Area Code 608

Where Is Area Code 608?

Area code 608 is the area code for a portion of southwestern Wisconsin, which includes the capital city of Madison. Area code 608 is located in the Central Time Zone and covers 19 counties of Wisconsin. Area code 608 was put into use in 1955 and was created from a split of area code 414.

Located in south-central Wisconsin, Madison is the second most populous city in the state and the capital of the state. Madison is the county seat of Dane County and is roughly 79 miles west of Milwaukee and 147 miles northwest of Chicago. Going back in history, James Duane Doty bought 1,261 acres of land on an isthmus between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota in 1829. In 1836, Doty lobbied aggressively for Madison to be selected as the new capital; he named the city Madison for James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. Madison was incorporated as a village in 1846 and as a city in 1856. Today Madison has a population of 233,209 and the racial makeup of the city is 78.9% White, 7.4% Asian, 7.3% African American, and 6.8% Hispanic (2010 Census). While much of the economy is centered on government, the economy has expanded to include consumer services and high technology. Many businesses are moving to Madison because of the city’s high level of education; almost 50% of Madison's population over the age of 25 holds at least a bachelor's degree. Madison is home to University of Wisconsin–Madison, the oldest and largest public university in the state. Music is a big part of Madison’s culture, which is why the city hosts many music festivals in the summer, including the Marquette Waterfront Festival and the Isthmus Jazz Festival. Points of interest in the city include the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, the Wisconsin State Capitol, the Memorial Union Terrace, the Henry Vilas Zoo, the Chazen Museum of Art, and the Madison Children's Museum.

La Crosse is situated on Wisconsin's western border alongside the Mississippi River and is the county seat of La Crosse County. Towering 500 feet bluffs surround La Crosse’s prairie landscape; Grandad Bluff is the most prominent and offers views of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and the Mississippi River. La Crosse is recognized as a college town and a regional technology and medical hub. Going back in history, the first Europeans arrived in the late 17th century but there was no written record of any visit to the area until Zebulon Pike arrived in 1805; he recorded the location's name as "Prairie La Crosse." In 1841, Nathan Myrick established the first white settlement at Prairie La Crosse, a fur trading post. A small village grew around Myrick's fur trading post in the 1840s, which included the construction of stores, a hotel, and a post office. La Crosse was platted in 1851 and incorporated in 1856. During the second half of the 19th century, La Crosse was a center of the lumber industry and brewing industry. By the start of the 20th century, three colleges and universities were founded in La Crosse.

La Crosse is considered the region’s medical hub because it is home to two major regional health care facilities, Gundersen Health System and Franciscan Skemp Medical Center. La Crosse is also a center for education because it is home to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College. Downtown La Crosse has experienced major growth in recent years and is home to numerous bars, nightclubs, hotels, and specialty shops. The La Crosse Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown La Crosse that is used for trade shows, sporting events, conventions, meetings, concerts, and banquets. One of the most popular spots in the city is Riverside Park, a public park located on the riverfront of downtown La Crosse that has been open since 1911. La Crosse hosts many annual events throughout the year, including La Crosse Oktoberfest, La Crosse Riverfest, and La Crosse Storytelling Festival.

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