Richland Center is a city in Richland County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Richland County. As of the 2010 census, 5,184 people lived there.

History

Richland Center was founded in 1851 by Ira Sherwin Hazeltine. Haseltine offered to give land to the county if Richland Center was voted the county seat. In 1852, the Wisconsin Legislature named Richland Center as the seat for Richland County. The Richland County courthouse was built in 1889.

Richland Center, Wisconsin

In 1876, a railroad branch opened to connect Richland Center with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at Lone Rock, Wisconsin. This gave an outlet for the town's commerce. On October 8, 1882, the town's railway depot was destroyed when a fire lit two kegs of gunpowder inside it. This caused an explosion that tore the roof from the building. Another depot was built in 1909. Today, it is a visitor center for the community.

Richland Center, Wisconsin

Frank Lloyd Wright was born at Richland Center in 1867.

Richland Center, Wisconsin

Geography

The city has a total area of . Of this, is land and is water.

Notable people

Svetlana Alliluyeva, only daughter of Joseph Stalin

Lynda Barry, cartoonist

Bradie Ewing, NFL Football player

Joshua L. Johns, U.S. Representative

Gilbert L. Laws, U.S. Representative

Vernon Wallace Thomson, Governor of Wisconsin

Frank Lloyd Wright, architect

Raymond Leo Burke, cardinal

References

Other websites

City of Richland Center

Richland Center Chamber of Commerce

University of Wisconsin - Richland

Brewer Public Library

Richland Electric Cooperative

Cities in Wisconsin

Richland County, Wisconsin

County seats in Wisconsin

1851 establishments in the United States

1850s establishments in Wisconsin