Waukesha, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Coordinates: 43°06′N 88°11′W / 43.1°N 88.183°W / 43.1; -88.183Coordinates: 43°06′N 88°11′W / 43.1°N 88.183°W / 43.1; -88.183
County	Waukesha
Government
• Mayor	Jeff Scrima
Area
• Total	27.2 sq mi (70.4 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)  0.26%
Population (2010)
• Total	70,718
Time zone	Central (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	Central (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	262
Website	www.ci.waukesha.wi.us

Waukesha ( /ˈwɔːkɨʃɔː/ WAW-kə-shaw) is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County,^[1] Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha. Milwaukee County is due east of Waukesha County.

In 2012 Gibson Guitar Corporation designated Waukesha for their next nationally acclaimed^[2] “GuitarTown” arts project.^[3]

In 2011, the National Recreation and Park Association granted Waukesha their “Gold Medal Award.”^[4] In 2011 the Wisconsin Library Association designated Waukesha’s Public Library as the “Wisconsin Library of the Year.”^[5] In 2011 the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Arts Wisconsin granted Waukesha their “Arts in Community Award.”^[6]

In 2011 and 2010 America’s Promise Alliance ranked Waukesha one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” in the United States.^{[7] [8]} In 2010, Money magazine ranked Waukesha 50th on its list of the “100 Best Places Live,” in the United States.^[9]

History[link]

The area that Waukesha now encompasses was first inhabited in 1834. Its first non-American-Indian settler was Morris D. Cutler.

By 1846, the area was incorporated as the village of Prairieville.^[10] On February 8, 1847, the village changed its name to, "Waukesha,"^[11] and in 1896, incorporated as a city.^[12]

Waukesha's name[link]

Over the years, many believed, incorrectly, that the origin of the name of the city was an Algonquian word meaning "fox" or "little foxes," though it is actually an Anglicization of the Ojibwe proper name Waagoshag or the Potawatomi name Wau-tsha. Wau-tsha (sometimes written as Wauk-tsha^[13] or Wauke-tsha) was the leader of the local tribe at the time of the first European settlement of the area. This is confirmed by accounts of Increase A. Lapham, an early settler and historian of the region.^[14] According to Lapham, the word for "fox" was pishtaka.^[15] Cutler also told visitors about Wau-tsha, who was described as "tall and athletic, proud in his bearing, dignified and friendly."^[13]

"Spring City"[link]

Mary Todd Lincoln stayed in Waukesha for most of the summer of 1872.

Sears & Roebuck founder Richard W. Sears spent his last years on his farm near Waukesha.

Matthew Laflin, an early pioneer of Chicago, Illinois, provided the capital and enterprise that laid the foundation for Waukesha as a famous Wisconsin watering resort and was the proprietor of the grand resort, the Fountain Spring House. Waukesha was once known for its extremely clean and good-tasting spring water and was called a, "spa town." This earned the city the nicknames, "Spring City," and, "Saratoga of the West."^[16][17]

According to author Kristine Adams Wendt, in 1868, Colonel Richard Dunbar, a sufferer of diabetes, chanced upon the medicinal properties of what he later named the Bethesda Spring while viewing a parcel of land recently purchased by his sister. Testimonials found in a Dunbar brochure of 1873 proclaimed the miraculous benefits of Bethesda Mineral Water for persons suffering from all manner of urinary tract and bladder problems, diabetes, Bright's disease, torpid liver, indigestion, chronic diarrhea, dropsy and "female weakness," among others.^[18]

Wendt reports that by 1872, "area newspapers carried accounts of a community ill equipped to handle its new popularity among the suffering multitudes. The semi-weekly Wisconsin (Milwaukee) of July 31, 1872, reported 'that fully 500 visitors are quartered in hotels and scattered in private families here, seeking benefit from the marvelous waters...'"

Among those visitors was Abraham Lincoln's widow, Mary Todd Lincoln. She spent several weeks in Waukesha during the summer of 1872, still mourning the death of her son Tad the previous year. The former first lady stayed at the Hubbard boarding house and according to one contemporary account, "was all in black, with a full skirt to the dress which was very long." One newspaper opined, "Poor Mrs. Lincoln carries a heavy heart, and she is much of the time in tears."^[19]

The "healing waters" were so valued that a controversial attempt was made to build a pipeline between the city and Chicago so that they could be enjoyed by visitors to the 1893 Columbian Exposition.^[20] According to Time magazine, "[t]he scheme had been conceived by one Charles Welsh who had been given the springs by his uncle, but after several miles of pipe were laid, it was discovered that the cost was too great."^[21]

Richard W. Sears, founder of Sears and Roebuck, may have been attracted to Waukesha by the waters. In failing health, Sears retired from business in 1908 and, according to The New York Times, "spent his time on his great farm near Waukesha." In 1914, Sears died in Waukesha of Bright's disease, leaving an estate estimated at $20 million.^[22]

Over the years, the natural springs have been spoiled by pollution and a number have gone dry.

