History and Genealogy of Winnebago County, Iowa
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Cities and Towns Forest City Buffalo Center Lake Mills Leland Rake Scarville Thompson		County Information County Seat: Forest City Year Organized: 1847 Square Miles: 400 Courthouse: 126 South Clark Street County Courthouse Forest City, IA 50436-1706 Phone: (641)585-3412 Fax: (641)585-2891 Research Help
Winnebago County was named in honor of the Winnebago Indian tribe that resided in the area. The term Winnebago means "Men of the Bad Smelling Waters," or "People of Stinking Water." Winnebago. In 1840 this tribe went to the Neutral Ground in Iowa assigned to them by treaty of September 15, 1832, whence they removed in 1848 to Minnesota.   The county was established in 1851.  The earliest white settler of Winnebago County was George W. Thomas in 1855. The county was organized in the fall of 1857, the following being the first officers elected: Robert Clark, county judge; C.H. Day, treasurer and recorder; B.F. Denslow, clerk of courts; John S. Blowers, sheriff; and C.W. Scott, superintendent of schools and surveyor. The first and only county seat of Winnebago County is Forest City. Forest City, which was platted by Robert Clark in 1856, was named after the abundance of  timber found there. The first courthouse was a two-room log cabin that was located on the courthouse square. In 1860 a petition was circulated calling for a more appropriate building. Soon after, $20,000 in bonds was sold for the construction of this building. After the construction had begun, the conservative members of the board opposed such an expensive building. Consequently, a less expensive, two-story soft brick building was constructed. This building, like the previous building, was located on the courthouse square. A frame addition was completed in 1877.
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