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Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Coordinates: 44°18′N 91°21′W / 44.30°N 91.35°W / 44.30; -91.35
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Trempealeau County
County
Carnegie library in Arcadia, Wisconsin.
Carnegie library in Arcadia, Wisconsin.
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Trempealeau County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°18′N 91°21′W / 44.3°N 91.35°W / 44.3; -91.35
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Founded1855
Named forTrempealeau River
SeatWhitehall
Largest cityArcadia
Area
 • Total
742 sq mi (1,920 km2)
 • Land733 sq mi (1,900 km2)
 • Water9.0 sq mi (23 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
30,760
 • Estimate 
(2023)
30,899 Increase
 • Density41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.tremplocounty.com

Trempealeau County (/ˈtrɛmpəloʊ/ TREM-pə-loh)[1] is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,760.[2] Its county seat is Whitehall.[3]

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.[4] The area was ceded by the Dakota in the 1837 Treaty of Washington (7 Stat. 538).

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.[5][6] The name was later shortened to Trempealeau.[7] Created in 1854 and organized in 1855,[8] the county is named after the river.[9]

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]

In the late 1850s, Trempealeau became a destination for Polish Prussian settlers from Upper Silesia seeking to escape German persecution and poverty in their homeland. They built churches, schools, and communities to develop what became the nation's second-largest Polish settlement. Their settlements were especially focused around Independence, Arcadia, Whitehall, and Pine Creek. Trempealeau has a large population of Silesian Polish descent to this day.

The county again became an immigrant destination in the first decades of the 21st century, gaining a significant Hispanic and Latino population.[10]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an 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.[11] It is part of the Driftless Zone.

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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Railroads

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Buses

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National protected areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,560—
187010,732319.2%
188017,18960.2%
189018,92010.1%
190023,11422.2%
191022,928−0.8%
192024,5066.9%
193023,910−2.4%
194024,3812.0%
195023,730−2.7%
196023,377−1.5%
197023,344−0.1%
198026,15812.1%
199025,263−3.4%
200027,0106.9%
201028,8166.7%
202030,7606.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[16] 2020 census[2]

2020 census

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As of the census of 2020,[18] the population was 30,760. The population density was 42.0 people per square mile (16.2 people/km2). There were 13,270 housing units at an average density of 18.1 units per square mile (7.0 units/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[19] 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 people/km2). There were 11,482 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2 units/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.[20]

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Fairgrounds in Galesville
Entrance sign to Trempealeau County in the Town of Ettrick
The Cow Farm, Trempealeau County
Gold'n Plump-Pilgrim's Pride Poultry Feed Mill

Communities

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Cities

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Villages

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Towns

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns/neighborhoods

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Politics

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Between 1948 and 1984, Trempealeau County voted for the nationwide winner in every election with the exception of the very close 1960 election. Then, from 1988 to 2012, like most of the rural counties in southwestern Wisconsin, it backed the Democratic candidate in each election, and did so by more than a 10% margin each time. In 2016, once again like the rest of rural southwestern Wisconsin, Trempealeau County dramatically swung to the right, shifting from a 14% victory for Democrat Barack Obama in 2012 to a 13% victory for Republican Donald Trump in 2016. Trump further expanded his margin of victory to over 16% in 2020 and to over 21% in 2024, achieving the highest vote shares for a Republican in the county since Dwight D. Eisenhower in his 1952 landslide victory.

United States presidential election results for Trempealeau County, Wisconsin[21][22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,661 60.08% 6,219 38.68% 199 1.24%
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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References

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  1. ^ MissPronouncer.com: A HALFWAY DECENT AUDIO PRONUNCIATION GUIDE FOR WISCONSIN
  2. ^ a b 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Arizona
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Gamroth, 1976, p. 5, 87
  5. ^ "Trempealeau County Marking 100th Anniversary on Sunday". The Winona Republican-Herald. January 23, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Judge Gale Led Legislative Drive to Recognize Area". The Winona Republican-Herald. January 23, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ Elkins, 1985, p.1
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "Winnebago Took Its Name from an Indian Tribe". The Post-Crescent. December 28, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved August 25, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ Emerson, Julian (October 20, 2021). "As Latino Populations Grow, State Also Seeing More Small Businesses". Up North News. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  14. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  17. ^ "County Population Totals: 2010-2020". Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "2020 Decennial Census: Trempealeau County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  22. ^ https://elections.wi.gov/elections/election-results

Further reading

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

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