Welcome to St, Croix County, the scenic gateway to Western Wisconsin along interstate 94.  Bound on the western side by the beautiful St. Croix river. The county was originally home to the Chippewa and Sioux Indians and was first visited by the French in 1687.  St. Croix County was pivotal in the development of the upper mid west. The steamboat “Palmyra” first opened the upper St. Croix River for trade in 1839 and in 1840 the first settlement was established at the mouth of the Willow River near what is today the City of Hudson Wisconsin.

   The pristine forest that laid between the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers provided the resources for the rapid development of a lucrative lumber industry. By 1881, rail transportation was well established connecting this frontier with the East.  Wheat together with other grains became the main source of farm income until the turn of century.  Beginning in the late 1800’s, the county experienced a mass immigration of Scandinavians who brought with them herding and cheese making skills that became part of the foundation for the Wisconsin dairy industry.  Today in St. Croix County the agricultural industry is giving way to the development of light industry and elite bedroom communities that serve the Twin Cities.