Buffalo

Formed January 1, 1853 (40^th county)

Buffalo County (13,312), Alma (715), Mondovi (2,841)                

The Modern tan brick facility was erected in 1962 and remodeled and enlarged in 1988.  The courthouse is on 2^nd Street at North Street.  Wisconsin State Highway 35 is one block west.  The Cerny Associates provided the designs.  It sits on a hill above the Mississippi River with veteran memorials on the grounds.  There were 1861 and 1888 courthouses previously in Alma.  Fountain City was the first county seat until 1859 when Alma assumed the role.  The county was created on January 1, 1853 from Trempealeau County as the 40^th county.  The county is named for the river.  Alma was named for a Russian river. 

Buffalo County government consists of a sheriff and 14 Supervisors.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Buffalo and Pepin counties.  The county is located in western Wisconsin.  Minneapolis, Minnesota is northwest and Madison, Wisconsin is southeast of the county.  The Mississippi River forms its western border.  The county center is 11.5 miles East of Alma nearer Cream.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Eau Claire and Trempealeau counties and Minnesota and Pepin County. 

The area of the county is 671.6 square miles.  It is 42 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 67 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 19.8 persons per square mile making it 63 out of 72 in the state.  Buffalo County has 46.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 10 enters the county from the east, Trempealeau County, and exits to the northwest, Pepin County.  The county resembles a funnel with the tip pointing southeast.  Alma is located on the western border of the county.  Mondovi is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Alma is the county seat and Mondovi is the largest city.  Alma is 5.4% of the county population while Mondovi is 21.3% of the county population.  The largest city is pronounced MON-DOE-VEE.