Jefferson

Formed January 1, 1842 (22^nd county)

Jefferson County (86,151), Jefferson (7,789), Watertown (22,933)

The Modern brown brick and concrete facility was constructed in 1956 and remodeled in 1991.  There was a classic 1861 version earlier.  The courthouse is on Main, Green, Center, and Dodge streets.  Main Street is Wisconsin State Highway 26.  Waterman, Fuge & Associates are the architects.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  Jefferson County was founded on January 1, 1842 from Milwaukee County as the 22^nd county and Jefferson has always been the county seat.  The county and its county seat are named for Jefferson County, New York. 

Jefferson County government consists of a sheriff and 30 Supervisors.  Three Circuit Court Judges and Six Municipal Court Judges serve Jefferson County.  The county is in the southeast part of the state.  Madison, Wisconsin is west and Milwaukee, Wisconsin is east of the county.  The county center is 6.9 miles Northeast of Jefferson nearer Johnson Creek.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Dodge, Waukesha, Walworth, Rock, and Dane counties. 

The area of the county is 556.5 square miles.  It is 53 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 20 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 154.8 persons per square mile making it 17 out of 72 in the state.  Jefferson County has 63.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 94 crosses through the county from east to west from Waukesha County to Dane County.  United States Highway 12 enters the county from Dane County, west, and exits into Walworth County, southeast.  United States Highway 18 parallels Interstate Highway 94 from Waukesha to Dane counties.  The county is a rectangle.  The City of Jefferson is located in the western third of the county.  Watertown is on the northern border of the county and extends into Dodge County.  Jefferson is the county seat and Watertown is the largest city.  Jefferson is 9.0% of the county population while Watertown is 18.4% of the county population.  This county is in the Watertown-Fort Atkinson Micropolitan Statistical Area.