Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

County in Wisconsin, United States

U.S. county in Wisconsin

Trempealeau County

U.S. county

Carnegie library in Arcadia, Wisconsin.

Carnegie library in Arcadia, Wisconsin.

Error creating thumbnail:

Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Wisconsin
Founded| 1855
Named for| Trempealeau River
Seat| Whitehall
Largest city| Arcadia
Area

• Total| 742 sq mi (1,920 km2)
• Land| 733 sq mi (1,900 km2)
• Water| 9.0 sq mi (23 km2)  1.2%%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 30,760
• Density| 41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| www.tremplocounty.com

Trempealeau County (/ˈtrɛm.pə.loʊ/, TREM-pə-loh) is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,760.[1] Its county seat is Whitehall.[2] Many people of Hispanic, Polish, Norwegian and German descent live in this area.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Adjacent counties
* 2.2 Major highways
* 2.3 Railroads
* 2.4 Buses
* 2.5 National protected areas
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 2020 census
* 3.2 2000 census
* 4 Gallery
* 5 Communities
* 5.1 Cities
* 5.2 Villages
* 5.3 Towns
* 5.4 Census-designated place
* 5.5 Unincorporated communities
* 5.6 Ghost towns/neighborhoods
* 6 Politics
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 Further reading
* 10 External links

## History

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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.[3]

French fur traders were the first Europeans to enter this land, traveling by river across the county. At the mouth of the Trempealeau River at its confluence with the Mississippi River, they found a bluff surrounded by water and called it La Montagne qui trempe à l’eau ("mountain steeped in water"). It is now known as Trempealeau Mountain.[4][5] The name was later shortened to Trempealeau.[6] Created in 1854 and organized in 1855,[7] the county is named after the river.[8]

During the 19th and 20th century large numbers of Norwegian immigrants settled in the area in pursuit of cheap land, a better life and more opportunities. Much of the population is still of Norwegian descent and celebrate their ancestry by making foods native to Norway and participating in Norwegian Constitution Day events.[citation needed] The county again became an immigrant destination in the first decades of the 21st century, gaining a significant Hispanic and Latino population.[9]

## Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 742 square miles (1,920 km2), of which 733 square miles (1,900 km2) is land and 9.0 square miles (23 km2) (1.2%) is water.[10] It is part of the Driftless Zone.

### Adjacent counties

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

### Major highways

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* Interstate 94
* U.S. Highway 10
* U.S. Highway 53
* Highway 35 (Wisconsin)

* Highway 54 (Wisconsin)
* File:WIS 93.svg Highway 93 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 95 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 121 (Wisconsin)

|

### Railroads

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* BNSF
* Canadian National

### Buses

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* List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

### National protected areas

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* Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (part)

## Demographics

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Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1860| 2,560| | —
1870| 10,732| | 319.2%
1880| 17,189| | 60.2%
1890| 18,920| | 10.1%
1900| 23,114| | 22.2%
1910| 22,928| | −0.8%
1920| 24,506| | 6.9%
1930| 23,910| | −2.4%
1940| 24,381| | 2.0%
1950| 23,730| | −2.7%
1960| 23,377| | −1.5%
1970| 23,344| | −0.1%
1980| 26,158| | 12.1%
1990| 25,263| | −3.4%
2000| 27,010| | 6.9%
2010| 28,816| | 6.7%
2020| 30,760| | 6.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[15] 2020 census[1]

### 2020 census

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As of the census of 2020,[16] the population was 30,760. The population density was 42.0 inhabitants per square mile (16.2/km2). There were 13,270 housing units at an average density of 18.1 per square mile (7.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.5% White, 1.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% Black or African American, 7.9% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 12.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Trempealeau County

### 2000 census

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As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 27,010 people, 10,747 households, and 7,243 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 inhabitants 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. 43.5% were of Norwegian, 24.6% German and 17.0% Polish ancestry. 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.

