Visitor Center
Welcome to Richland Center!
Richland County, WI was established in 1842, and now has an estimated population of 18,052. The county seat is located in Richland Center. It has 586.2 sq. miles of land and a population density of 30.2 per square mile. Situated 60 miles west of Madison and 60 miles east of La Crosse, Richland Center is perfectly located to utilize the resources offered by the metropolitan areas, while enjoying the benefits of the rural setting.
Manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, education and tourism lead the county’s economic profile.
Richland Center (population 5184) offers excellent education from the Richland School District, the City owned Richland Airport located in Sextonville, a newly renovated Richland Hospital and Richland Medical Center, UW Platteville Richland and a nearby Southwest WI Technical College. There are many churches, a variety of parks and recreational opportunities, and is a safe place to raise a family. The surrounding area is filled with artisans of architecture, crafts, theater, music, foods, and wineries. This community offers a relaxed environment centrally located near metropolitan areas and recreational destinations. The surrounding hills, valleys and trout streams offer beauty in four seasons.
Manufacturing has been the largest industry sector providing employment, and has a large presence in dairy manufacturing with four plants located in Richland Center. The dairy industry leads the sales of agricultural commodities produced in Richland County. Agriculture provides 41% of the jobs in Richland County and generates about 49% of the county’s total business sales.
Richland Center is the birthplace of Architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1867 and the birthplace of GTE in 1918. In 1882 the Richland Center Women’s Club began and it would later become the largest suffrage group in Wisconsin which also produced Wisconsin’s foremost suffragist Ada James who was the founding member of the statewide Political Equality League. Theron Moon started the first cable television system in the state in Richland Center, Wisconsin on January 1, 1952. The State’s first auditorium was built in Richland Center and is currently undergoing renovations. Richland Center has a rich history and although the Depot/Visitor Center will have some history, more can be obtained from the History Room at the Brewer Public Library located at 325 N. Central Avenue, 608-647-6444.
Richland Center Tourism Information
Hours: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Wednesday and 8:00 AM to noon on Thursdays and Friday. Hours may be vary. Due to COVID-19, the Visitor Center is temporarily closed. If you need assistance, call 608-649-3376 and leave a message or email marty.richards@richlandcenterwi.gov
The Visitor Center assists with travel and event information and is the location of Greater Richland area Chamber of Commerce.
The Depot was built in 1909 and served the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul passenger line into the 1950’s and freight service into the 1980’s. In 1998, the City of Richland Center bought the depot from the Department of Transportation for $33,000. Restoration began and it was dedicated in October of 2001. A restored Caboose was placed at the site shortly after the restoration was finished.
Visitor Information
397 W. Seminary Street
Richland Center, WI 53581
Telephone: 608-649-3376 (DEPO)
visitor.center@richlandcenter.com
Check out more information about events and things to do at the Richland Center Tourism website, or the Hidden Valleys of Southwest Wisconsin website.
