Editing Taylor County, Wisconsin

{{Short description|County in Wisconsin, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Taylor, Wisconsin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Taylor County
 | state                = Wisconsin
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1875
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Medford
 | largest city wl      = Medford
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 984
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 975
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 9.5
 | area percentage      = 1.0%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 19913
 | population_density_sq_mi = 20.7
 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2020-census-55119" />
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 20167 {{gain}}
 | pop_est_footnotes    = <ref name=qf>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/jaycountyindiana/PST045223|title=Jay County, Indiana|website=Census.gov|access-date= }}</ref>
 | web                  = www.co.taylor.wi.us
 | ex image             = Taylor County Courthouse Medford Wisconsin.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The [[Taylor County Courthouse (Wisconsin)|Taylor County Courthouse]] in Medford
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 7th
}}

'''Taylor County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wisconsin]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 19,913.<ref name="2020-census-55119" /> Its [[county seat]] is [[Medford, Wisconsin|Medford]].<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}}</ref> It is mostly rural, lying roughly where corn and dairy farms to the south give way to forest and swamp to the north.<ref>{{cite book|title=Wisconsin Atlas and Gazetteer|date=1999|publisher=DeLorme|location=Yarmouth, Maine|pages=73–74|edition=6}}</ref>

==History==
The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was claimed by [[New France]]. A band of [[Wyandot people|Huron Indians]] from eastern [[Ontario]] had [[Beaver Wars|fled]] the [[Iroquois]] and taken refuge near the headwaters of the [[Black River (Wisconsin)|Black River]], probably around Lake Chelsea in the northeast part of the county.  [[René Menard|Father René Menard]], a French [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit priest]] who had travelled up the [[Great Lakes]] as far as [[Keweenaw Bay]] in [[upper Peninsula of Michigan|upper Michigan]], heard that these Hurons were starving. He decided to try to reach them to [[baptism|baptize]] them, despite his own weak health and scant supplies. In mid-summer, he and a French [[Fur Trade|fur trader]] set out, following rivers and streams in [[birch bark|birchbark]] [[canoe]]s down into Wisconsin. Finally, a [[day's journey]] from the Huron camp, Father Menard separated from his travelling companion at a [[rapids]] to carry some supplies. He was never seen again. The place where he disappeared is believed to be the dells of the [[Big Rib River]], below [[Goodrich, Wisconsin|Goodrich]] in the southeast corner of Taylor county.<ref>Schmirler, A. A. A., "Wisconsin's Lost Missionary: The Mystery of Father Rene Menard", ''The Wisconsin Magazine of History'', Volume 45, number 2, winter, 1961-1962.[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/wmh&CISOPTR=22009&CISOSHOW=21949&REC=1]</ref>

[[Image:Logging sleigh.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A crew hauling logs for the Fountain-Campbell Lumber Company in northwest Taylor County, 1909]]
[[Image:Mondeaux Dam.jpg|thumb|Mondeaux Dam Recreation Area, in the Chequamegon National Forest, in the north-central part of the county]]
[[Image:Maplehurst_Wisconsin_farm.jpg|thumb|Many small dairy farms are switching to corn and soybeans]]

On June 8, 1847, before any settlers or loggers, a team of [[Surveying|surveyors]] entered the county<ref>{{cite web|title=Field Notes for T30N R1W|url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/SurveyNotes/SurveyNotes-idx?type=PLSS&twp=T030NR001W|work=Original Field Notes and Plat Maps, 1833-1866|publisher=Board of Commissioners of Public Lands|access-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> southwest of Medford, where County E now enters from Clark County. They were working for the U.S. government, marking a north–south line called the [[Fourth Principal Meridian]], from which much of the land in the state would be measured. For six days they worked their way through woods and swamps, up what is now the southern part of E and across the valley that is now the Mondeaux Flowage, before continuing north into what is now Price County. The head of the team wrote of the trip:
<blockquote>''During four consecutive weeks there was not a dry garment in the party, day or night... we were constantly surrounded and as constantly excoriated by swarms or rather clouds of mosquitoes, and still more troublesome insects...''<ref>{{cite news|last=Kassulke|first=Natasha|title=See Wisconsin through the Eyes of 19th Century Surveyors|url=http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/2009/08/insert.pdf|access-date=September 24, 2011|newspaper=Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine|date=August 2009|author2=David Mladneoff|agency=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources|archive-date=September 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908033827/http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/2009/08/insert.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref></blockquote>
On their way through the county, they and other surveyors recorded a forest then dominated by [[Tsuga canadensis|hemlock]], [[Betula alleghaniensis|yellow birch]] and [[sugar maple]], with [[Eastern White Pine|white pine]] the fourth or sixth most frequent. The mix of tree species then resembled today's Gerstberger Pines grove southeast of [[Rib Lake, Wisconsin|Rib Lake]].<ref>Finley, Robert W.,[http://neswi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/FinleysPresettlementVegetation.pdf "Finley's Presettlement Vegetation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205114115/http://neswi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/FinleysPresettlementVegetation.pdf |date=December 5, 2013 }}, 1976, University of Wisconsin.</ref>

