Wisconsin 4-H began with the goal of reaching farm communities with improved agricultural technology and practices through youth. Local teachers organized clubs in schools and rural communities that developed crop and livestock demonstrations. On October 1, 1914, songwriter Thomas L. Bewick was appointed Wisconsin's first Boys and Girls (4-H) Club Leader with the new Cooperative Extension Service. Soon the clubs expanded their activities and participated in State Fair exhibits beginning in 1915, annual junior livestock expositions beginning in 1917, and a wartime cold pack food preservation beginning in 1917.
4-H programs and funding expanded throughout the 1920s and 1930s. In 1921 Marathon County hired future radio host Wakelin McNeel as the county's first Extension agent. McNeel also helped 4-H obtain access to Upham Woods, 310 acres of land near the Wisconsin Dells, to use as a camp site and forest school. By 1927 federal funding helped Cooperative Extension appoint more agents, including Marathon's C.J McAleavy, Marinette's Bruce Cartter, and Milwaukee's Ben Hauser. The next year the Forest County opened the first three school forests in the state. By 1934 Wisconsinites participated in county leader organizations which ensured uniform programs and leadership training, gatherings focused on planning and judging programs and artistic activities, and as delegates at the first National 4-H Club Camp in Washington, DC. By 1938 30,877 Wisconsinites were enrolled in State 4-H Club activities, with some of the most popular being dairy, field crops, and clothing.
After the end of the Second World War Wisconsin 4-H continued to grow and expand its programs, from the International Farm Youth Exchange (later renamed the International 4-H Youth Exchange) to a variety of urban programs. Members participated in programs in a variety of areas beyond agriculture including health, music, citizenship, conservation, and home improvement. One of the most lasting programs was the International Farm Youth Exchange, which began in 1951 with exchange students from Germany, Finland, France, and Belgium. 4-H received new funding from the Wisconsin 4-H Club beginning in 1953 and the federal government in 1955 and expanded preexisting work while introducing programs in major cities like Milwaukee throughout the 1960s. The first 4-H agent training workshop on urban programming in 1963 reflected new efforts to reach out to urban youth, youth of color, working class youth, and disabled youth. In 1973 additional federal funding helped 4-H hire additional staff and develop new programs like day camps and short-term project clubs to reach more diverse youth. In the mid-1970s 4-H created Expansion and Review committees to comply with national Civil Rights legislation by analyzing participation trends and developing new programs for diverse audiences.
From the 1980s onward Wisconsin 4-H continued to expand its program offerings, from programs focused on family life to a new focus on youth involvement in state and local government. A variety of programs including aerospace, veterinary science, bicycle safety, dairy programs for youth without their own animals, and consumer education reached new audiences. By 1983 over 100,000 youth were enrolled in Wisconsin 4-H programs. Youth empowerment and youth in governance soon became the focus of many 4-H programs and collaborations with county and state agencies and non-profits. In 1989 4-H created the Youth Futures program to develop plans to address youth problems with the help of youth, educators, parents, and community members. Staff also collaborates with county agencies by helping to establish programs like teen court. In 2002 4-H celebrated its centennial with local and national meetings and reports.
