Towns

TOWNS, like counties, were created by the state to provide basic municipal services. Rooted in New England and New York tradition, town government came to Wisconsin with the settlers, but Wisconsin towns were not like their Eastern counterparts that reflected the existing patterns of local settlement. In Wisconsin, towns are geographical subdivisions of counties. Towns originally served (and for the most part they continue to serve) rural areas. Towns govern those areas of Wisconsin not included in the corporate boundaries of cities and villages.

The difference between "township" and "town" often confuses the public. In Wisconsin, "township' refers to the surveyor's township which was laid out to identify land parcels within a county. Theoretically, a township is a square tract of land, measuring six miles on a side for a total of 36 square miles in the unit. Each township is divided into 36 sections. "Town", as the word is used in Wisconsin, denotes a specific unit of government. Its boundaries may coincide with the surveyor's township or it may look quite different. A Town may include one, parts of, or several townships.

[Information above taken from State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1997-1998 Compiled by the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. chpt. "The Changing World of Wisconsin Local Government'" sec. 3. Municipalities: The Most local of Governments. pags115-122. Wisconsin Blue Books are Publ. Biennially In Odd-Numbered Years.]

Price County is currently divided into 17 'TOWNS' however, it began with only two.

When Price County was first formed, it included two Towns:

Brannan and Worcester.

As more settlers moved into the county, additional Towns were formed to govern the various areas of settlements.

They are listed here in order of when they were formed.