Oconto County, Wisconsin

Oconto County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,660. Its county seat is Oconto. The county was established in 1851.

Oconto County is part of the Green Bay, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Green Bay-Shawano, WI Combined Statistical Area.

History

First visited by French explorers in the 17th century, Oconto County is among the oldest settlements in Wisconsin. Father Claude-Jean Allouez of the Roman Catholic Jesuit order said the first Mass in Oconto. Among the first settlers was Joseph Tourtilott, who explored much of the Oconto River watershed. Many of Tourtilott's descendants continue to reside in Oconto County, which has the highest percentage of residents with French ancestry in Wisconsin. Oconto County was created in 1851 and organized in 1854.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,149 square miles (2,980 km²), of which 998 square miles (2,580 km²) is land and 151 square miles (390 km²) (13%) is water.