Wisconsin
Facts
Motto: "Forward"
Capital: Madison
Statehood: May 29, 1848
Song: "On, Wisconsin!"
Oldest City: Green Bay
Dance: Polka
Mineral: Galena (lead)
Rock: Red Granite
Soil: Antigo Silt Loam
Fossil: Trilobite Calymene Celebra
Grain: Corn
Beverage: Milk
Tree: Sugar Maple
Flower: Wood Violet
Insect: Honey Bee
Fish: Muskellunge (Musky)
Symbol of Peace: Mourning Dove
Bird: American Robin
Animal: Badger
Wild-Life Animal: White-tailed deer
Domestic Animal: Dairy Cow
Nicknames:
- American's Dairyland (Wisconsin is the dairy
capital of the U.S. and it produces more milk than
any other state)
- The Badger State (This refers nothing to the
animal but rather, to the miners who burrowed like
badgers into the hillsides in search of lead in the
1820's.)
Origins of the name "Wisconsin" vary:
- The state is named for the Wisconsin River,
the name of whih is derived from the French version
of an Ojibwa Indian term that may mean "the gathering
of the waters" or "place of the beaver."
- The name "Wisconsin" is based on an Indian word
"Ouisconsin," believed to mean "grassy place" in the
Cheppewa tongue.
Wisconsin has 7,446 streams and rivers.
The first practial typewriter was designed in
Milwaukee in 1867.
Two Rivers is the home of the ice cream
sundae.
In 1882, the first hydroelectric plant in the U.S.
was built on the Fox River.
The sale of livestock and livestock products accounts
for about 70% of the value of Wisconsin's annual farm
production.
Wisconsin's leading crops are corn, hay, pototoes,
and soybeans.
Wisconsin was first inhibited by varied Indian tribes
in the 17th century. They included the
Algonquian-speaking Menominee, Kickapoo, Miami, the
Siouan-speaking Winnebago, Dakota (or Sioux) and
Iowa. In the mid-1600's other groups entered
Wisconsin, including the Fox, Sac, Potawatomi and
Ojibewa (Chippewa).
Jean Nicolet, a native of France, was Wisconsin's
first explorer. He discovered Wisconsin while
searching for the Northwest Passage to China in 1634.
The French ended up losing possession of Wisconsin
(along with its other territories east of the
Mississippi) to Great Britain during the French and
Indian War.
The first group of American settlers in Wisconsin
came in the 1820's as a result of a lead mining boom
in northwest Illinois and southwest
Wisconsin.
The movement of white settlers into Wisconsin caused
intense conflict when the federal government and
settlers attempted to move Native Americans from
their lands. Federal policies included uprooting
entire tribes and forcing them to resettle west of
the Mississippi.
The American water spaniel was chosen as the state
dog because it is one of only five dog breeds native
to the United States and the only one native to
Wisconsin.
In 1976 Wisconsin was ranked fifth in
the nation for the most honey produced, and produced
about twelve million tons!
Wisconsin is the world's leading producer of American Ginseng.
The mourning dove
was adopted as the state symbol of
peace by individuals and organizations concerned with
the fact that the mourning dove has long
been the most popular game bird in North America (now
only legal in 38 states, as well as Canada and
Mexico). The debate regarding this issue lasted over
a decade and in 1971 the mourning dove was finally
removed from the game bird listing.
In 1957, people campaigned for the adoption
of the
badger as the state animal, but residents of northern
Wisconsin disagreed. They introduced a
legislation to adopt the white-tailed deer because
they were abundant in northern Wisconsin, were large
and attractive, and had great economic value. In
order to please both
sides, the legislature decided to use both the badger
and the white-tailed deer as state animals.
Famous Wisconsinites include: Harry Houdini
(magician
and escape artist), Frank Lloyd Wright (America's
most famous architect), Douglas MacArthur (WWII and
Korean War General), and William H. Rehnquist (Chief
Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court).
Sports
IHL Team: Milwaukee Admirals
College Sports: Wisconsin
State Badgers
Major League Baseball Team: Milwaukee
Brewers
NBA Team: Milwaukee
Bucks
NFL Team: Green
Bay Packers
CBA Team:
La Crosse Bobcats
Indoor Football Team: La
Crosse River Rats
Wisconsin Attractions
Wisconsin
Department Of Tourism
Wisconsin Attractions & Activities
Be
sure to check out their list of "Quirky Places."
Wisconsin
Travel
Tons of great links and
information.
Welcome To The
Dells
Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells is the
nation's largest
water-theme park.
The House On
The Rock
This place was designed and built in
the early 1940's. It's considered an architectual
marvel and is perched on a 60-foot chimney of rock.
The 14-room house is now a complex of rooms, streets,
buildings, and gardens covering over 200 acres. The
Infinity Room contains 3, 264 windows. The House On
The Rock is also home to the world's tallest
Carousel.
La Crosse County Links
La Crosse Visitor's Guide
La Crosse Queen Paddleboat Cruises
A Look At La Crosse, WI
La Crosse History
La
Crosse Skyrockers
Guillin's
IGA
The La
Crosse Tribune
News Channel
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