Logging began in the late 1850s. Loggers came up the rivers and floated [[Pinus strobus|white pine]] logs out in spring and early summer [[Log driving|log drives]], down the [[Big Rib River]] into the [[Wisconsin River]], down the [[Black River (Wisconsin)|Black River]] to the south, and west down the [[Jump River|Jump]] and the [[Yellow River (Chippewa River)|Yellow River]] into the [[Chippewa River (Wisconsin)|Chippewa]]. Log-drives continued until around 1900, when the easy-to-float white pine was dwindling.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ruesch, Gordon|title=Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - A Topical History of our Roots|year=2011|publisher=Taylor County History Project|author-link=Taylor County Logging and Lumbering|editor=Stephen Lars Kalmon}}</ref>

In 1872 and 1873, the [[Wisconsin Central Railroad (1871–99)|Wisconsin Central Railroad]] built its line up through the forest that would become Medford on its way to Ashland. The Wisconsin Central's financiers were from Boston, and they named stations at Medford, Chelsea and Westboro after towns in Massachusetts. To finance building this line, the U.S. Government gave the railroad half the land, the odd-numbered sections, of a good share of the county.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Roy L.|title=History of the Wisconsin Central (Bulletin No. 54)|date=January 1941|pages=6, 18–21, 29, 42|publisher=The Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc., Baker Library, Harvard Business School|location=Boston, Mass.}}</ref> The railroad began to haul out the logs that didn't float well. Most early settlement was along this railroad, with few settlers in the west or east ends of the county even by the 1890s.<ref name=WCRR>{{cite web|title=Map of Taylor County and Part of Lincoln County, Wis, Showing Wisconsin Central RR Lands - Corrected to March 1, 1896|url=http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/maps/id/1562/rec/9|publisher=The Milwaukee Litho & Engr Co.|access-date=March 2, 2013}}</ref>

In 1875, Taylor County with its current boundaries was carved out of the larger Chippewa, Lincoln and Clark counties and a bit of Marathon, with the county seat at Medford. The county was probably named for Wisconsin's governor at the time, [[William Robert Taylor]]. It was initially divided into four towns—Westboro, Chelsea, Medford and Little Black<ref>{{cite book|last=Ruesch|first=H. O.|title=Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - A Topical History of our Roots|year=2011|publisher=Taylor County History Project|author-link=Taylor County Historical Sketch|editor=Stephen Lars Kalmon}}</ref>—each stretching the width of the county.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dahl|first=Ole Rasmussen|title=Map of Chippewa, Price & Taylor Counties and the northern part of Clark County|year=1880|publisher=The Milwaukee Litho & Engr Co.|location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin|url=http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/maps/id/1046/rec/3}}</ref>

From around 1902 to 1905, the Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway built its railroad up the west end of the county through Polley, [[Gilman, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Gilman]], [[Hannibal, Wisconsin|Hannibal]] and [[Jump River (community), Wisconsin|Jump River]]. In 1902 the Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railroad (better known as Omaha) pushed in from [[Holcombe, Wisconsin|Holcombe]] through Hannibal to now-abandoned Hughey on the Yellow River. In 1905 the Wisconsin Central Railroad built its line through [[Clark, Wisconsin|Clark]] (now a [[ghost town]]), [[Lublin, Wisconsin|Lublin]], Polley, Gilman and Donald, heading for Superior. The SM&P and Omaha were primarily logging railroads, which hauled out lumber and incidentally transported passengers and other cargo. With the lumber gone, the SM&P shut down in 1933.<ref>Nagel, Paul; (1979) ''S. M. & P. RY. The Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway''</ref>

