WISCONSIN FROM A TO Z

C IS FOR CAPITOL, COMMUNICATIONS, & COUNTIES

• Madison is the CAPITOL of Wisconsin. It is the 5th building to house State Capitol. The square is a major hub for the Madison Metro bus service. The state is sometimes called the Copper State because of the copper mines. Wisconsin has sister-states with Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mesico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjian, and Nicaragua.

• All forms of COMMUNICATIONS are available throughout Wisconsin including newspapers, magazines, radio, television, telephone, and Internet. The state has 5 telephone area codes. There are many Web Cams , and Internet service is available throughout the state.

• Wisconsin has 72 COUNTIES. The largest county is Marathon & Ozaukee is the smallest county. Milwaukee County has the largest population & menominee has the smallest. The term county is the level of local government below the state itself.

• Wisconsin has several DAMS including hydroelectric dams. The Army Corps of Engineers has Dam projects in the state, and the state has a Dam Safety Program. Alternate forms of energy are being investigated including Solar Power and Wind Power

• The Polka is the State Dance. There is a Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame. The Wisconsin Waltz is the State Walts. The Song "On Wisconsin" was adopted as the State Song in 1959.

• There is not any evidence of dinosaurs having lived in Wisconsin, but a skeleton of the Jefferson Mammoth has been found. Fossils have been found in the state including Climactichnites. The State Fossil is Trilobites.

• Wisconsin has very few EARTHQUAKES, but they do happen. The USGS provides information about earthquakes in the state. The first recorded earthquake occurred in 1919. The most recent earthquake occurred in 1974.

• The Department of EDUCATION oversees public education in Wisconsin. It is provided free and is mandatory for any child age 7-18. The State also has private schools that are required to comply with state standards and regulations. Information about schools is available from GreatSchools and SchoolBug.

• A variety of EVENTS and festivals & celebrations are held throughout Wisconsin during the year. The state has more country music festivals than any other state. The Summerfest in Milwaukee is the largest music festival in the country. Many other musical events are held each year. There are also Arts & Crafts Shows. The state observes State & Federal Holidays.

• Many species of FISH are found in lakes, & rivers of Wisconsin, and fishing is a popular activity. The State Fish is the "Muski" Clubs. The Fish and Wildlife Service has a special Kids page about fish. Spring and Fall are times for Fish Watching as they dance, wiggle, and sail through the shallow waters of rivers and lakes to find their breeding places. Wisconsin has many Fish Hatcheries.
• The Wisconsin State FLAG includes the State Seal. Some counties have a flag, and some Native American Tribes have a flag. The State Motto is "Forward".

• Wisconsin has many State FORESTS. The State Tree is the Sugar Mapel. Wisconsin has both State and National Champion Trees. It also has had Grand Champion Christmas Trees presented to the White House.

• The GEOLOGY of Wisconsin is varied and it has some unique geological features The US Geological Survey has programs in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has a variety of Minerals and mines produce copper, iron ore, lead, and zink. The State Gemstone is Galena, and the State Rock is Red Granite. The state has several Rock and Mineral Clubs. The UW-Madison has a Geology Museum.

• Wisconsin has had 3 GHOST TOWNS - Ulao, Aurora, and Ranney

• The GLOBAL POSITION of Wisconsin is approximately 43 degrees north and 89 degrees west. The geographic center of Wisconsin is in Wood County. The highest point is Timms Hill and the lowest point is the Shore of Lake Michigan. The state has 7 Regions. NOAA provides information about the topography of the state. Geocaching is a popular game using a global positioning finder, and there are many geocaches in Wisconsin.

• Many HISTORIC SITES in Wisconsin are on the National Register of Historic Places including more than a dozen Historic House Museums. The Circus World Museum is a historic site and has an interactive map. The state also has historic parks, trails, interpretive centers, and historical markers The National Trust helps protect historic places in the state.

