Formed April 12, 1893 (70th county)
Vilas County (23,047), Eagle River (1,629)
The tan and brown brick Art Deco structure was built in 1936 and enlarged in 1976 and remodeled in 2002. A Justice Center was added 1998. The facility is on Main Street at Birch Street. United States Highway 45 is four blocks to the southwest. Robert A. Messmer and Brother are the architects. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. There was an 1894 version earlier in Eagle River, the only county seat. The county was established on April 12, 1893 from Oneida County as the 70th county. It is named for Senator William Freeman Vilas. Eagle River was named for the river.
Vilas County government consists of a sheriff and 21 Supervisors. One Circuit Court Judge and Three Municipal Court Judges serve Vilas County. Vilas County is on the northern border with Michigan. Green Bay, Wisconsin is southeast and Minneapolis, Minnesota is southwest of the county. The county center is 15.8 miles Northwest of Eagle River nearer Sayner. The county is surrounded clockwise by Michigan and Forest, Oneida, and Iron counties.
The area of the county is 856.6 square miles. It is 25 out of 72 in the state. It ranks 49 out of 72 in population in the state. It has a density of 26.9 persons per square mile making it 56 out of 72 in the state. Vilas County has 7.1% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 45 comes into the county from the north, Michigan, and goes to the southeast, Oneida County. United States Highway 51 enters from Iron County, northwest, and exits to Oneida County, south. The county resembles the front end of a go cart. Eagle River is located in the southeast corner of the county. Eagle River is the county seat and the largest city since it is the only incorporated city. It is 7.1% of the county population.
Eagle River
