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 History of Waupaca County

Waupaca County was officially established in 1851.  It is said to be named after either a Potawotomi Indian Chief, “Wa-puka”, or for the pale, clear water of the Waupaca River, “Wabuck-Seba”.  Waupaca County was located on the southern boundary of the great northern pine forest and, thus, the lumber industry grew quite rapidly.  The first sawmill was developed in the Town of Mukwa in 1848.  Agriculture soon followed with the first furrow being plowed in the Town of Lind in 1849.  Known initially for its potatoes, Waupaca County was dominated by the dairy industry by the late 1880s.

 Waupaca County Landscape

Waupaca County is home to a very diverse landscape.  The Northwestern portion is characterized by gently sloping to hilly topography with frequent outcrops of granite bedrock.  Many streams and rivers run between the ridges, called moraines, and mimic the way the glacier melted thousands of years ago.  The Southwestern portion is scattered with kettle lakes and hills.  The Chain O’Lakes, a 22 lake chain encompassing about 800 acres, provides the focal point.  The Southeastern portion has nearly level topography and is home to the famous Wolf River.  The Northeastern portion is known for its productive agricultural resources and is home to another great water resource, the Embarrass River.  The Central portion is characterized by a mixture of agriculture and woodlands, which marks the tension zone between the historic forests and vast prairies.

 Background on the Waupaca County Comprehensive Planning

About a year following the adoption of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Planning Law, the Waupaca County Board Chair, Duane Brown, appointed the Smart Growth Advisory Committee to study whether or not the County wanted to develop a comprehensive plan.  The Advisory Committee reported back that developing a comprehensive plan for the entire county, including having each municipality develop their own plan, was in the best interest of the citizenry. 

In September 2001, the County Board vaulted Waupaca County into a leadership position in Wisconsin by approving that the project move forward if the County could receive State grant funding.  The grant was applied for in the Fall of 2002.  Between September 2001 and the time the grant was applied for, 33 of 34 cities, villages, and towns entered into contract with the county to form a team that will develop the comprehensive plans in partnership with each other.

In the Spring of 2003, the County received word that a grant of $504,500 was received and a contract to receive this funding was signed with the State.  Throughout the Spring and Summer of 2003, the details of the planning process were hashed out and in September the County Board approved the process communities will go through and contracts with Foth Infrastructure (a planning consultant from Green Bay) and Waupaca County Economic Development Corporation (project administration).   

The final plans can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

Waupaca County Comprehensive Plans