General Info
Richland County was established in 1842 when it became part of the Wisconsin Territory. It was set to its current boundaries 8 years later when it was separated from Iowa County. The first European settler in the county was John Coumbe in 1834 and others arrived soon after to stake land claims. Homes were established and Hardin Moore founded the first blacksmith shop in Richland County in 1841. A wagon road was built in 1845, attracting new residents. Mills, general stores, churches, schools and hotels were constructed and the area began to grow. Richland County was then organized and Richland Center was selected as the county seat. Lumbering and farming led early industry and the area’s population reached 1,000 by 1850. Richland County is home to Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect, who designed a few of the more famous buildings in the area. Today Richland County is home to approximately 17,848 residents.
