Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Infobox U.S. County
county = Trempealeau County
state = Wisconsin


founded year =
founded date =
seat wl = Whitehall
largest city wl = Arcadia
area_total_sq_mi = 742
area_total_km2 = 1922
area_land_sq_mi = 734
area_land_km2 = 1901
area_water_sq_mi = 8
area_water_km2 = 20
area percentage = 1.06%
census yr = 2000
pop = 27010
density_sq_mi = 37
density_km2 = 14
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web = www.tremplocounty.com
named for =

Trempealeau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 27,010. Its county seat is WhitehallGR|6.

History

Patches of woodland are all that remain of the brush and light forest that once covered the county. In ancient times, the woodlands contained a great deal of timber, but Native Americans burned them periodically to encourage the growth of berries. They did little cultivation and had been almost completely removed from the area by 1837 (Gamroth, 1976, p. 5, 87).

French fur traders were the first Europeans to enter this land. At the mouth of the Trempealeau River, which flows from northeast to southwest across the county on its way to the Mississippi River, they found a bluff surrounded by water and called it "La Montagne qui trempe à l’eau"," which means "mountain with its foot in the water." The name was later shortened (Elkins, 1985, p.1).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 742 square miles (1,922 km²), of which, 734 square miles (1,901 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (20 km²) of it (1.06%) is water. It is part of the Driftless Zone.

Adjacent counties

*Buffalo County - west
*Eau Claire County - north
*Jackson County - east
*La Crosse County - southeast
*Winona County, Minnesota - southwest

Demographics

USCensusPop
1900= 23114
1910= 22928
1920= 24506
1930= 23910
1940= 24381
1950= 23730
1960= 23377
1970= 23344
1980= 26158
1990= 25263
2000= 27010
footnote= [http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt WI Counties 1900-1990] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 27,010 people, 10,747 households, and 7,243 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 11,482 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.81% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. 0.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.0% were of Norwegian, 24.6% German and 17.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.9% spoke English, 1.6% Norwegian and 1.6% Spanish as their first language.

There were 10,747 households out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

Cities, towns, and villages

*Albion
*Arcadia
*Blair
*Burnside
*Caledonia
*Chimney Rock
*Dodge
*Eleva
*Ettrick (town)
*Ettrick
*Gale
*Galesville
*Hale
*Independence
*Lincoln
*Osseo
*Pigeon
*Pigeon Falls
*Preston
*Strum
*Sumner
*Trempealeau (town)
*Trempealeau
*Unity
*Whitehall

References

*cite book | author=Elkins, Winston | title=Trempealeau and the Mississippi River Dam | location=Trempealeau County, WI | publisher=Trempealeau County Historical Society | year=1985 | id =
*cite book | author=Gamroth, Clarence J. (Ed.) | title=Historical Album, 100 Years, Independence, Wisc | location=Independence, WI | publisher=City of Independence | year=1976 | id=

ee also

*Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

External links

* [http://www.tremplocounty.com/ Trempealeau County]
* [http://www.lmhscscorecard.com/sc/brief.cgi?s=1&c=11 Trempealeau County Health and Demographic Data]