Brown

Formed January 1, 1818 (1^st county)

Brown County (268,729), Green Bay (107,363)

The classic Beaux Arts structure was constructed in 1908.  It is located at the intersection of Jefferson, Doty, Adams, and Walnut streets.  Wisconsin State Highway 29 is Walnut Street.  Charles E. Bell is the masonry and stone courthouse architect.  The building was renovated and enlarged in 1993.  The courthouse features a dome with a working clock and columns.  The grounds have Liberty Bell replica and veteran memorials.  There was also an 1866 courthouse in Green Bay.  The county was organized on January 1, 1818 as an original county (1^st county.)  Menomineeville (1818), Depere (1837), and Green Bay (1854) have all served as the county seat.  Brown County is named for War of 1812 General Jacob Brown.  The county seat was named for the bay.  Brown County is the birthplace of 1 Wisconsin Governor, John W. Reynolds, Jr. 

Brown County government consists of a sheriff and 26 Supervisors.  Eight Circuit Court Judges and Twelve Municipal Court Judges serve Brown County.  The county is in the northeast part of Wisconsin.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin is south and Madison, Wisconsin is southwest of the county.  An arm of Lake Michigan is on its northeast border.  The county center is in Green Bay 4.4 miles Southeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Oconto, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Calumet, Outagamie, and Shawano counties. 

The area of the county is 529.7 square miles.  It is 56 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 4 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 507.3 persons per square mile making it 5 out of 72 in the state.  Brown County has 86.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 43 originates in the county and heads southeast into Manitowoc County.  United States Highway 41 enters from the north, Oconto County, and exits to the southwest, Outagamie County.  United States Highway 141 comes in joined with United States Highway 41 and terminates.  The county looks like a laser gun pointing north.  Green Bay is located on the northern border of the county.  Green Bay is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 40.0% of the county population.  This county is in the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.