View source for Vilas County, Wisconsin

{{Short description|County in Wisconsin, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county         = Vilas County
 | state             = Wisconsin
 | seal                 = 
 | ex image             = Vilas County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Vilas County Courthouse
 | founded year         = 1893
 | founded date         = April 12
 | seat wl              = Eagle River
 | largest city wl      = Eagle River
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1018
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 857
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 161
 | area percentage      = 16%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 23047
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2020-census-55125" />
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 23948 {{gain}}
 | time zone           = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.vilascountywi.gov
 | named for            = [[William Freeman Vilas]]
 | district             = 7th
}}

'''Vilas County''' ({{IPAc-en|v|aɪ|l|ə|s}} {{respell|VYE|ləss}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the state of [[Wisconsin]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 23,047.<ref name="2020-census-55125" /> Its [[county seat]] is [[Eagle River, Wisconsin|Eagle River]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> The county partly overlaps the reservation of the [[Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa]]. The county is considered a high-recreation retirement destination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-typology-codes/descriptions-and-maps |access-date=April 16, 2025 |title=County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps |publisher=USDA}}</ref>

==History==
===Native Americans===
[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] have lived in what is now Vilas County for thousands of years. The county contains archaeological sites dating to the prehistoric [[Woodland period]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chapman |first1=Valerie M. |title=Detailed archaeological analysis of LDF-030D (47Vi257) of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, Vilas County, Wisconsin |url=https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/36631 |access-date=July 10, 2022 |date=May 2008}}</ref> In the eighteenth century, the area was disputed by the [[Dakota people|Dakota]] and [[Ojibwe]] people. According to oral histories, the conflict culminated in Ojibwe victory in a battle on Strawberry Island in [[Flambeau Lake]] around 1745.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Entz |first1=Gary |title=Strawberry Island: The Heart of Lac du Flambeau |url=https://www.wxpr.org/arts-life/2019-01-23/strawberry-island-the-heart-of-lac-du-flambeau |access-date=July 10, 2022 |work=WXPR |date=January 23, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Ojibwe people have continued to live in the area ever since, securing the [[Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa|Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation]] in the [[Treaty of La Pointe#1854 Treaty of La Pointe|1854 Treaty of La Pointe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://ldftribe.com/pages/2/About-Us/ |website=Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians |access-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref>

===Settlement===
The first recorded white settler was a man named Ashman who established a trading post in [[Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin|Lac du Flambeau]] in 1818.<ref name="county">[http://co.vilas.wi.us/ Vilas County, WI Government Main Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206181641/http://www.co.vilas.wi.us/ |date=December 6, 2015 }} Accessed January 11, 2011</ref>

In the 1850s migrants from [[New England]], primarily from [[Vermont]] and [[Connecticut]], constructed wagon roads and trails through Vilas County including the Ontonagan Mail Trail and a military road from [[Fort Howard (Wisconsin)|Fort Howard]] to [[Fort Wilkins Historic State Park|Fort Wilkins]] in [[Copper Harbor, Michigan]].<ref name="county"/>

Vilas County was set off from [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]] on April 12, 1893, and named for [[William Freeman Vilas]]. Originally from [[Vermont]], Vilas represented Wisconsin in the United States Senate from 1891 to 1897.<ref>William Freeman Vilas: Doctrinaire Democrat Front Cover Horace Samuel Merrill State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1954</ref><ref>[http://www.co.vilas.wi.us/history.html Vilas County History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107030215/http://www.co.vilas.wi.us/history.html |date=November 7, 2012 }}.</ref>

===Logging era===
Logging began in the late 1850s. Loggers came from [[Cortland County, New York]], [[Carroll County, New Hampshire]], [[Orange County, Vermont]] and [[Down East]] [[Maine]] in what is now [[Washington County, Maine]] and [[Hancock County, Maine]].<ref name="auto">History of Northern Wisconsin Illustrated. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881.</ref> Many dams were built throughout the county to assist loggers as they sent their timber downstream to the lumber and paper mills in the Wisconsin River valley.<ref name="county"/>  After the county was founded in 1893 and logging ceased to be the primary industry in the area, migrants seeking other forms of employment settled in the county. These later immigrants primarily came from Germany, Ireland and Poland though some came from other parts of the United States as well.<ref name="auto"/>

==Geography==
[[File:Vilas County Wisconsin Sign North US 45.jpg|right|thumb|Sign for Vilas County on [[U.S. Route 45]]]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1018|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|857|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|161|sqmi}} (16%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 9, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> There are 1,318 [[List of lakes of Vilas County, Wisconsin|lakes in the county]]. Much of Vilas County is covered by the [[Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest]] and the [[Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest]] as well as extensive county forest lands. Vilas County waters drain to [[Lake Superior]], [[Lake Michigan]], and the [[Mississippi River]]. The [[Wisconsin River|Wisconsin]], [[Flambeau River|Flambeau]], and [[Presque Isle River]]s all find their headwaters in Vilas County.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Forest County, Wisconsin|Forest County]] - southeast
* [[Iron County, Wisconsin|Iron County]] - west
* [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]] - south
* [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]] - southwest
* [[Gogebic County, Michigan]] - north
* [[Iron County, Michigan]] - northeast

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 45.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 45]]
* [[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 51]]
* [[Image:WIS 17.svg|20px]] [[Highway 17 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 32.svg|20px]] [[Highway 32 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 47.svg|20px]] [[Highway 47 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 70.svg|20px]] [[Highway 70 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 155.svg|20px]] [[Highway 155 (Wisconsin)]]

===Buses===

===Airports===
* KARV - [[Lakeland Airport]] / Noble F. Lee Memorial Field
* KEGV - [[Eagle River Union Airport]]
* KLNL - [[Kings Land O' Lakes Airport]]
* D25  - [[Manitowish Waters Airport]]

===National protected areas===
* [[Chequamegon National Forest]] (part)
* [[Nicolet National Forest]] (part)
Although these two forests have been administratively combined into the [[Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest]], it is important to note that the county contains portions of both original forests.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 4929
|1910= 6019
|1920= 5649
|1930= 7294
|1940= 8894
|1950= 9363
|1960= 9332
|1970= 10958
|1980= 16535
|1990= 17707
|2000= 21033
|2010= 21430
|2020 = 23047
|estyear=2024
|estimate=23948
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 24, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55125.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 24, 2014|archive-date=June 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606161531/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55125.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020-census-55125" /> 
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|census of 2020]],<ref name="2020-census-55125">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Vilas County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55125&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref> the population was 23,047. The [[population density]] was {{convert|26.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 24,486 housing units at an average density of {{convert|28.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 85.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 9.8% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.5% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 3.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.0% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2000 census===
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Vilas County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Vilas County]]}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 21,033 people, 9,066 households, and 6,300 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|24|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 22,397 housing units at an average density of {{convert|26|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 89.69% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 9.08% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.65% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 37.8% were of [[German people|German]], 7.9% [[Polish people|Polish]], 6.6% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.3% [[English people|English]] ancestry. 95.9% spoke [[English language|English]], 1.3% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and 1.2% [[German language|German]] as their first language.

There were 9,066 households, out of which 23.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.70% under the age of 18, 5.00% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 22.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

In 2017, there were 186 births, giving a general fertility rate of 74.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 7th highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |title=Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables |access-date=June 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619175940/https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |archive-date=June 19, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Additionally, there were twelve reported induced abortions performed on women of Vilas County residence in 2017.<ref>[https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p45360-17.pdf Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin], Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18</ref>
{{clear left}}

==Economy==
The economy in Vilas County is based on tourism centered on its high concentration of lakes and forests. Hunting and sport fishing are the backbones of the fall economy, and ice fishing and especially snowmobiling makes up the bulk of the economy in the wintertime. Logging, forestry, construction and government also account for important parts of the local economy.

==Municipalities==
The municipalities with their population within Vilas County and their total population as of the 2010 Census, are:<ref name="GCT-PH1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=GCT-PH1 Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County &ndash; County Subdivision and Place|access-date=August 18, 2019|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===City===
* [[Eagle River, Wisconsin|Eagle River]] – 1,628 (county seat)

===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin|Arbor Vitae]] – 3,403
* [[Boulder Junction, Wisconsin|Boulder Junction]] – 1,057
* [[Cloverland, Vilas County, Wisconsin|Cloverland]] – 1,068
* [[Conover, Wisconsin|Conover]] – 1,318
* [[Lac du Flambeau (town), Wisconsin|Lac du Flambeau]] – 3,552
* [[Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin|Land O' Lakes]] – 944
* [[Lincoln, Vilas County, Wisconsin|Lincoln]] – 2,659
* [[Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin|Manitowish Waters]] – 624
* [[Phelps, Wisconsin|Phelps]] – 1,238
* [[Plum Lake, Wisconsin|Plum Lake]] – 553
* [[Presque Isle, Wisconsin|Presque Isle]] – 805
* [[St. Germain, Wisconsin|St. Germain]] – 2,083
* [[Washington, Vilas County, Wisconsin|Washington]] – 1,587
* [[Winchester, Vilas County, Wisconsin|Winchester]] – 528
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Boulder Junction (CDP), Wisconsin|Boulder Junction]] – 179
* [[Lac du Flambeau (CDP), Wisconsin|Lac du Flambeau]] – 1,845
* [[Sayner, Wisconsin|Sayner]] – 231
{{div col end}}

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Arbor Vitae (community), Wisconsin|Arbor Vitae]]
* [[Conover (community), Wisconsin|Conover]]
* [[Katinka Village, Wisconsin|Katinka Village]]
* [[Land O' Lakes (community), Wisconsin|Land O' Lakes]]
* [[Manitowish Waters (community), Wisconsin|Manitowish Waters]]
* [[Marlands, Wisconsin|Marlands]]
* [[Phelps (community), Wisconsin|Phelps]]
* [[Presque Isle (community), Wisconsin|Presque Isle]]
* [[St. Germain (community), Wisconsin|St. Germain]]
* [[Star Lake, Wisconsin|Star Lake]]
* [[Winchester (community), Vilas County, Wisconsin|Winchester]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
* [[Herman Finger]] was the Treasurer of Vilas County in the 1890s while also co-owning and operating [[Gerry Lumber Company]] in the county
* Screenwriter [[Winifred Dunn]] was born in Vilas County.

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Vilas County, Wisconsin|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 9, 2020}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|754|443|19|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,208|488|48|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,467|322|66|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|794|278|35|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|304|327|292|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|531|467|98|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|903|255|209|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive (Wisconsin)|873|119|1,081|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,609|1,083|61|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,138|2,036|145|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,298|2,559|288|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,251|2,470|77|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,021|2,079|32|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,665|1,688|218|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,687|1,497|20|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,683|1,267|22|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,508|1,942|10|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,827|2,841|11|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,339|1,798|608|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,422|1,907|379|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|4,929|3,209|174|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|6,034|3,293|597|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,965|2,940|121|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,842|3,781|99|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,616|3,764|2,882|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|4,496|4,226|1,723|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|6,958|4,706|658|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|8,155|5,713|134|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,055|6,491|204|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|7,749|5,951|142|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|8,166|4,770|675|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,261|5,903|205|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,837|6,119|179|Wisconsin}}
{{PresFoot}}
Vilas County has long been one of the most consistently Republican counties in Wisconsin. Since 1944, the county has only once voted Democrat, supporting [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in his nationwide landslide of 1964, and even then, Johnson won by just 14 votes and 0.25% in the county.

==Images==
<gallery>
File:Vilas County Fair 2015.jpg|Cars parked by the entrance to the Vilas County Fairgrounds during the 2015 fair
File:Vilas County Fair rides 2015.jpg|Rides during the 2015 county fair
File:Vilas County Highway Department at Eagle River.jpg|The Vilas County Highway Department near Eagle River
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Vilas County, Wisconsin]]

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

==Further reading==
* ''[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wch/id/6854 Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin Counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano]''. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1895.
* Jones, George O.; McVean, Norman S. (comp.). ''[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wch/id/65825 History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties, Wisconsin]''. Minneapolis: H. C. Cooper, Jr., 1924.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151206181641/http://www.co.vilas.wi.us/ Vilas County government website]
* [http://www.vilas.org/ Vilas County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/vilas.pdf Vilas County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Vilas County, Wisconsin
|North     = [[Gogebic County, Michigan]]
|Northeast = [[Iron County, Michigan]]
|East      = [[Forest County, Wisconsin|Forest County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]]
|Southwest = [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]]
|West      = [[Iron County, Wisconsin]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Vilas County, Wisconsin}}
{{Wisconsin}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|46.05|-89.51|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Vilas County, Wisconsin| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1893]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in Wisconsin]]