Waukesha

Formed January 1, 1846 (28^th county)

Waukesha County (406,971), Waukesha (71,162)                

The Modern tan brick and steel facility was constructed in 1959.  It is located on Moreland Boulevard between Riverview Avenue and Pewaukee Road.  United States Highway 18 passes two blocks to the east of the location.  Foss and Jansma, Inc., provided the building designs.  An Administration Building augments the courthouse.  There was an 1893 version previously.  The county was established on January 1, 1846 from Milwaukee County as the 28^th county and Waukesha has always been the county seat.  The county and county seat were named for the Native American word meaning “fox.” 

Waukesha County government consists of a sheriff and 16 Supervisors.  Twelve Circuit Court Judges and Seventeen Municipal Court Judges serve Waukesha County.  The county is located in southeast Wisconsin.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin is directly east and Madison, Wisconsin is west of the county.  The county center is in Waukesha 2.9 miles West-Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, Jefferson, and Dodge counties. 

The area of the county is 549.6 square miles.  It is 55 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 3 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 740.5 persons per square mile making it 2 out of 72 in the state.  Waukesha County has 84.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 43 enters the county from the east, Milwaukee County, and exits to the southwest, Walworth County.  Interstate Highway 94 crosses east to west from Milwaukee County to Jefferson County.  United States Highway 18 parallels Interstate Highway 94 from Milwaukee to Jefferson counties.  United States Highways 41/45 clip the northeast corner from Washington County, northeast, to Milwaukee County, east.  The county is a rectangle.  The City of Waukesha is located near the center of the county.  Waukesha is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 17.5% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced WA-KE-SHA.  This county is in the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis Metropolitan Statistical Area.