Green Lake County

Posted by Melisa Ryan on December 10, 2009
Categories: 72 Counties in 72 Weeks

Green Lake shares its name with Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake which is 237 feet at its deepest point.  Located along the Fox-Wisconsin waterway, Green Lake County is a frequent destination for Wisconsin’s outdoor enthusiasts.  With 20 lakes and the Fox River, Green Lake County is a popular destination for sport fishing.  Water sports and swimming are also popular recreational activities.
 
Originally part of Brown County and then the Marquette District, Green Lake was incorporated as its own county in 1858.  At only 380 square miles, modern Green Lake is one of Wisconsin’s smallest counties.  Green Lake County is also known as a producer of cranberries, Wisconsin’s leading fruit product.  Wisconsin’s first cranberries were grown in Green Lake’s own Berlin, and it is credited with the birth of an industry that has grown across the state.  Today, nearly 50% of the cranberries eaten in the U.S. are grown in Wisconsin.
 
Badger Mining, a sand-and-limestone-producing operation, is located in several communities around the county and headquartered in Berlin. Magnum Products, which makes light towers, mobile generators, and other construction products, is also based in Berlin.
 
Facts of Interest

• "Wisconsin's Largest Weekly Outdoor Flea Market" is in Princeton.
• The need for a road that connected Stevens Point and Fond du Lac led to the foundation of Berlin. The location was selected as the most feasible location for a new route to cross the Fox River.
• Green Lake hosts an annual Chalk Art Festival where visitors are encouraged to create their own chalk art creations.
• Both the Burning Down the Fox Bar-B-Q Championship and the Wisconsin State Chili Cook-off are held annually in Green Lake County.
• Green Lake is home to the Gloria Hills Sculpture Garden, which features a collection of sculptures by artist Lester O. Schwartz.
• Lawsonia, one of Wisconsin's first public golf courses, has been recognized nationally by both Golf Digest and Golf Weekly for its quality and affordability.  Lawsonia was also the first public course to host the Wisconsin State Golf Association's State Amateur tournament in 1980.

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