Football history[link]

Brad Robinson threw the first legal forward pass in Waukesha in 1906.

One of the most important "firsts" in American sports history occurred in Waukesha on September 5, 1906, when Carroll College (now Carroll University) hosted the football team from St. Louis University. SLU halfback Bradbury Robinson threw the first legal forward pass in football history in that game. The Carroll players and local fans were stunned. The visitors went on to win 22-0 and the sport was changed forever.^[23]

Project Nike[link]

During the Cold War, Waukesha County was the site of three Nike Missile batteries, located in the city of Waukesha and nearby Muskego and Lannon. In the city of Waukesha, the U.S. Army and later the Wisconsin National Guard operated the command and control center from 1956 to 1970 at what is now Hillcrest Park on Davidson Road. The missile pits existed near the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Hwy 164 – first holding Ajax missiles with conventional warheads and later the nuclear equipped Hercules warhead. The Hercules provided a similar nuclear capability as that of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in World War II. The Midwest Chapter of the Cold War Museum has promoted the preservation of the Hillcrest Park site as a local Cold War museum, honoring Cold War veterans and commemorating America's longest and costliest conflict.^[24]

Geography and climate[link]

Waukesha is located near the center of Waukesha County in southeastern Wisconsin, 18 miles west of Milwaukee. Waukesha is also located 59 miles east of Madison. The city shares borders with City of Brookfield, Town of Brookfield, Genesee, New Berlin, City of Pewaukee, Village of Pewaukee, Town of Delafield and Town of Waukesha.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 0.32%, is water.

The city is located on both sides of the Fox River, which starts near Menomonee Falls and flows into the Illinois River.

Demographics[link]

As of the census^[29] of 2000, there were 64,825 people, 25,663 households, and 16,296 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,000.5 people per square mile (1,158.8/km²). There were 26,856 housing units at an average density of 1,243.1 per square mile (480.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.22% White, 1.28% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.31% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.58% of the population.

There were 25,663 households out of which 32.5% of households had children under age 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 people and the average family size was 3.04 people.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,084, and the median income for a family was $60,841. Males had a median income of $40,743 versus $29,279 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,242. About 3.0% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education[link]

Waukesha is home to Carroll University, formerly known as Carroll College, a private Presbyterian university. Opened in 1846, it is the oldest college in the state^[30] (a title also claimed by Beloit College). As a liberal arts school, Carroll offers more than 50 areas of study, primarily at the undergraduate level. Carroll University's enrollment is roughly 2,500 students.

Located on the city's northwest side, the University of Wisconsin–Waukesha, part of the UW system, offers two-year associate degrees. Students have the option of transferring to four-year institutions to complete their undergraduate education.

Waukesha County Technical College has a campus located in the downtown area.

One of the two New Tribes Bible Institute campuses within the United States is located on a large hill in central Waukesha. Operated by New Tribes Mission, the school doubles as the first part of a four-year missionary training program, which includes field training in the U.S.^[31]

The School District of Waukesha serves the city and portions of surrounding municipalities. It operates four high schools in the city: Waukesha South High School, Waukesha West High School, Waukesha North High School, and Harvey Phillip High School, an alternative school. It also operates two charter schools; Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy, or WEPA, and the Waukesha Academy of Health Professions, or WAHP. It also runs three middle schools, one engineering charter middle school, 14 elementary schools, and one engineering charter elementary school.

The city is home to Waukesha County's only Catholic high school, Catholic Memorial High School. There are also two small, independent evangelical Christian schools in Waukesha: West Suburban Christian Academy, with two campuses, and Waukesha Christian Academy, a small K through 12 school located on the city's west side.

Religion[link]

• Buddha Haksa Temple is located in Waukesha.
• The Episcopal monastery of the Order of Julian of Norwich is located in Waukesha.

Media[link]

• Newspaper, Waukesha Freeman, Conley Publishing Group, established in 1859.
• Newspaper, The New Perspective, Carroll University, established in 1874.
• Online news website, Waukesha.Patch.com, established in 2010.

