Green County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Green County
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Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Named for | Nathanael Greene |
| Seat | Monroe |
| Largest city | Monroe |
| Area | |
| • Total | 584 sq mi (1,510 km2) |
| • Land | 584 sq mi (1,510 km2) |
| • Water | 0.5 sq mi (1 km2) 0.09%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 37,093 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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36,951  |
| • Density | 63.5/sq mi (24.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
Green County is a special area called a county in the state of Wisconsin, USA. In 2020, about 37,093 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Monroe. Green County is also part of the larger Madison area.
Contents
History of Green County
The land that is now Green County was first home to Native American tribes. In the 1600s, the Illinois people lived here. Later, in the 1700s, the Sauk tribe mined lead in this area.
When the first white settlers arrived, the Ho-Chunk tribe owned all of Green County. They called the lead mines "Sac Diggings." The government usually protected Native American land. But settlers kept moving into the lead mining areas of Wisconsin. This caused problems between them and the Ho-Chunk, Sauk, and Meskwaki tribes.
In 1832, a war called the Black Hawk War happened. Black Hawk, a Sauk leader, tried to return his people to their old lands. They were chased into Wisconsin. Some Ho-Chunk warriors joined the Sauk, while others helped the U.S. Army. After the war, the Ho-Chunk were forced to sell their lands south of the Wisconsin River. This happened in September 1832.
After this land became open for settlement, many new towns were started. Monroe, Wisconsin was one of these towns, founded in the mid-1830s.
How Green County Got Its Name
Green County was officially created in 1837. It was split off from a very large area called Iowa County. William Boyles from Monroe was a representative at the time. He got to choose the new county's name.
He chose "Green County" because of the many green plants and trees in the area. Another person suggested adding an "e" to make it "Greene." This would honor General Nathanael Greene, a hero from the American Revolutionary War. But Boyles wanted to stick with his original choice. Even so, many people still believe the county was named after General Greene.
Geography of Green County
Green County covers about 584 square miles. Almost all of this area is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.5 square miles, is water.
Main Roads in Green County
Highway 11 (Wisconsin)
Highway 39 (Wisconsin)
Highway 59 (Wisconsin)
Highway 69 (Wisconsin)
Highway 78 (Wisconsin)
Highway 81 (Wisconsin)
Highway 92 (Wisconsin)
Highway 104 (Wisconsin)
Railroads and Airport
The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad runs through Green County. For air travel, the Monroe Municipal Airport (KEFT) serves the county and nearby towns.
Neighboring Counties
Green County shares borders with these other counties:
- Dane County to the north
- Rock County to the east
- Winnebago County, Illinois to the southeast
- Stephenson County, Illinois to the south
- Lafayette County to the west
- Iowa County to the northwest
People of Green County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 933 | — | |
| 1850 | 8,566 | 818.1% | |
| 1860 | 19,808 | 131.2% | |
| 1870 | 23,611 | 19.2% | |
| 1880 | 21,729 | −8.0% | |
| 1890 | 22,732 | 4.6% | |
| 1900 | 22,719 | −0.1% | |
| 1910 | 21,641 | −4.7% | |
| 1920 | 21,568 | −0.3% | |
| 1930 | 21,870 | 1.4% | |
| 1940 | 23,146 | 5.8% | |
| 1950 | 24,172 | 4.4% | |
| 1960 | 25,851 | 6.9% | |
| 1970 | 26,714 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 30,012 | 12.3% | |
| 1990 | 30,339 | 1.1% | |
| 2000 | 33,647 | 10.9% | |
| 2010 | 36,842 | 9.5% | |
| 2020 | 37,093 | 0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, the population of Green County was 37,093 people. This means there were about 63.5 people living in each square mile. Most people living here were White. There were also people from Black or African American, Asian, and Native American backgrounds. Some people identified with two or more races. About 4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Communities in Green County
Green County has several different types of communities.
Cities
- Brodhead (partly in Rock County)
- Monroe (the main town of the county)
Villages
- Albany
- Belleville (mostly in Dane County)
- Brooklyn (mostly in Dane County)
- Browntown
- Monticello
- New Glarus
Towns
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns/neighborhoods
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Green (Wisconsin) para niños
