Wisconsin Dells , Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells is a city located in south-central Wisconsin , in the United States . As of the 2000 census , the city population was 2 , 418 . Together with nearby Lake Delton , the city forms an area known as `` the Dells '' , a popular Midwestern tourist destination boasting an estimated 3 million annual visitors . Wisconsin Dells is located partially within four counties : Adams County , Columbia County , Juneau County , Sauk County . The city takes its name from the Dells of the Wisconsin River , a spectacular glacially-formed gorge that features striking sandstone rock formations along the banks of the Wisconsin River With 18 indoor and 3 outdoor water parks in `` the Dells '' region , Wisconsin Dells proclaims itself as the `` Water Park Capital of the World , `` and it boasts the largest outdoor water park in the U.S. ( see Noah 's Ark ) , as well as the nation 's largest indoor water park resort . Other attractions in `` the Dells '' include golf , mini golf , go-karts , water sports , horseback riding , the Tommy Bartlett Thrill Show , and many other places of interest . Accommodations range from economical motels to RV parks to extravagant resorts . Cosmopolitan Atmosphere Visitors will notice the high amount of foreign employees that work at Wisconsin Dells . This is due to the high demand for cheap , seasonal labor , as the amount of people in Wisconsin Dells greatly increases in the summer but remains below 3 , 000 during the other seasons . There are several international programs that facilitate this . Most of these foreign workers hail from Eastern Europe and South America , with a smaller amount from Scandinavia ( usually Finland ) , Western Europe ( usually Great Britain ) and Australia . Nearly all of these workers are 'college-age ' ( between the ages of 18-24 ) young adults . This cosmopolitan mix ( which one rarely if ever finds elsewhere in rural Wisconsin ) , along with the relative ease of finding employment during the summer months and low cost of living , has lead Wisconsin Dells to be put on lists such as `` Best Places For College Students to Work During the Summer , `` created by Time Magazine in the spring of 2004 . Some of the foreign workers choose to stay permanently in Wisconsin Dells , although most return to their home countries at the end of the summer . History Wisconsin Dells was founded as Kilbourn City in 1857 by Byron Kilbourn , who is notable for also founding Kilbourntown , one of the three original towns at the confluence of the Milwaukee , Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers that joined to become Milwaukee . Before the establishment of Kilbourn City , the region around the dells of the Wisconsin River was primarily a lumbering area until 1851 , when the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad was chartered with Kilbourn as its president . The railroad made plans to bridge the Wisconsin River near the river 's dells , and a boomtown named Newport sprang up at the expected site of the bridge in 1853 . The population of this new city quickly swelled to over 2000 , but when the railroad finally came through the area in 1857 it took nearly everyone by surprise by crossing the river a mile upstream from the site of Newport . As a result , Newport was rapidly turned into a ghost town as the settlers flocked to the new city at the site of the railroad bridge , Kilbourn City . Because of the scenery provided by the dells of the Wisconsin River , Kilbourn City quickly became a popular travel destination in the Midwest . In 1875 , early landscape photographer H. H. Bennett established a studio in the city and took several photos of the sandstone formations in the dells , including many stereoscopic views . Prints of these photographs were distributed across the United States , further enhancing the status of Kilbourn City as a destination for sightseers . Taking advantage of this , Bennett began offering to take souvenir pictures of visitors to the dells , becoming one of the first to capitalize on the area 's burgeoning tourist trade . Today , the H. H. Bennett Studio is a historic site operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society . The dells region remained primarily a place for sightseers to escape the bustle of the city for many decades . A few events of interest took place during this time , including the June 16 , 1911 , impact of a 772-gram stony meteorite in rural Columbia County near the city , damaging a barn . In 1931 Kilbourn City was renamed Wisconsin Dells after the natural feature which was drawing so many visitors to the town . As the twentieth century progressed , new attractions would begin to draw even more tourists . In 1946 Wisconsin Ducks began offering tours of the river dells and adjacent areas using decommissioned amphibious DUKW vehicles from World War II . Jack B. Olson started the Wisconsin Ducks . The Ducks remain one of the area 's most popular attractions . Later , in 1952 , a new traveling performance from Chicago called the `` Tommy Bartlett Water Ski & Jumping Boat Thrill Show '' came to Wisconsin Dells on its second stop . Following the show 's huge success in the city , the show 's owner , Tommy Bartlett , chose to keep the performances permanently in Wisconsin Dells . To promote the show , Bartlett gave away bumper stickers advertising his thrill show and the city , effectively spreading word about the area across the nation . Soon more attractions followed to serve the ever-increasing number of tourists , along with countless hotels , shops , and restaurants . Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing to the present , the Dells area has become a waterpark mecca . Noah 's Ark water park opened in Wisconsin Dells in 1979 , and has grown to become the largest and the eighth most visited waterpark in the U.S. Other outdoor amusement and water parks followed , featuring water slides , mini golf , roller coasters , go karts , and other attractions . In 1994 the Polynesian Resort Hotel opened the area 's first indoor water park , and recently the number of combination resort/indoor water parks in the Dells area has swelled , with each new indoor park a bit larger than the last , in an effort to claim the `` world 's largest '' title for the resort . State Temperature Record On July 13 , 1936 , the temperature in Wisconsin Dells reached 114°F ( 46°C ) , the highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin . Geography According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.4 km² ( 4.4 mi² ) . 10.7 km² ( 4.2 mi² ) of it is land and 0.6 km² ( 0.2 mi² ) of it ( 5.68% ) is water . According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration , on January 19 , 2004 the city annexed land from the Town of Lyndon in Juneau County , thus expanding the city to include area in four counties . Demographics As of the census GR2 of 2000 , there were 2 , 418 people , 1 , 019 households , and 609 families residing in the city . The population density was 225.0/km² ( 583.1/mi² ) . There were 1 , 178 housing units at an average density of 109.6/km² ( 284.1/mi² ) . The racial makeup of the city was 97.56% White , 0.37% African American , 0.87% Native American , 0.25% Asian , 0.33% from other races , and 0.62% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population . There were 1 , 019 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them , 45.5% were married couples living together , 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present , and 40.2% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older . The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.93 . In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18 , 7.8% from 18 to 24 , 27.3% from 25 to 44 , 23.6% from 45 to 64 , and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older . The median age was 41 years . For every 100 females there were 87.9 males . For every 100 females age 18 and over , there were 86.7 males . The median income for a household in the city was $ 35 , 699 , and the median income for a family was $ 46 , 304 . Males had a median income of $ 29 , 830 versus $ 22 , 553 for females . The per capita income for the city was $ 23 , 447 . About 4.0% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over . References ^ Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau 2004-2005 Annual Report ( PDF ) ^ UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences External links Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau Maps and aerial photos Coordinates : 43.626613° -89.774557° Street map from Google Maps , or Yahoo ! Maps , or Windows Live Local Satellite image from Google Maps , Windows Live Local , WikiMapia Topographic map from TopoZone Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA Categories : Adams County , Wisconsin | Columbia County , Wisconsin | Juneau County , Wisconsin | Sauk County , Wisconsin | Cities in Wisconsin 2 43.626613 -89.774557 