Douglas

Formed February 8, 1854 (50^th county)

Douglas County (44,291), Superior (26,750)

The masonry Classical Revival courthouse was built in 1920.  It is on Belknap Street between Cumming and Hammond avenues.  Belknap Street is United States Highway 2 in the town.  Royer & Radcliff are the architects.  The courthouse features columns.  An Administration Building was added in 2003.  Douglas County was created on February 8, 1854 from Bayfield County as the 50^th county with Superior as the only county seat.  The county is named for Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas.  The county seat was named for the lake. 

Douglas County government consists of a sheriff and 21 Supervisors.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Douglas County.  Douglas County is in the northwest corner of Wisconsin.  Lake Superior is its northern border and the St. Croix River flows through it.  Minnesota is on its border.  Minneapolis, Minnesota is southwest and Green Bay, Wisconsin is southeast of the county.  The county center is 24.8 miles Southeast of Superior nearer Bennett.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Minnesota and Bayfield, Sawyer, Washburn, and Burnett counties. 

The area of the county is 1304.1 square miles.  It is 4 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 34 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 34.0 persons per square mile making it 47 out of 72 in the state.  Douglas County has 68.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 2 crosses the county from east to west from Bayfield County to Minnesota.  United States Highway 53 is joined with United States Highway 2 from Minnesota, splits and continues south into Washburn County.  The county is an overall rectangle with a scope taken out of the top.  Superior is located in the northwest quarter of the county.  Superior is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 60.4% of the county population.  This county is in the Duluth Metropolitan Statistical Area.