After the good timber was gone, the lumber companies sold many of the cutover forties to farm families. Initially they tried making their living in various ways: selling milk, eggs, beef and wool, growing cucumbers and peas, and various other schemes. But before long [[Dairy farming|dairy]] had become the predominant form of agriculture in the county. By 1923 Medford had the second largest co-op creamery in Wisconsin. The number of dairy farms peaked around 3,300 in the early 1940s and had dropped to 1,090 by 1995.<ref name=Soil-survey>{{cite web|last=Boelter|first=Joseph M.|title=Soil Survey of Taylor County, Wisconsin|url=http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Manuscripts/WI119/0/taylor_WI.pdf|publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Forest Service|access-date=April 15, 2011|author2=Stacy S. Eichner|author3=Angela M. Elg|author4=William D. Fiala|author5=Richard M. Johannes|date=July 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718232554/http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Manuscripts/WI119/0/taylor_WI.pdf|archive-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref>

Much of the cut-over north-central part of the county was designated part of the [[Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest|Chequamegon National Forest]] in 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateparks.com/nicolet.html|title=Nicolet National Forest |website=www.stateparks.com |access-date=April 11, 2018}}</ref> Large chunks of this central and northern part of the county was not good for farming, and lay neglected in the hands of lumber companies after the forest was cut off - largely a tax-delinquent fire hazard. In the early 1930s the federal government agreed to manage the land for the county as [[National forest (United States)|National Forest]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Zenner|first=John|editor-last=Kalmon|editor-first=Lars|title=Our Home - Taylor County Wisconsin - Vol 1|date=January 2012|publisher=Taylor County History Project|pages=12–13, 15|chapter=The John Zenner Story}}</ref> Soon after, [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] camps at Mondeaux, Perkinstown, and near the current Jump River fire tower began to replant parts of that cutover. The CCCs at Mondeaux built the recreation area there.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bruhy|first=Mark E.|title=Mondeaux Dam Public Utility Area|url={{NRHP url|id=84003784}}|accessdate=November 23, 2023|work=NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form|agency=National Park Service|publisher=US Dept. of the Interior|date=July 9, 1984}}</ref> Today hikers can follow the [[Ice Age Trail|Ice Age National Scenic Trail]] through the national forest and the northeast corner of the county.

The major early industry was the production of sawlogs, lumber, and shingles.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110119091942/http://www.e-referencedesk.com/resources/counties/wisconsin/taylor.html "1876 Account of Taylor County"]}}, Wisconsin Land Commission.</ref>  Large sawmills were at Medford and Rib Lake. Medford, [[Perkinstown, Wisconsin|Perkinstown]] and Rib Lake had [[Tanning (leather)|tanneries]], which used local hemlock bark in the tanning process. Whittlesey had an early [[brick]]yard.<ref name=WCRR />  Industry has diversified since, into [[Creamery|creameries]], [[window]] manufacturers, [[plastic]]s, and [[food processing]] - mostly at Medford.

==Geography==
[[Image:Taylor County glaciation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Maximum extent of the Laurentide Ice Sheet<ref name=Attig-1993 />]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|984|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|975|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|9.5|sqmi}} (1.0%) 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>
[[Image:Taylor County glacial map.gif|thumb|upright=1.2|Glacial landforms of Taylor County.<ref name=Attig-1993 />]]