City technology[link]

Cellnet Technology Inc (based in Alpharetta, Georgia) plans to make Waukesha the second community in Wisconsin outfitted with a city-wide Wi-Fi network blanket. (Midwest Fiber Networks is scheduled to make Milwaukee the state's first wi-fi municipality by summer 2006.)^[32]

Cellnet, which began working on a similar "blanket" for Madison, Wisconsin in early 2006, had planned to present their idea to Waukesha's Information Technology Advisory Committee in February 2006. If the proposed installation of the network goes through, city residents would only have to buy a wireless card (typically $50 USD) to gain access to the internet from any area in Waukesha.

As of September 2007, the project was mired in logistical difficulties,^[33][34] and appears dropped shortly thereafter.

Sports and recreation[link]

Downtown Waukesha is the site of one of the stages of the Tour of America's Dairyland cycling event, which features a criterium race, started in 1993.

Waukesha's notable people[link]

• Roderick Ainsworth, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• John Anderson, former Green Bay Packer and Milwaukee-television sports personality
• Austin Aries, professional wrestler
• William A. Barstow, Governor of Wisconsin, Union Army general
• Kurt Bestor, composer, conductor, musician
• Brad Beyer, actor
• Dick Blanchard, NFL player
• BoDeans, rock band
• Clinton S. Breese, highly-decorated U.S. Army officer
• Max Broadhurst, NFL player
• Mike Cahill, tennis player
• Tim Cahill, adventure travel writer
• Frank Caliendo, comedian
• William G. Callow, Wisconsin Supreme Court
• Eugene W. Chafin, Prohibition Party candidate for President of the United States
• Glenn R. Davis, U.S. Representative
• Carmen De La Paz, television personality, interior/exterior designer, wood turner, welder, and professional cook.
• Chuck DeShane, played professional football for the Detroit Lions, in the NFL
• Terry Dillon, NFL player
• Lee S. Dreyfus, Governor of Wisconsin
• David J. Eicher, editor and author
• Donald Goerke, Inventor of SpaghettiOs
• Danny Gokey, American Idol contestant; attended school in Waukesha
• John Golemgeske, NFL player in the 1930s and '40s
• Paul Hamm, Olympic gymnastic gold medalist; attended Waukesha South High School
• Morgan Hamm, Olympic gymnastic contender attended Waukesha South High School
• Pat Harder, played professioanl football for the Detroit Lions and for what has become the Arizona Cardinals and was a member of the College Football Hall of Fame from UW-Madison
• Frank Harris, NFL player
• Susan Hawk, Survivor: Pulau Tiga and Survivor: All-Stars contestant
• Daniel Hoan, Mayor of Milwaukee
• Scott Jensen, speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Edward Jackamonis, speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Jack Kading, MLB player
• Matt Katula, NFL player for the New England Patriots
• Ken Keuper, NFL player for the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants
• Kurt Larson, NFL player for the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers
• Mark Mallman, musician
• Lauri Merten, professional golfer and winner of the 1993 U.S. Women's Open
• Bill Miklich, NFL player for the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions
• Steve Miller, rock musician
• Ed Moy, began his political service in the George H.W. Bush administration; Moy rose to become the director of the U.S. Mint while working in the George W. Bush administration, staying until January 2011
• Mrs. Fun band members Kim Zick and Connie Grauer
• Elli Ochowicz Olympic Speed Skater 2002 Winter Olympics, 2006 Winter Olympics, 2010 Winter Olympics
• Leslie Osborne, member, United States women's national soccer team
• Les Paul, guitarist, pioneer of the solid-body electric guitar and multi-track recording
• Jim Pruett, MLB player
• Alexander Randall, state governor, namesake of Camp Randall Stadium
• Edwin M. Randall, Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
• Paul F. Reilly, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
• Michael Ritchie, film director
• Eleazer Root, educator and Episcopal priest
• Lester Stevens, Olympic athlete
• Donald E. Tewes, U.S. Representative
• Vernor Vinge, science fiction author
• Tim Ward, soccer player for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer
• J.J. Watt, American football player for the Houston Texans of the National Football League
• Ray Wendland, noted petrochemist
• Viola S. Wendt, poet
• Mitchell Whitmore, Olympic athlete, national champion speedskater
• Kevin Zeitler, NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals

References[link]

External links[link]

