Green County Courthouse on September 2, 2012
Green County was formed in 1836 from land that had been part of Iowa County. The new county was named for the Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, though they didn’t get the spelling right. Green County lies between Dane County to the north and the state of Illinois to the south. Green County is well known for dairy farming and cheese production; this is a consequence of several waves of immigration from Switzerland.
The city of Monroe is the county seat; it was incorporated as a city in 1882. The city is named after James Monroe who served as the fifth president of the United States. Although not as self-consciously Swiss as New Glarus, Monroe was heavily influenced by Swiss immigration to the United States beginning in the 1840s and continuing into the 20th century; among the Swiss immigrants from Bern were two of my great-grandparents. Today Monroe’s economy is still somewhat dependent on dairy farming and cheese making. The second oldest continuously operating brewery in the United States is located in Monroe. And Monroe is the home of Colony Brands, formerly known as the Swiss Colony.
The courthouse was completed in 1891. It is located at 1016 16th Avenue in Monroe – it is in the center of the Square in downtown Monroe. In 2009 some of the county offices were moved to the new Justice Center on the northeast side of town at 2841 6th Street. My September 2012 visit to Monroe on my bike was the inspiration for this web site; I’ve visited Monroe and Green County many times since then.
I do have family roots in Green County. My father graduated from Monroe High School, and as a child I remember going to Monroe to visit relatives and also stop at Baumgartner’s on the square to buy cheese.
I spend a lot of time in Green County – it’s a favorite destination for biking and for day trips to visit Monroe or New Glarus. I try to attend Cheese Days in Monroe (held in even numbered years) and I also like to run a 5 K race sponsored by the Green County YMCA in March.
- Green County links
- Photos from a Green County bike trip on September 2, 2012
- Monroe photos from June 25, 2013