WALWORTH COUNTY
County Offices
100 West Walworth Street
Elkhorn
262-741-4157
www.co.walworth.wi.us
Chamber of Commerce
114 W. Court Street
Elkhorn
262-723-5788
www.elkhorn-wi.org
Services
The southeastern Wisconsin county of Walworth is one of the oldest and most affluent in the state, boasting a breathtaking topography of rolling hills, deep forests, prairies and meadows, and winding streams. The natural beauty and quality of life offered by the county is driving rapid growth in the region’s cities, towns, and villages. Excellent services include outstanding educational opportunities on every level and state-of-the-art healthcare in easily accessible major hospitals and medical centers supported by local clinics and skilled professionals in private practice.
Aurora Lakeland Medical Center in the county seat of Elkhorn provides advanced diagnostics and treatment in a wide range of specialties from rehabilitation to the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic. Aurora Health Care’s Memorial Hospital of Burlington is convenient to some Walworth County communities, providing a general, acute-care hospital staffed by more than 100 physicians. Mercy Whitewater Medical Center provides urgent care and a variety of medical and surgical specialties as well as convenient clinics in Sharon, Lake Geneva, and Delevan. Throughout the region, professionals who represent every major medical and dental and health-sciences specialty are available within a short drive from home. Whitewater residents enjoy easy access to the regional hospital in Fort Atkinson.
Walworth County is dedicated to providing quality public schools, although opportunities for a private education in a parochial or independent school offer alternative learning environments. Local school districts produce students who perform well above national averages in achievement and college-board testing and also provide leading school-to-work initiatives and superior vocational-technical programs. Whitewater is home to a campus for the University of Wisconsin that offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and nearly 15 master’s degree programs on its expansive 400-acre campus. Walworth also provides an extension facility for the University of Wisconsin, delivering the knowledge and resources of UW to the smaller surrounding communities. Aurora University maintains its George Williams Lake Geneva Campus in Williams Bay.
Lifestyle
Panoramic Walworth County is cradled in the heart of Wisconsin’s “Lake Country,” a region where sparkling lakes harmonize with vast acres of enchanting forests. Recreational opportunities and outdoor adventures are virtually unlimited for residents and visitors alike. The county boasts nearly 15 campgrounds with well over one thousand camp sites, 34 miles of hiking trails, 25 miles of cross-country ski trails, and more than 180 miles of snowmobile trails. Because Walworth County has long been one of Wisconsin’s most popular vacation and seasonal-home destinations, the attractions are exceptionally well developed. Leisure activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, boating, sailing, water sports, hunting, fishing, winter sports, and off-roading.
The crown jewel of the county’s numerous lakes is the spring-fed Geneva Lake, a full nine miles in length and ranging from one to three miles in width for an expansive shoreline. Geneva Lake has been a premier choice for relaxation and recreation since the 1800s, gracing white-sand beaches with fine resorts, quaint shops, and scenic campgrounds. Alpine Valley Music Theater draws major performers for summer evening productions and serves as a popular ski resort during the winter months, while dog-racing fans enjoy the thrills at the Geneva Lakes Greyhound Track. Golf courses in Walworth County are well-known for their natural beauty and preferred status among avid golfers.
Many of the communities mingle magnificent bed and breakfast inns and posh resorts with lovely homes that span a wide range of styles, sizes, and periods for a truly charming, upscale setting. Waterfront estates, historic homes, country manors, and cozy family homes tucked away in city or village neighborhoods are just a few of the lifestyle choices. In spite of the county’s wealth and the upscale atmosphere set by many of its resorts and spas, tradition and reverence for the past are evident around every corner. Fine museums, wonderful galleries, historic sites, quaint retail districts, and colorful annual events preserve a small-town spirit. Lovely cities like Elkhorn and Whitewater excel in urban amenities and advantages, while serene villages and townships balance residential development with thriving businesses. For an exceptional quality of life in southeastern Wisconsin, Walworth County stands in a class of its own.
