Marathon County, Wisconsin Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marathon County
U.S. county
Marathon County Courthouse in Wausau
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1850
Named for	Marathon, Greece
Seat	Wausau
Largest city	Wausau
Area
• Total	1,576 sq mi (4,080 km²)
• Land	1,545 sq mi (4,000 km²)
• Water	31 sq mi (80 km²) 2.0%%
Population (2020)
• Total	138,013
• Estimate (2023)	138,612
• Density	89.3/sq mi (34.5/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th

Wisconsin 1866 US land Office

Marathon County Fairgrounds

Marathon County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin, USA. In 2020, about 138,013 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Wausau. Marathon County was started in 1850. It was created from a part of Portage County. Back then, it reached all the way to the northern border with Michigan. The county is named after a famous battlefield in Marathon, Greece.

The Wausau area, including Marathon County, is an important part of Wisconsin.

Exploring Marathon County's Geography
Population and People
Libraries for Learning
Fun and Recreation
- County Parks to Explore
- Snowmobile Adventures
Communities in Marathon County
Learning and Education
See also

Exploring Marathon County's Geography

Marathon County covers a total area of about 1,576 square miles. Most of this area, 1,545 square miles, is land. The rest, about 31 square miles, is water. This makes it the largest county in Wisconsin by land area. It is also the fourth-largest by total area.

Marker located at the 45×90 point near Rietbrock

A special spot in Marathon County is near Rietbrock. Here, you can find a marker that shows the exact center of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere. This spot is at 45°N latitude and 90°W longitude. It means it's halfway from the Equator to the North Pole. It is also a quarter of the way around the world from the Prime Meridian.

Major Roads and Transportation

Many important roads pass through Marathon County. These include major highways that help people travel across the state.

Key Highways

Interstate 39
US Highway 51
Wisconsin Highway 13
Wisconsin Highway 29
Wisconsin Highway 34
Wisconsin Highway 49
Wisconsin Highway 52
Wisconsin Highway 97
Wisconsin Highway 98
Wisconsin Highway 107
Wisconsin Highway 153

Rail and Air Travel

Trains also move goods through the county. The main railway companies are Canadian National and Watco. For local travel, Metro Ride offers bus services. If you need to fly, there are two airports:

KAUW - Wausau Downtown Airport
KCWA - Central Wisconsin Airport

Neighboring Counties

Marathon County shares its borders with several other counties:

Lincoln County to the north
Langlade County to the northeast
Shawano County to the east
Waupaca County to the southeast
Portage County to the south
Wood County to the south
Clark County to the west
Taylor County to the northwest

Natural Areas

The Mead Wildlife Area is a special place in Marathon County. It is a protected area for wildlife. Here, you can observe many different animals and plants in their natural home.

Population and People

In 2020, the population of Marathon County was 138,013 people. This means there were about 89 people living in each square mile. The county is home to a diverse group of people. Most residents are White (86.9%). Other groups include Asian (6.2%), Black or African American (0.9%), and Native American (0.5%). About 3.2% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.

Libraries for Learning

The main library for Marathon County is the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL). Its headquarters are in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin. There are also eight smaller branch libraries. These are located in towns like Athens, Edgar, and Mosinee. These libraries offer books, computers, and programs for everyone.

Fun and Recreation

Marathon County offers many ways to have fun outdoors.

County Parks to Explore

There are many parks managed by the county. These parks are great places for outdoor activities.

Amco County Park
Big Eau Pleine County Park
Big Rapids County Park
Bluegill Bay County Park
Cherokee County Park
Courthouse Square
D.C. Everest County Park
Dells of the Eau Claire County Park
Duane L. Corbin Shooting Range Park
Library Park
Marathon Park
Mission Lake County Park
Mountain-Bay State Park Trail
Reitbrock Geographical Marker
Rib Falls County Park
Sunny Vale County Park

Snowmobile Adventures

During winter, Marathon County is a popular spot for snowmobiling. There are over 884 miles of trails. Local snowmobile clubs help keep these trails in great condition.

Communities in Marathon County

County sign on Wisconsin Highway 13

Marathon County has many cities, villages, and towns.

Cities in the County

Abbotsford (mostly in Clark County)
Colby (mostly in Clark County)
Marshfield (mostly in Wood County)
Mosinee
Schofield
Wausau (the county seat)

Villages to Visit

Towns in the Area

Other Communities

Knowlton (Census-designated place)
Rib Mountain (Census-designated place)

Many smaller, unincorporated communities are also part of Marathon County. These include places like Ashley, Dancy, and Milan. Some old communities, like Callon, are now considered ghost towns.

Learning and Education

Marathon County has many school districts. These districts help educate students from kindergarten through high school. Some of the school districts include:

Abbotsford School District
Antigo School District
Athens School District
Auburndale School District
Colby School District
D.C. Everest Area School District
Edgar School District
Marathon City School District
Marshfield School District
Medford Area School District
Merrill Area School District
Mosinee School District
Rosholt School District
Spencer School District
Stratford School District
Wausau School District
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District

Marathon County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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