1881) | |||||||||
E7 | Oconto | 301 Washington St., Oconto 54153 | 1851 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1851'52;j-Brown, 1852'54, 1855'57) | 1876 | 1859 | 1872 | 1838 | 1857 | 1857 |
D5 | Oneida | 1 Courthouse Sq., Rhinelander 54501 | 1885 Lincoln | (c/j-Lincoln, 1885'86) | 1887 | 1887 | 1888 | 1887 | 1887 | 1887 |
F7 | Outagamie | 410 S. Walnut St., Appleton 54911 | 1851 Brown/Winnebago | (j-Brown, 1851'52) | 1856 | 1852 | 1869 | 1851 | 1853 | 1852 |
H7 | Ozaukee | 121 W. Main St., Port Washington 53074 | 1853 Washington | 1852 | 1855 | 1849 | 1835 | 1849 | 1853 | |
F2 | Pepin | 740 Seventh Ave. W., P.O. Box 39, Durand 54736 | 1858 Dunn | 1863 | 1858 | 1857 | 1855 | 1856 | 1858 | |
F1 | Pierce | 414 W. Main St., Ellsworth 54011 | 1853 St. Croix | 1870 | 1851 | 1876 | 1855 | 1875 | 1854 | |
D1 | Polk | 100 Polk County Plaza, Balsam Lake 54810 | 1853 St. Croix | 1867 | 1855 | 1865 | 1853 | 1855 | 1859 | |
F5 | Portage | 1516 Church St., Stevens Point 54481 | 1836 Brown/Crawford/Iowa/Milwaukee | (c/j-Brown, 1836'41; j-Dane, 1841'44) | 1866 | 1848 | 1876 | 1841 | 1837 | 1844 |
D4 | Price | 126 Cherry St., Phillips 54555 | 1879 Chippewa/Lincoln | (j-Taylor, 1879'82) | 1880 | 1880 | 1879 | 1882 | 1881 | 1892? |
K7 | Racine | 730 Wisconsin Ave., Racine 53403 | 1836 Milwaukee | 1877 | 1839 | 1880 | 1837 | 1849 | 1837 | |
H4 | Richland | 181 W. Seminary St., Richland Center 53581 | 1842 Crawford/Sauk | (c/j-Iowa, 1842'50) | 1875 | 1850 | 1876 | 1850 | 1839? | 1861 |
K6 | Rock | 51 S. Main St., Janesville 53545 | 1836 Milwaukee | (c/j-Racine, 1836'39) | 1856 | 1840 | 1860 | 1839 | 1850 | 1840 |
D3 | Rusk | 311 E. Miner Ave., Ladysmith 54848 | 1901 (as Gates) Chippeware named Rusk, 1905 | 1900 | 1901 | 1901 | 1872 | 1901 | 1901 | |
E1 | St. Croix | 1101 Carmichael Rd., Hudson 54016 | 1840 Crawford | (j-Crawford, 1843'49) | 1858 | 1852 | 1876 | 1849 | 1849 | 1850 |
Some records. 1840'49 at Washington County Historical Society, Stillwater, Minnesota. | ||||||||||
H4 | Sauk | 505 Broadway, Baraboo 53913 | 1840 Crawford/Dane/Portage | (c/j-Dane, 1840'44) | 1864 | 1844 | 1876 | 1844 | 1847 | 1844 |
C3 | Sawyer | 10610 Main St., P.O. Box 836, Hayward 54843 | 1883 Ashland/Chippewa | (j-Ashland, 1883'85) | 1869 | 1883 | 1883 | 1883 | 1900? | 1883 |
F6 | Shawano | 311 N. Main St., Shawano 54166 | 1853 Oconto/Waupaca/Winnebago | (j-Outagamie, 1853'59) | 1854 | 1848 | 1860 | 1854 | 1861 | 1861 |
H7 | Sheboygan | 508 New York Ave., Sheboygan 53081 | 1836 Brown | (c/j-Brown, 1836'39;j-Brown, 1839'46) | 1848 | 1852 | 1854 | 1835 | 1860 | 1851 |
E4 | Taylor | 224 S. Second St., Medford 54451 | 1875 Chippewa/Clark/Lincoln/Marathon | 1877 | 1875 | 1877 | 1875 | 1876 | 1875 | |
G2 | Trempealeau | 36245 Main St., Whitehall 54773 | 1854 Buffalo/Chippewa/Jackson/La Crosse | (j-La Crosse, 1854) | 1845 | 1856 | 1847 | 1855 | 1855 | 1855 |
H3 | Vernon | Courthouse Annex, 400 W. Decker, Viroqua 54665 | 1851 (as Bad Axe) Crawford renamed Vernon, 1862 | 1863 | 1855 | 1878 | 1851 | 1850 | 1853 | |
C5 | Vilas | 330 Court St., Eagle River 54521 | 1893 Oneida | 1889 | 1893 | 1889 | 1893? | 1900? | 1900? | |
K7 | Walworth | 100 W. Walworth, Elkhorn 53121 | 1836 Milwaukee | (c/j-Racine, 1836'38) | 1872 | 1839 | 1872 | 1839 | 1839 | 1840 |
C2 | Washburn | 10 Fourth Ave., Shell Lake 54871 | 1883 Burnett | 1883 | 1883 | 1883 | 1883 | 1883 | 1878 | |
J7 | Washington | 432 E. Washington St., West Bend 53095 | 1836 Brown/Milwaukee | (c/j-Milwaukee, 1836'40;j-Milwaukee, 1840'45) | 1859 | 1846 | 1873 | 1835 | 1845 | 1855 |
J7 | Waukesha | 1320 Pewaukee Rd., Waukesha 53188 | 1846 Milwaukee | 1860 | 1846 | 1872 | 1841 | 1847 | 1847 | |
F6 | Waupaca | 811 Harding St., Waupaca 54981 | 1851 Brown/Winnebago | (j-Winnebago, 1851'53) | 1858 | 1852 | 1848 | 1851 | 1860 | 1853 |
G5 | Waushara | 209 S. Saint Marie St., Wautoma 54982 | 1851 Marquette | (j-Marquette, 1851'52) | 1859 | 1852 | 1876 | 1852 | 1854 | 1868 |
G6 | Winnebago | 415 Jackson St., Oshkosh 54901 | 1840 Brown/Calumet/Fond du Lac/Marquette | (c/j-Brown, 1840'42;j-Brown, 1842'44; Fond du Lac, 1844'47) | 1876 | 1848 | 1863 | 1837 | 1838 | 1848 |
F4 | Wood | 400 Market St./P.O. Box 8095, Wisconsin Rapids 54495 | 1856 Portage | 1871 | 1867 | 1872 | 1836 | 1858 | 1872? |