Racine

Formed December 7, 1836 (15^th county)

Racine County (197,720), Racine (77,841)

The Art Deco/Modern masonry skyscraper courthouse was erected in 1931.  It is sited on Wisconsin Avenue, 7^th Street, College Avenue, and 8^th Street.  Wisconsin State Highway 20 is 7^th Street.  John W. Root, Jr., provided the designs.  There was a classic 1876 courthouse previously.  The county was created on December 7, 1836 as the 15^th county with Racine as the only county seat.  The county and its county seat are named for the French word meaning “root.” 

Racine County government consists of a sheriff, an Executive, and 21 Supervisors.  Eight Circuit Court Judges and Fifteen Municipal Court Judges serve Racine County.  The county is located on the southwest border of the state.  Lake Michigan is its eastern border.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin is directly north and Madison, Wisconsin is northwest of the county.  The county center is 11.4 miles West of Racine nearer Yorkville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Milwaukee County and Michigan and Kenosha, Walworth, and Waukesha counties. 

The area of the county is 332.5 square miles.  It is 67 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 5 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 594.6 persons per square mile making it 4 out of 72 in the state.  Racine County has 87.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 94 passes north to south through the county from Milwaukee County to Kenosha County.  United States Highway 41 is joined with Interstate Highway 94 from Milwaukee to Kenosha counties.  United States Highway 45 enters from Milwaukee County, north, and exits to Kenosha County, south.  The county is a number 7 lying on its face.  The City of Racine is located on the eastern border of the county.  Racine is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 39.4% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced RAE-SEEN.  This county is in the Racine Metropolitan Statistical Area.