In 2017, there were 450 births, giving a general fertility rate of 93.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the third highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[18]

## Gallery

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* Error creating thumbnail:

Fairgrounds in Galesville

* Entrance sign to Trempealeau County in the Town of Ettrick

Entrance sign to Trempealeau County in the Town of Ettrick

* The Cow Farm, Trempealeau County

The Cow Farm, Trempealeau County

## Communities

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### Cities

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* Arcadia
* Blair
* Galesville
* Independence
* Osseo
* Whitehall (county seat)

### Villages

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* Eleva
* Ettrick
* Pigeon Falls
* Strum
* Trempealeau

### Towns

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* Albion
* Arcadia
* Burnside
* Caledonia
* Chimney Rock
* Dodge
* Ettrick
* Gale
* Hale
* Lincoln
* Pigeon
* Preston
* Sumner
* Trempealeau
* Unity

### Census-designated place

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* Dodge

### Unincorporated communities

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* Beaches Corners
* Butman Corners
* Chapultepee
* Centerville
* Coral City
* Dewey Corners
* Elk Creek
* Frenchville
* Hale
* Hegg
* Iduna
* North Creek
* Pine Creek
* Pleasantville
* Russell
* Tamarack
* Upper French Creek
* West Prairie
* Wrights Corners

### Ghost towns/neighborhoods

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* Cortland
* New City
* Williamsburg

## Politics

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United States presidential election results for Trempealeau County, Wisconsin[19] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 8,833  | 57.43% | 6,285  | 40.86%  | 262  | 1.70%
2016 | 7,366  | 53.82% | 5,636  | 41.18%  | 685  | 5.00%
2012 | 5,707  | 42.33%  | 7,605  | 56.41% | 169  | 1.25%
2008 | 4,808  | 36.11%  | 8,321  | 62.50% | 185  | 1.39%
2004 | 5,878  | 41.80%  | 8,075  | 57.42% | 109  | 0.78%
2000 | 5,002  | 41.11%  | 6,678  | 54.88% | 488  | 4.01%
1996 | 3,035  | 28.12%  | 5,848  | 54.18% | 1,911  | 17.70%
1992 | 3,577  | 27.49%  | 6,218  | 47.79% | 3,217  | 24.72%
1988 | 4,902  | 43.87%  | 6,212  | 55.59% | 61  | 0.55%
1984 | 6,008  | 52.24% | 5,407  | 47.02%  | 85  | 0.74%
1980 | 5,992  | 49.52% | 5,390  | 44.54%  | 719  | 5.94%
1976 | 5,341  | 45.56%  | 6,218  | 53.05% | 163  | 1.39%
1972 | 5,723  | 56.69% | 4,232  | 41.92%  | 140  | 1.39%
1968 | 4,861  | 50.69% | 3,971  | 41.41%  | 757  | 7.89%
1964 | 3,264  | 34.04%  | 6,320  | 65.91% | 5  | 0.05%
1960 | 5,539  | 51.38% | 5,223  | 48.45%  | 19  | 0.18%
1956 | 5,476  | 54.25% | 4,602  | 45.59%  | 16  | 0.16%
1952 | 6,501  | 61.63% | 4,021  | 38.12%  | 26  | 0.25%
1948 | 3,650  | 43.13%  | 4,711  | 55.67% | 102  | 1.21%
1944 | 4,719  | 51.06% | 4,496  | 48.65%  | 27  | 0.29%
1940 | 5,319  | 50.28% | 5,175  | 48.92%  | 85  | 0.80%
1936 | 3,339  | 33.96%  | 5,929  | 60.30% | 564  | 5.74%
1932 | 2,874  | 32.81%  | 5,786  | 66.06% | 99  | 1.13%
1928 | 5,596  | 64.97% | 2,963  | 34.40%  | 54  | 0.63%
1924 | 2,083  | 31.26%  | 373  | 5.60%  | 4,208  | 63.15%
1920 | 4,748  | 84.24% | 718  | 12.74%  | 170  | 3.02%
1916 | 2,138  | 56.04% | 1,578  | 41.36%  | 99  | 2.60%
1912 | 1,763  | 44.66% | 1,235  | 31.28%  | 950  | 24.06%
1908 | 3,733  | 75.31% | 1,085  | 21.89%  | 139  | 2.80%
1904 | 3,560  | 75.54% | 981  | 20.81%  | 172  | 3.65%
1900 | 3,364  | 71.23% | 1,190  | 25.20%  | 169  | 3.58%
1896 | 3,306  | 67.66% | 1,394  | 28.53%  | 186  | 3.81%
1892 | 2,116  | 53.54% | 1,521  | 38.49%  | 315  | 7.97%

## See also

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* National Register of Historic Places listings in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

