County · code 55129
Washburn CountyWisconsin
Washburn County is in Wisconsin and was created in 1883 from Burnett County, with its seat in Shell Lake.
- Founded1883
- County seatShell Lake
- Named forCadwallader C. Washburn
- Land area797 sq mi + 56 sq mi water
- Population16,623 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped34,927 checked 14 October 2026
Where it is
Washburn on the map of Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 72 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1883 from Burnett County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Washburn County was created from Burnett County on April 7, 1883, and was named after Cadwallader C. Washburn.
- 1883Washburn County created Washburn created from Burnett. · Wis. Laws 1883, ch. 172, secs. 1-2, 11/pp. 138-141
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Washburn
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 34,927 parcels from Wisconsin DOA, Wisconsin Land Information Program, with the State Cartographer's Office (V12 Statewide Parcels). Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 30 June 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Washburn County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Washburn by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Records
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Washburn County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Washburn County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Washburn County
- When was Washburn County founded?
- Washburn County was founded in 1883, formed from Burnett County, and named after Cadwallader C. Washburn.
- What is the county seat of Washburn County?
- The county seat of Washburn County is Shell Lake.
- Is there an online parcel map for Washburn County?
- Yes. Wisconsin DOA, Wisconsin Land Information Program, with the State Cartographer's Office (V12 Statewide Parcels) publishes a parcel map of 34,927 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Washburn County's boundary or name changed?
- Washburn County was created in 1883 from Burnett County. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records no boundary change since.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Washburn County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Washburn County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby