This week’s post is a bit of a departure from the standard fare. It’s a reader challenge, testing your knowledge of the origins of Wisconsin county names. 

Below is an outline map of Wisconsin counties (courtesy of the State Cartographer’s Office).

Click here to download a copy of the map.

Wisconsin has 72 counties. They are listed alphabetically in the table below.

The columns in the table represent one possible source for each county name. The categories are:

1.       Named after a former US president

2.       Named after a prominent citizen [See note 1]

3.       Named after an early European explorer, trapper, trader or settler

4.       Native American name or association [See note 2]

5.       From the French language

6.       Named after women

7.       Named after or associated with a local physical feature [See note 3]

8.       Named after natural resources in the area [See note 4]

9.       Named after a location outside of Wisconsin [See note 5]

Click here to download a copy of the table and fill in your answers. Note that for some counties, more than one column might be applicable.

I recommend you use your knowledge and powers of deductive thinking for the challenge. Google and AI are too easy and generate erroneous results. I will use two standard, authoritative texts on the subject to provide answers in next week’s Oddsconsin, so that you can check your results.

Good luck!

Notes

[1] Includes people who have served in one or more of the following roles during their careers: US senator, US cabinet member, member of US congress, member of constitutional convention, state governor/chancellor, state senator, state assembly member, judge, lawyer, mayor, postmaster, newspaper editor, register of deeds, army general and marquis. Excludes former US presidents. 

[2] Includes Anglicized versions of Native American place names as well as English or French place names that have a Native American association. 

[3] Physical features include things like lakes, rivers, rock formations, etc. May refer to an original Native American name for such a feature.

[4] Includes vegetation, minerals, animals, etc.

[5] Includes historic sites, cities in other countries and counties in other states.