Taylor county's [[terrain]] was shaped chiefly by [[glacier]]s. Geologists believe that 15,000 to 25,000 years ago the [[Laurentide Ice Sheet]] pushed down from Canada across what are now the Great Lakes, and over much of the northern U.S. One of the ice sheet's lobes bulldozed down over two thirds of Taylor county, at its farthest extent covering a line from Westboro through Perkinstown to Lublin. The ice sheet pushed down that far, then melted back, leaving the band of choppy hills and little lakes that cuts diagonally across the county. This band of hills is called the Perkinstown [[terminal moraine]]. North and west of the moraine, in the corner of the county toward Jump River, that last glacier left behind a more gently rolling plain of [[glacial till]]. The striking glacial features in this area are [[glacial erratic|glacial erratic boulders]] and [[esker]]s. Along with the Mondeaux and Lost Lake eskers, there are others in the towns of Westboro, Pershing, Aurora and Taft. The southeast corner of the county toward Stetsonville and Goodrich was not covered by the last glacier, but was covered by earlier ones. Here too they left glacial till, but the land is generally flatter and less rocky since erosion has had more time to level things.<ref name=Attig-1993>{{cite journal|last=Attig|first=John W.|title=Pleistocene Geology of Taylor County, Wisconsin|journal=Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey|year=1993|volume=Bulletin 90|url=https://wgnhs.wisc.edu/catalog/publication/000114|access-date=April 15, 2011}}</ref>

Beneath the glacial till lies [[Cambrian]] and [[Precambrian]] [[bedrock]]. Outcrops have been exposed in places by the Jump and Yellow Rivers.<ref name=Soil-survey /><ref name=Attig-1993 />  An unmined copper and gold deposit known as the Bend deposit lies north of Perkinstown,<ref>{{cite web|title=Recent and Potential Metallic Mining Projects in Wisconsin|url=https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Mines/Projects.html|publisher=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources|access-date=June 1, 2021}}</ref> which geologists believe was formed up to two billion years ago by a [[Black smoker#Black smokers and white smokers|black smoker]], a volcanic vent under an ancient ocean.<ref>{{cite news|last=Berglund|first=Mark|title=Up around the Bend|newspaper=The Star News|date=December 7, 2011}}</ref>

The county straddles a [[Drainage divide|divide]] between three river systems. The [[Jump River]] and [[Yellow River (Chippewa River)|Yellow]] flow west into the [[Chippewa River (Wisconsin)|Chippewa river]] valley. The [[Big Rib River]] flows southeast to the [[Wisconsin River|Wisconsin]]. And the [[Black River (Wisconsin)|Black River]] flows out to the south. All eventually feed the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]].

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]] - north
* [[Lincoln County, Wisconsin|Lincoln County]] - east
* [[Marathon County, Wisconsin|Marathon County]] - southeast
* [[Clark County, Wisconsin|Clark County]] - south
* [[Chippewa County, Wisconsin|Chippewa County]] - west
* [[Rusk County, Wisconsin|Rusk County]] - northwest

===National protected area===
* [[Chequamegon National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 2311
|1890= 6731
|1900= 11262
|1910= 13641
|1920= 18045
|1930= 17685
|1940= 20105
|1950= 18456
|1960= 17843
|1970= 16958
|1980= 18817
|1990= 18901
|2000= 19680
|2010= 20689
|2020 = 19913
|estyear=2024
|estimate=20167
|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>{{cbignore}}<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/55/55119.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225015232/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55119.html|archive-date=February 25, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020-census-55119"/> 2024<ref name=qf/>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|census of 2020]],<ref name="2020-census-55119">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Taylor County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55119&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 19,913. The [[population density]] was {{convert|20.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 9,379 housing units at an average density of {{convert|9.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.3% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 3.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.8% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2000 census===
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Taylor County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Taylor 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 19,680 people, 7,529 households, and 5,345 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|20|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 8,595 housing units at an average density of {{convert|9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.71% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.09% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.23% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 57.9% were of [[German people|German]], 9.1% [[Polish people|Polish]], 5.3% [[United States|American]] and 5.3% [[norwegian people|Norwegian]] ancestry. 96.2% spoke [[English language|English]], 1.7% [[German language|German]] and 1.2% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as their first language.

There were 7,529 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 102.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.40 males.