• The HISTORY of Wisconsin dates back to 10,000 BC. The first known inhabitants of what is now Wisconsin were called PaleoIndians. In 1634 Jean Nicolet was first known European to enter Wisconsin. The state participates in National History Day.

• Wisconsin has a variety of INDUSTRIES. The main industries are dairy farming, machinery, food processing. paper products, electric equipment, fabricated metal, and tourism. Trade Shows are held throughout the year. The state is home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufactures.

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  A wide variety of INSECTS are found in Wisconsin including many species of butterflies & moths. There is a Buttterfly Association in Southern Wiscosin. The official State Insect is the Honey Bee.

• Wisconsin has many ISLANDS. The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior and a National Lakeshore. Madeline Island is the largest island in Wisconsin. The Potawatomi Lighthouse on Rock Island is the oldest lighthouse in the state.

• JAZZ Festivals are held in several places throughout Wisconsin. Jazz Clubs are located throughout the state. Many cities have Opera Companies and Bands & Orchestras.

Wisconsin has KARST and caves. The Cave of the Mounds is open to the public. The National Speleological Society has chapters in Wisconsin that provide information about caving. The National Park Service has a Cave and Karst Program.
• Many aspects of life in Wisconsin focus on KIDS, and the state has a Kids Page. The Department of Fish & Wildlife has a Kids Page. NOAA has a Kids Page about the weather. AG in the Classroom has a Kids Page about agriculture in the state. The National Agriculture Statistic Service has a Kids Page about agriculture.

• With more than 15,000 LAKES and 33,000 miles of rivers and streams Water Sports are popular in Wisconsin. Lake Winnebago is the largest lake. Lake Petenwell is the second largest body of water in the state.

• Public and Academic LIBRARIES are located throughout Wisconsin. Most of them have internet access & special programs, and some have bookmobiles. The State Library is in ***.

• Nearly 50 LIGHTHOUSES are found along the Wisconsin Great Lakes coast. Wind Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest and oldest currently active lighthouses on the Great Lakes. Door County has more lighthouses than any othre county in the country. Apostle Island has more than any other National Park. The most important aspect of a lighthouse is the light that comes from the tower.

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  Fort McCoy is the only military installation in Wisconsin. The state has Army and Air National Guard Units. The state has 2 forts - Fort Crawford and Fort Winnegabo.

• Wisconsin has MOUNTAINS peaks and hills. Six or seven hundred million years ago, Wisconsin was part of a mountainous region which covered all the state and much territory outside it.
• Winsonsin has hundreds of MUSEUMS. The AirVenture Museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of aircraft located in Oshkosh. The Harley-Davidson Museum contains a large collection of motorcycles and other Harley-Davidson memorabilia.

The NAME Wisconsin is thought to have its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact. Another theory is that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red", a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Winsconsin Dells. The name also may have come from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "re stone Place, "gathering of the waters" or "great rocks". It is sometimes called the Copper State because of the copper mines.
• The first residents of Wisconsin were several NATIVE AMERICAN tribes. The state has many tribes and bands and Reservations. Many Powwows are held during the year. There are nearly 2 dozen Casinos and several tribes have their own license plates.

• Wisconsin has 4 OBSERVATORIES. The state also has planetariums. Most offer classes as well as programs for the general public. Wisconsin also has several astronomical societies. Many places observe Astronomy Day.

• Wisconsin has 99 state AmusementParks.

• Wisconsin has a POPULATION of over 5 million people. The people are called Wisconsonites and they are known as Cheeseheads. Many well-known people have called Wisconsin their home including Houdini, magician; Frank Lloyd Wright, architect; William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; and Don Ameche, actor.

• Wisconsin has several PORTS.

• A QUARTER is being issued by the U.S. Mint for each state according to its admission date. Wisconsin was admitted to the union in 1848 and a quarter was issued in its honor in 2004. The U.S. Mint has a special Kids Page

• QUILTING is popular in Wisconsin and Quilt Guilds are located throughout the state. There are also Textile Guilds.
• Take a map quiz about Wisconsin.

