Taylor

Formed January 1, 1875 (60^th county)

Taylor County (19,915), Medford (4,345)

The Neo-Classical red brick and stone building was erected in 1914.  It is located at 2^nd Street between Ogden and Clark streets.  Wisconsin State Highway 64 is one block to the north.  B. Mehner is the architect.  The building was renovated in 1946 and enlarged in 1980 and 2001.  It features a dome with a working clock and veteran memorials on the grounds.  There was an 1876 courthouse also in Medford, the only county seat.  The county was organized on January 1, 1875 from parts of Clark, Lincoln, Marathon, and Chippewa counties as the 60^th county.  It is named for Governor William R. Taylor.  Medford is named for Medford, Massachusetts. 

Taylor County government consists of a sheriff and 17 Supervisors.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Taylor County.  The county is located in the northwest part of the state.  Green Bay, Wisconsin is southeast and Minneapolis, Minnesota is west of the county.  The county center is 12.3 miles Northwest of Medford nearer Murat.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Price, Lincoln, Marathon, Clark, Chippewa, and Rusk counties. 

The area of the county is 974.9 square miles.  It is 16 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 53 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 20.4 persons per square mile making it 61 out of 72 in the state.  Taylor County has 31.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county is a rectangle with the southeast corner cut away.  Medford is located in the southeast quarter of the county.  Medford is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 21.8% of the county population.