In 2017, there were 202 births, giving a general fertility rate of 64.0 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 33rd 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 fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Taylor 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}}

==Transportation==
[[File:Taylor County Wisconsin Welcome Sign WIS13.jpg|thumb|right|Welcome sign on [[Wisconsin Highway 13|STH 13]]]]

The state of Wisconsin has jurisdiction over {{convert|120|mi|km}} of state highways in Taylor County, including STH-13, STH-64, STH-73, STH-97, and STH-102. STH-13 runs north–south through the eastern half of the county and STH-73 is the major north–south highway in the western half of the county. STH-64 is the major highway running east–west through Taylor county. Through a contractual agreement with the state, the Taylor County Highway Department is responsible for maintenance of state highways and right-of-ways.

A network of {{convert|250|mi|km}} of county highways serves Taylor County's rural areas. Major east–west highways include CTH-A, CTH-D, CTH-M, and CTH-O. Major north–south routes include CTH-C, CTH-E, and CTH-H.

Towns in Taylor County are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their individual town roads.

[[Image:Rustic Road Number 1.jpg|thumb|right|Rustic Road 1, north of Rib Lake]]

The county has one designated [[Rustic Road (Wisconsin)|Rustic Road]], Rustic Road 1 located in the [[Rib Lake (town), Wisconsin|Town of Rib Lake]]. Dedicated in 1975, this {{convert|5|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} gravel road between STH-102 and CTH-D near Rib Lake was the first Rustic Road in Wisconsin. It winds over wooded hills and valleys created by glaciers nearly 12,000 years ago. A historical marker alongside the road (at Hwy 102 and RR1) commemorates the designation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rustic Road 1|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroad1.htm|website=Rustic Roads|publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation|access-date=October 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071003/http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroad1.htm|archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:WIS 13.svg|20px]] [[Highway 13 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 64.svg|20px]] [[Highway 64 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 73.svg|20px]] [[Highway 73 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 97.svg|20px]] [[Highway 97 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 102.svg|20px]] [[Highway 102 (Wisconsin)]]

===Railroads===
*[[Canadian National]]
*[[Watco]]

===Buses===

===Airports===
* KMDZ - Taylor County

The primary airport in the county is the [[Taylor County Airport (Wisconsin)|Taylor County Airport]] (KMDZ). There are six other private landing strips in the county. Located approximately three miles southeast of Medford, the Taylor County Airport is the only public airport. The airport handles approximately 7,000 operations per year, with roughly 93% general aviation and 7% air taxi. The airport has a 6,000-foot asphalt runway with approved GPS approaches (Runway 9-27) and a 4,435-foot asphalt crosswind runway, also with GPS approaches, (Runway 16–34).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMDZ |title=KMDZ: Taylor County Airport |website=www.airnav.com|access-date=April 11, 2018}}</ref> Services provided include: Jet A fuel, 100 low-lead AV gas, 24-hour fuel service, car rental, taxi service, large ramp/tie down area, flight instruction, and computerized weather briefing/flight planning service. An automated weather observation system (AWOS) is in place.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Location
! Airport name
! Status
! Location
|-
| Roosevelt
| Baldez Field
| Private
| T .30N-R.3W Sec.2
|-
| Goodrich
| Charlie's Field
| Private
| T.31N-R.3E Sec. 19
|-
|Aurora
|East Gilman Field
|Private
|T.31N-R.3W Sec. 18
|-
|Browning
|Lee's Flight Park
|Private
|T.31N-R.2E Sec 2
|-
|Medford
|Memorial Hospital of Taylor Co. Heliport
|Private
|T.31N-R.1E Sec. 28
|-
|Little Black
|Taylor County Airport
|Public
|T.30N-R.2E Sec. 7
|-
|Goodrich
|John's Field
|Private
|T.31N-R.3E Sec. 24
|}

==Communities==
[[Image:Taylor County admin.gif|thumb|300px|Taylor County: cities, villages, towns, etc.]]

