Lafayette

Formed January 1, 1846 (27^th county)

Lafayette County (16,608), Darlington (2,456)

The domed tower of the 1905 Classical Revival building stands out in the community.  The courthouse is located on Main Street between Catherine and Harriet streets.  Main Street is Wisconsin State Highway 23 in this part of the town.  Frank W. Kinney & Meno S. Detweiler provided the designs for the masonry and stone structure.  There was also an 1861 facility.  The courthouse features columns and a tower.  A fountain and veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was formed on January 1, 1846 from Iowa County as the 27^th county.  Shulberg was the first county seat until 1866 when Darlington took over.  The county is named for American Revolutionary War hero Marquis de la Fayette.  Darlington was named for settler Joshua Darling. 

Lafayette County government consists of a sheriff and 16 Supervisors.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Lafayette County.  The county is located on the southwest border with Illinois.  Madison, Wisconsin is northeast and Rockford, Illinois is southeast of the county.  The county center is 3.1 miles South of Darlington nearer Avon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Iowa and Green counties and Illinois and Grant County. 

The area of the county is 633.6 square miles.  It is 46 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 59 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 26.2 persons per square mile making it 57 out of 72 in the state.  Lafayette County has 47.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 151 clips the northwest corner of the county from Iowa County, north, to Grant County, west.  The county is a rectangle.  Darlington is located near the center of the county.  Darlington is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 14.8% of the county population.

Hazel Green