Delavan, Delavan Lake, Darien
Delavan City Hall
262-728-5585
http://ci.delavan.wi.us/
Darien Village Hall
262-724-5055
http://ci.delavan.wi.us/
Chamber of Commerce
262-728-5095
www.delavanwi.org
The captivating city of Delavan serves as the economic engine and social center of this moderately populated area that includes Darien township and village. Superlative opportunities for outdoor recreation are underlined by the spring-fed Delavan Lake, offering one of the finest fishing waters in the state and a scenic backdrop for residential development. Quality leisure hours can be spent boating, skiing, jet skiing, golfing, fishing, and horseback riding. Delavan and Comus lakes also offer winter ice fishing. Highlights include the natural resource area of Memorial Arboretum, a community recreational corridor system along Swan Creek, lush neighborhood parks, a sledding hill, winding trails, a municipal golf course, and excellent antique shopping. Magnificent Victorian inns like the Allyn Mansion, cozy cottages, wonderful resorts, a local history museum, and beautiful homes both traditional and contemporary grace the city and surrounding town.
East Troy, Troy
East Troy Town Hall
262-642-6255
https://easttroywi.gov/
East Troy Village Hall
262-642-6255
https://easttroywi.gov/
Troy Town Hall
262-642-5292
https://easttroywi.gov/
Chamber of Commerce
262-642-3770
https://easttroywi.gov/
The region that encompasses the town of Troy as well as the village and town of East Troy excels in a close-knit community spirit where families can picnic on the village Square or hike through surrounding preserves and recreational areas. Highlights in this area include colorful annual festivals, musical concerts, the East Troy Electric Railroad Museum, delightful shops, popular restaurants, and convenient services. The village provides a comfortable, charming home for residents whose ancestors were founding settlers and newcomers who desire a retreat from urban crowds. Thriving companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs have also found a home in the East Troy region, creating a growing local economy. Surrounding the towns and village are vast acres of natural beauty that invite hiking, biking, horseback riding, boating, fishing, hunting, water sports, and winter sports on shimmering lakes and in lush forests.
Elkhorn
City Hall
262-723-2219
www.elkhorn-wi.org
Chamber of Commerce
262-723-5788
www.elkhorn-wi.org
Rich in history and tradition, the beautiful city of Elkhorn serves as the seat of county government and a hub of commercial activity, economic opportunity, and convenient services. Old-fashioned band concerts in the park, antique flea markets, ski shows, superb golfing, fine shops, a new scenic bike trail, and one of the largest county fairs in the Midwest are just a few of the unique attractions. Elkhorn is most famous for its annual Christmas Parade and its status as the “Christmas Card Town.” Offering the quintessential image for holiday cards, the festively decorated town draws visitors every Yuletide season. Paintings of the town in the late 1950s were later reprinted into holiday cards that blanketed the globe. Outstanding schools, a model industrial park, and a fine selection of housing add to the quality of life in this “picture perfect” community.
Genoa City, Bloomfield, Linn
Genoa City Village Hall
262-279-6472
www.genoacity.info/offices.html
Bloomfield Town Hall
262-279-6039
Linn Town Hall
262-275-6300
http://townoflinn.com/
Chamber of Commerce
262-248-4416
http://genoaareachamber.com/
The small village of Genoa City combines with the towns of Bloomfield and Linn to offer the relaxed pace of country living within minutes from Lake Geneva recreational amenities including Big Foot Beach State Park. Genoa City nestles in the far southeastern corner of the county, hugging the Illinois state border and Kenosha County. To the east of Genoa lies the twin lakes of Mary and Elizabeth, and to the north is Powers Lake. Even closer to home are the smaller bodies of water, Pell Lake and Goose Pond. Residents enjoy the pleasures of a small-town atmosphere and rural pleasures in a region that excels in natural beauty and outdoor recreation. The long list of attractions in nearby Lake Geneva add to the quality of life, including wonderful retail shops, a major race track, fine dining, and convenient services.