===City===
* [[Medford, Wisconsin|Medford]] (county seat)

===Villages===
* [[Gilman, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Gilman]]
* [[Lublin, Wisconsin|Lublin]]
* [[Rib Lake, Wisconsin|Rib Lake]]
* [[Stetsonville, Wisconsin|Stetsonville]]

===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Aurora, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Aurora]]
* [[Browning, Wisconsin|Browning]]
* [[Chelsea, Wisconsin|Chelsea]]
* [[Cleveland, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Cleveland]]
* [[Deer Creek, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Deer Creek]]
* [[Ford, Wisconsin|Ford]]
* [[Goodrich, Wisconsin|Goodrich]]
* [[Greenwood, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Greenwood]]
* [[Grover, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Grover]]
* [[Hammel, Wisconsin|Hammel]]
* [[Holway, Wisconsin|Holway]]
* [[Jump River (town), Wisconsin|Jump River]]
* [[Little Black, Wisconsin|Little Black]]
* [[Maplehurst, Wisconsin|Maplehurst]]
* [[McKinley, Taylor County, Wisconsin|McKinley]]
* [[Medford (town), Wisconsin|Medford]]
* [[Molitor, Wisconsin|Molitor]]
* [[Pershing, Wisconsin|Pershing]]
* [[Rib Lake (town), Wisconsin|Rib Lake]]
* [[Roosevelt, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Roosevelt]]
* [[Taft, Wisconsin|Taft]]
* [[Westboro, Wisconsin|Westboro]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
* [[Chelsea (community), Wisconsin|Chelsea]]
* [[Jump River (community), Wisconsin|Jump River]]
* [[Westboro (community), Wisconsin|Westboro]]
* [[Whittlesey, Wisconsin|Whittlesey]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Bellinger, Wisconsin|Bellinger]]
* [[Gad, Wisconsin|Gad]] (partial)
* [[Goodrich (community), Wisconsin|Goodrich]]
* [[Hannibal, Wisconsin|Hannibal]]
* [[Little Black (community), Wisconsin|Little Black]]
* [[Murat, Wisconsin|Murat]]
* [[Perkinstown, Wisconsin|Perkinstown]]
* [[Polley, Wisconsin|Polley]]
* [[Queenstown, Wisconsin|Queenstown]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
* [[Donald, Wisconsin|Donald]]
* [[McKinley, Taylor County, Wisconsin|Field]]
* [[Hughey, Wisconsin|Hughey]]
* [[Interwald, Wisconsin|Interwald]]
* [[Maplehurst (community), Wisconsin|Maplehurst]]

[[Image:Holy Assumption Orthodox Church Lublin Wisconsin.jpg|thumb|Pictured is Holy Assumption Church in Lublin, one of a handful of [[Orthodox Church in America|Orthodox]] churches in Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parishes in Wisconsin|url=http://oca.org/parishes/state/WI|publisher=The Orthodox Church in America|access-date=September 8, 2012}}</ref>]]

==Population==
The southwest corner of the county was settled largely by [[Polish American|Polish]] and other eastern-European immigrants.

Taylor County experienced a population decrease between 1950 and 1970, but since 1970 the county has gained 2,722 people.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Area
! 1950
! 1960
! 1970
! 1980
! 1990
! 2000
! Numeric Change 1950-2000
! January 1, 2006, Estimate
|-
| T. Aurora
| 564
| 563
| 466
| 461
| 473
| 386
| -178
| 375
|-
| T. Browning
| 630
| 630
| 644
| 702
| 740
| 850
| 220
| 889
|-
| T. Chelsea
|603
|566
|554
|677
|731
|719
|116
|754
|-
| T. Cleveland
|458
|358
|250
|286
|235
|262
| -196
|272
|-
| T. Deer Creek
|780
|810
|764
|747
|738
|733
| -47
|750
|-
| T. Ford
|334
|306
|248
|274
|254
|276
| -58
| 271
|-
| T. Goodrich
|460
|414
|373
|408
|454
|487
|27
|497
|-
|T. Greenwood
|758
|653
|635
|705
|634
|642
| -116
|672
|-
|T. Grover
|266
|232
|210
|229
|214
|233
| -33
|239
|-
|T. Hammel
|516
|526
|509
|562
|633
|735
|219
|749
|-
|T. Holway
|834
|859
|837
|903
|779
|854
|20
|879
|-
|T. Jump River
|448
|391
|355
|365
|330
|311
| -137
|317
|-
|T. Little Black
|1216
|1182
|1133
|1169
|1195
|1148
| -68
|1187
|-
|T. McKinley
|570
|491
|461
|416
|403
|418
| -152
|440
|-
|T. Maplehurst
|462
|405
|348
|345
|300
|359
| -103
|364
|-
|T. Medford
|1661
|1622
|1546
|1834
|1962
|2216
|555
|2253
|-
|T. Molitor
|200
|168
|199
|212
|183
|263
|63
|269
|-
|T. Pershing
|418
|358
|295
|276
|217
|180
| -238
|181
|-
|T. Rib Lake
|769
|657
|615
|682
|746
|768
| -1
|775
|-
|T.Roosevelt
|678
|602
|518
|491
|429
|444
| -234
|446
|-
|T. Taft
|499
|418
|355
|347
|367
|361
| -138
|380
|-
|T. Westboro
|783
|720
|631
|706
|663
|660
| -123
|699
|-
|V. Gilman
|402
|379
|328
|436
|412
|474
|72
|460
|-
|V. Lublin
|161
|160
|143
|142
|129
|110
| -51
|100
|-
|V. Rib Lake
|853
|794
|782
|945
|887
|878
|25
|878
|-
|V. Stetsonville
|334
|319
|305
|487
|511
|563
|229
|563
|-
|C. Medford
|2799
|3260
|3454
|4010
|4282
|4350
|1551
|4260
|-
|Taylor County
|18456
|17843
|16958
|18817
|18901
|19680
|1224
|19917
|-
|}

