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Winnebago County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Winnebago County
U.S. county
Winnebago County Courthouse
Winnebago County Courthouse
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Winnebago County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
Founded 1848
Named for Winnebago people
Seat Oshkosh
Largest city Oshkosh
Area
 • Total 579 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land 434 sq mi (1,120 km2)
 • Water 144 sq mi (370 km2)  25%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 171,730
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 171,735 Increase
 • Density 395.1/sq mi (152.5/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 6th, 8th

Winnebago County is a county in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. In 2020, about 171,730 people lived here. The main city and government center is Oshkosh.

The county is named after the Winnebago people. They are a Native American tribe. Today, they are known as the Ho-Chunk Nation. Chief Oshkosh was an important Menominee leader in this area. The Oshkosh and Neenah areas are part of a larger group of cities called the Fox Cities.

History of Winnebago County

Long ago, several Native American tribes lived in this area. These included the Sauk, Fox, Menominee, and Ojibwa tribes. French traders and missionaries came here first. They wanted to trade and share their religion.

Later, European and American settlers moved into the area. This pushed the Native American tribes from their traditional lands. In the mid-1800s, the United States government made agreements with the tribes. These agreements often moved the tribes further west.

Winnebago County was officially created in 1840. It started its government in 1848. The name Winnebago comes from an Algonquin word. It means 'people dwelling by the muddy or smelly water'. This might refer to the Fox River or a sulfur spring.

Oshkosh, the county's main city, became a city in 1853. It already had almost 2,800 people living there. The city was named after Chief Oshkosh. He was a Menominee leader. He helped 2,500 of his people stay in Wisconsin. This was at a time when the government wanted to move all Native Americans west.

Geography of Winnebago County

Winnebago County covers about 579 square miles. About 434 square miles are land. The other 144 square miles (25%) are water.

Neighboring Counties

Winnebago County shares borders with these counties:

Main Roads

Many important roads run through Winnebago County:

  • I-41.svg Interstate 41
  • US 10.svg U.S. Highway 10
  • US 41.svg U.S. Highway 41
  • US 45.svg U.S. Highway 45
  • WIS 21.svg Wisconsin Highway 21
  • WIS 26.svg Wisconsin Highway 26
  • WIS 44.svg Wisconsin Highway 44
  • WIS 47.svg Wisconsin Highway 47
  • WIS 76.svg Wisconsin Highway 76
  • WIS 91.svg Wisconsin Highway 91
  • WIS 114.svg Wisconsin Highway 114
  • WIS 116.svg Wisconsin Highway 116
  • WIS 441.svg Wisconsin Highway 441

Trains and Buses

  • Trains: Canadian National and Wisconsin and Southern Railroad operate here.
  • Buses: GO Transit (Wisconsin) and Valley Transit (Wisconsin) provide bus services.

Airports

Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) serves the county. It is used for general aviation. Brennand Airport (79C) is a popular spot for recreational planes. For bigger flights, people use Appleton International Airport. It is in the nearby Outagamie County.

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840 135 —
1850 10,167 7,431.1%
1860 23,770 133.8%
1870 37,279 56.8%
1880 42,740 14.6%
1890 50,097 17.2%
1900 58,225 16.2%
1910 62,116 6.7%
1920 63,897 2.9%
1930 76,622 19.9%
1940 80,507 5.1%
1950 91,103 13.2%
1960 107,928 18.5%
1970 129,931 20.4%
1980 131,703 1.4%
1990 140,320 6.5%
2000 156,763 11.7%
2010 166,994 6.5%
2020 171,730 2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2020, the population of Winnebago County was 171,730 people. Most people (86.2%) were White. Other groups included Asian (3.3%), Black or African American (3.0%), and Native American (0.7%). About 4.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Cities and Towns

Winnebago County has several cities, villages, and towns.

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are special areas that are like towns but not officially incorporated:

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of a city or village:

Former Communities

Images for kids

  • USA Winnebago County, Wisconsin age pyramid

    This chart shows the age groups of people in Winnebago County from the 2000 Census.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Winnebago (Wisconsin) para niños

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Winnebago County, Wisconsin Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.