Lake Geneva
City Hall
262-248-3673
www.cityoflakegeneva.com
Chamber of Commerce
262-248-4416
https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/
The breathtaking beauty of the Lake Geneva community creates the backdrop for fine resorts and inns, delightful spas, wonderful restaurants, and expansive shopping. Boating, golfing, music festivals, or treasure hunts through charming antique shops are just a few of the common pastimes. Lake Geneva Raceway draws enthusiastic crowds to high-speed thrills at one of the world’s fastest one-third mile paved oval race tracks. Because this area is so popular as a seasonal home and vacation getaway, amusements and amenities are highly developed. Go-karting, parasailing, and parachuting are just a few of the unique sports that combine with world-class boating and water sports or winter recreation. The picturesque waterfront offers an especially panoramic backdrop for spectacular festivals and celebrations that span the four seasons.
Walworth, Sharon
Walworth Village Hall
262-275-2127
http://www.villageofwalworth.govoffice2.com
Sharon Village Hall
262-736-4888
http://villageofsharon.com
Chamber of Commerce
262-741-4357
http://www.visitwalworthcounty.com/
For more than 130 years, Walworth has enjoyed a reputation as a relaxed residential community with lovely tree-lined streets and well-kept neighborhoods. The charming downtown square with its sparkling fountain provides a scenic centerpiece for activities from ice-cream socials to the famous corn and brat festival. Excellent educational facilities including an extension for the University of Wisconsin, flourishing businesses, a comfortable hometown environment, and close proximity to Lake Geneva recreation add to the quality of life. Sharon offers a rural community in the southwestern corner of the county that touches the Illinois state line. Much of the farmland in this fertile region has been family-owned for decades or even more than a century. Several thriving businesses in Sharon now combine with a growing manufacturing sector.
Whitewater, LaGrange
Whitewater City Hall
262-473-0500
http://www.whitewater-wi.gov
LaGrange Town Hall
262-495-8200
http://townoflagrangewi.com
Chamber of Commerce
262-473-4005
www.whitewaterchamber.com
Cradled within a region filled with lakes, forests, and prairies, Whitewater offers the intellectual stimulation of a college town and the recreational amenities of a vacation destination. Two beautiful lakes grace the city with panoramic vistas and provide a wealth of outdoor sporting and leisure experiences. Nearby, the Kettle Moraine State Forest beckons outdoor enthusiasts to trails for skiing, biking, and hiking as well as camp sites with abundant wildlife. Recent decades have brought tremendous growth to the city, including a 540-acre business park and contemporary homes that harmonize with traditional and historic architecture. Highlights include performing arts at the university, a farmers market, the annual Whitewater Merchant’s Armory Sale, sports facilities and recreational programs, and colorful festivals around the four seasons. The town of LaGrange borders Whitewater, offering a wide variety of residential choices including the beautiful Lauderdale Lakes development.
Williams Bay, Fontana
Williams Bay Village Hall
262-245-2700
www.williamsbay.org
Fontana Village Hall
262- 275-6136
www.villageoffontana.com
Chamber of Commerce
262-248-4416
https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/
Boasting award-winning lakefront development around one of the finest lakes in Wisconsin, Williams Bay is well-known as an attractive resort community. The village is home to the Yerkes Observatory, a premier facility devoted to research in astronomy and astrophysics. The excursion boat service of Gage Marine is also headquartered at Williams Bay. Students of all ages appreciate the full-service educational center for Aurora University within the village. The population of the community nearly doubles during the summer months when throngs of visitors arrive to enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, and leisure walks around the lake. The nearby village of Fontana lies on the west end of Geneva Lake, set against a backdrop of tree-clad hills. One of the Midwest’s largest and finest resorts, an excellent school system, lovely parks, and a sandy beach combine with abundant winter sports for year-round enjoyment.