## References

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1. ^ a b 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Arizona
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Gamroth, 1976, p. 5, 87
4. ^ "Trempealeau County Marking 100th Anniversary on Sunday". The Winona Republican-Herald. January 23, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2014 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Judge Gale Led Legislative Drive to Recognize Area". The Winona Republican-Herald. January 23, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2014 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ Elkins, 1985, p.1
7. ^ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
8. ^ "Winnebago Took Its Name from an Indian Tribe". The Post-Crescent. December 28, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved August 25, 2014 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ Emerson, Julian (October 20, 2021). "As Latino Populations Grow, State Also Seeing More Small Businesses". Up North News. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
13. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
15. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census: Trempealeau County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
18. ^ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.

## Further reading

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* Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin.. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1892.
* Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn (comp.). History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. Chicago: H. C. Cooper, Jr. 1917.
* Elkins, Winston (1985). Trempealeau and the Mississippi River Dam. Trempealeau County, Wis.: Trempealeau County Historical Society.
* Gamroth, Clarence J. (Ed.) (1976). Historical Album, 100 Years, Independence, Wisc. Independence, Wis.: City of Independence.

## External links

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* Trempealeau County
* Trempealeau County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
* Trempealeau County Health and Demographic Data

Places adjacent to Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

|  | Eau Claire County |

|
|

|  |
Buffalo County |

Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

| Jackson County
|  |
Winona County, Minnesota |  | La Crosse County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, United States

County seat: Whitehall

Cities|

* Arcadia
* Blair
* Galesville
* Independence
* Osseo
* Whitehall

Error creating thumbnail:

Villages|

* Eleva
* Ettrick
* Pigeon Falls
* Strum
* Trempealeau

Towns|

* Albion
* Arcadia
* Burnside
* Caledonia
* Chimney Rock
* Dodge
* Ettrick
* Gale
* Hale
* Lincoln
* Pigeon
* Preston
* Sumner
* Trempealeau
* Unity

CDP|

* Dodge

Unincorporated
communities|

* Beaches Corners
* Butman Corners
* Centerville
* Chapultepee
* Coral City
* Dewey Corners
* Elk Creek
* Frenchville
* Hale
* Hegg
* Iduna
* North Creek
* Pine Creek
* Pleasantville
* Russell
* Tamarack
* Upper French Creek
* West Prairie
* Wrights Corners

Ghost towns|

* Cortland
* New City
* Williamsburg

* United States portal

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* e

State of Wisconsin

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Topics|

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Society|

* Administrative divisions
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Regions|

* Apostle Islands
* Central Plain
* Chippewa Valley
* Door Peninsula
* Driftless Area
* Eastern Ridges and Lowlands
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Major metropolitan areas
(pop. over 500,000)|

* Chicago metropolitan area
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* Milwaukee metropolitan area
* Twin Cities metropolitan area

Largest cities
(pop. over 50,000)|

* Appleton
* Eau Claire
* Green Bay
* Janesville
* Kenosha
* La Crosse
* Madison
* Milwaukee
* Oshkosh
* Racine
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* West Allis

Smaller cities
(pop. 15,000 to 50,000)|

* Beaver Dam
* Beloit
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* Stevens Point
* Sun Prairie
* Superior
* Watertown
* Wausau
* Wauwatosa
* West Bend
* Wisconsin Rapids

Largest villages
(pop. over 15,000)|

* Ashwaubenon
* Bellevue
* Caledonia
* Fox Crossing
* Germantown
* Howard
* Menomonee Falls
* Mount Pleasant
* Pleasant Prairie

Counties|

* Adams
* Ashland
* Barron
* Bayfield
* Brown
* Buffalo
* Burnett
* Calumet
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* Marathon
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* Menominee
* Milwaukee
* Monroe
* Oconto
* Oneida
* Outagamie
* Ozaukee
* Pepin
* Pierce
* Polk
* Portage
* Price
* Racine
* Richland
* Rock
* Rusk
* Sauk
* Sawyer
* Shawano
* Sheboygan
* St. Croix
* Taylor
* Trempealeau
* Vernon
* Vilas
* Walworth
* Washburn
* Washington
* Waukesha
* Waupaca
* Waushara
* Winnebago
* Wood

Coordinates: 44°18′N 91°21′W﻿ / ﻿44.30°N 91.35°W﻿ / 44.30; -91.35
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