• Wisconsin is home to many species of REPTILES and amphibians. There are nearly a dozen species of turtles.

• Wisconsin has hundreds of RIVERS and many tributaries. The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Wolf River and the St. Croix River are National Scenic Rivers. The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company operates 21 reservoirs. American Rivers is an organization that protects and restores river systems in the country.

Wisconsin offers a wide variety of SPORTS and has many sports teams including college, high school, league, & professional. The state has over 400 golf courses. It also has Horse Race Tracks and Dog and Greyhounds racing. Skiing is a popular sport. The Several great sports figures have come from the state.

• Wisconsin has a State TARTAN and participates in National Tartan Day. There are many Celtic Events and 2 Highland Games
• Wisconsin has many types of TRAILS including horse and mule trails and celebrates National Trails Day. The Great River Road is a National Scenic Byway. There are many Roadside Attractions.

• Wisconsin has many forms of TRANSPORTATION. The Department of Transportation maintains highways, bridges, tunnels, and has an Adopt-A-Highway Program. The are special license plates,, and some tribes have their own plate. The Federal Highway Administration provides information on traffic and road closures in Wisconsin. There are many Speedway Racetracks. To celebrate its 50th birthday, Matchbox cars issued a car for each state in the order in which it was admitted into the union. The car for Wisconsin was the Peterbilt Tanker. The Wildlife Protection Agency helps wildlife in or near roads, waterways, & bridges.

• Wisconsin has many public UNIVERSITIES and Colleges. It also has career colleges and technical schools and private colleges and universities.

• Two ships have been named the USS Wisconsin. The 12st ship, the USS Wisconsin (BB-9), was an illinois-class battleship launched in 1898. She had a long career going around the world. She was decommissioned in 1920 and sold for scrap in 1922. The 2nd ship, the US Wisconsin (BB-64), was an Iowa-class battleship. She was decommissioned in 1991, having earned a total of 6 battle stars for service in World War II and Korea, as well as a Navy Unit Commendation for service during the 1991 Gulf War. She currently functions as a museum ship at the National Maritime Center in Norfolk, Virginia.

• Wisconsin has a wide variety of VEGETATION. There are several invasive plants. The State Flower is the violet and the State Tree is the Sugar Maple.

• Wisconsin does not have any active volcanoes, but there are ancient geologic features thought to be related to volcanism. The northwest corner of the state is underlain by a volcanic rift. The Baraboo region has volcanic rocks. The University of Wisconsin-Madison maintains a Volcano Watch

• Wisconson has many WATERFALLS

• Wisconsin experiences a wide variety of WEATHER. Summers are warm and winters very cold, especially in the upper northeast and north-central lowlands. The State Climatologist privided information about the weather. Weather Underground also provides information about current weather. The Environmental Protection Agency provides information about the weather.

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  Wisconsin has a wide variety of WILDLIFE and many Wildlife Refuges including Wildlife Viewing Areas. The Badger is the State Animal and the White-Tailed Deer is the State Wildlife. The American Water Spaniel is the State Dog and the Dairy Cow is the state Domestic Animal. Wisconsin participates in the Wildlife Protection Program.

• XMAS is the common abbreviation for Christmas and it is celebrated in Wisconsin much like the rest of the country and around the world. The National Christmas Tree Association has information about Christmas trees for kids.

• YMCA organizations are located throughout Wisconsin.

• There are several YOUTH HOSTELS in Wisconsin. The state also has Elder Hostels.

• The use of ZIP CODES began in 1963. Zip codes in Wisconsin all start with the number 5.

• Wisconsin is in the Central Time ZONE U.S. Department of Agriculture lists Wisconsin in several plant hardiness zones .

• Wisconsin has several ZOOS. The Vilas Zoo in Madison is free for all visitors. Discovery World Museum has an aquarium .