==Politics==
Taylor County has leaned Republican since 1980, although [[Bill Clinton]] carried it narrowly in 1996 due to high third-party performance, and [[Barack Obama]] lost it by only 23 votes in 2008, mirroring the statewide leftward shift in that election. Since then, the Republican strength in the county has increased in every election; in 2024, Republican [[Donald Trump]] received a record-setting 73% of the vote.<ref>https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Taylor 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=February 8, 2021}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|8,209|2,823|154|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,657|2,693|336|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|6,579|2,393|499|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,601|3,763|148|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,586|4,563|197|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,582|3,829|132|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,278|3,254|460|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,108|3,253|1,571|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|3,415|3,305|2,639|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,254|3,785|61|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,918|3,271|80|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,596|3,739|623|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,591|4,101|209|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,125|2,934|324|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,043|2,910|969|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,261|4,624|13|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,447|3,768|22|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,843|2,759|52|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,892|2,768|50|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,579|3,184|361|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|3,194|3,215|212|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,668|3,771|239|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,758|4,721|510|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,107|4,219|621|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,648|2,095|106|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|1,389|185|3,136|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,707|282|735|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,544|845|175|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|773|821|692|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,627|924|125|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,725|728|91|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,420|1,012|37|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,387|710|53|Wisconsin}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|734|904|61|Wisconsin}}

==See also==
* [[List of lakes in Wisconsin#Taylor County|List of Taylor County lakes]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Taylor County, Wisconsin]]
* 
* [[Pine Line Trail]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Latton, Arthur J. ''[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fwch&CISOPTR=31424 Reminiscences and Anecdotes of early Taylor County]''

==External links==
* [http://www.co.taylor.wi.us/ Taylor County official website]
* [https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/taylor.pdf Taylor County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
* Old county maps: [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/1797/rec/27 1873] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/1046/rec/12 1880] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/19852/rec/21 1888] [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/maps/id/1568/rv/singleitem/rec/14 1900][https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/20257/rec/14 1900] [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/20287/rec/15 1911][https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/26852/rec/10 1913]
* [http://www.uni.edu/kuse/tannery.htm Tannery] - Loretta Kuse's page on early tanneries in Taylor County, with old photos

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Taylor County, Wisconsin
|North     = [[Price County, Wisconsin|Price County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Lincoln County, Wisconsin|Lincoln County]]
|Southeast = [[Marathon County, Wisconsin|Marathon County]]
|South     = [[Clark County, Wisconsin|Clark County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Chippewa County, Wisconsin|Chippewa County]]
|Northwest = [[Rusk County, Wisconsin|Rusk County]]
}}

{{Taylor County, Wisconsin}}
{{Wisconsin}}

{{coord|45.21|-90.50|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Taylor County, Wisconsin| ]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1875]]