• City of Waukesha
• Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce
• Waukesha Genealogy and History

v t e Municipalities and communities of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States County seat: Waukesha Cities Brookfield Delafield Milwaukee‡ Muskego New Berlin Oconomowoc Pewaukee Waukesha Villages Big Bend Butler Chenequa Dousman Eagle Elm Grove Hartland Lac La Belle‡ Lannon Menomonee Falls Merton Mukwonago‡ Nashotah North Prairie Pewaukee Oconomowoc Lake Summit Sussex Wales Towns Brookfield Delafield Eagle Genesee Lisbon Merton Mukwonago Oconomowoc Ottawa Waukesha Vernon CDP Okauchee Lake Unincorporated communities Bethesda Buena Vista Colgate‡ Eagleville Genesee Depot Goerke's Corners Guthrie Jericho Lake Five Mapleton Monches Monterey North Lake Ottawa Saylesville Stone Bank Summit Center Summit Corners Vernon Ghost towns Muskego Settlement Nya Upsala Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v t e Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Central City Milwaukee Largest Municipalities (over 25,000 in 2000) BrookfieldC · FranklinC · GreenfieldC · Menomonee FallsV · New BerlinC · Oak CreekC · RacineC · WaukeshaC · WauwatosaC · West AllisC · West BendC Municipalities (over 10,000 in 2000) Brown DeerV · CaledoniaV · CedarburgC · CudahyC · GermantownV · GlendaleC · GraftonV · GreendaleV · MequonC · MuskegoC · OconomowocC · PewaukeeC · RichfieldT · ShorewoodV · South MilwaukeeC · Whitefish BayV Smaller Municipalities (under 10,000 in 2000) BaysideV · Big BendV · BrookfieldT · Elm GroveV · Fox PointV · HartlandV · Hales CornersV · MukwonagoV · PewaukeeV · River HillsV · SaukvilleV · Saint FrancisC · SussexV · ThiensvilleV · West MilwaukeeV Counties Milwaukee · Ozaukee · Racine · Washington · Waukesha Notes: Vvillage  Ttown  Ccity

v t e  State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) Topics History Governors Delegations Sports People Geography Demographics Economy Visitor Attractions Regions Apostle Islands Central Plain Chippewa Valley Door Peninsula Driftless Area Eastern Ridges and Lowlands Fox River Valley Great River Road Lake Superior Lowland Northern Highland Western Upland Major metropolitan areas (pop. over 500,000) Chicago metropolitan area Madison metropolitan area Milwaukee metropolitan area Twin Cities metropolitan area Largest cities (pop. over 50,000) Appleton Eau Claire Green Bay Janesville Kenosha La Crosse Madison Milwaukee Oshkosh Racine Waukesha West Allis Smaller cities (pop. 15,000 to 50,000) Beaver Dam Beloit Brookfield Cudahy De Pere Fitchburg Fond du Lac Franklin Greenfield Hudson Manitowoc Marshfield Menasha Mequon Middleton Muskego Neenah New Berlin Oak Creek Onalaska Sheboygan South Milwaukee Stevens Point Sun Prairie Superior Watertown Wausau Wauwatosa West Bend Wisconsin Rapids Largest villages (pop. over 15,000) Allouez Ashwaubenon Caledonia Germantown Menomonee Falls Mount Pleasant Pleasant Prairie Counties Adams Ashland Barron Bayfield Brown Buffalo Burnett Calumet Chippewa Clark Columbia Crawford Dane Dodge Door Douglas Dunn Eau Claire Florence Fond du Lac Forest Grant Green Green Lake Iowa Iron Jackson Jefferson Juneau Kenosha Kewaunee La Crosse Lafayette Langlade Lincoln Manitowoc Marathon Marinette Marquette Menominee Milwaukee Monroe Oconto Oneida Outagamie Ozaukee Pepin Pierce Polk Portage Price Racine Richland Rock Rusk Sauk Sawyer Shawano Sheboygan St. Croix Taylor Trempealeau Vernon Vilas Walworth Washburn Washington Waukesha Waupaca Waushara Winnebago Wood

State of Wisconsin
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Badger State; America's Dairyland
Motto(s): Forward
Official language(s)	De jure: None De facto: English
Demonym	Wisconsinite
Capital	Madison
Largest city	Milwaukee
Largest metro area	Milwaukee metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 23rd in the U.S.
- Total	65,497.82 sq mi (169,639 km2)
- Width	260 miles (420 km)
- Length	310 miles (500 km)
- % water	17
- Latitude	42° 37′ N to 47° 05′ N
- Longitude	86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W
Population	Ranked 20th in the U.S.
- Total	5,711,767 (2011 est)[1]
- Density	105/sq mi  (40.6/km2) Ranked 23rd in the U.S.
- Median household income	$47,220 (15th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Timms Hill[2][3] 1,951 ft (595 m)
- Mean	1,050 ft  (320 m)
- Lowest point	Lake Michigan[2][3] 579 ft (176 m)
Before statehood	Wisconsin Territory
Admission to Union	May 29, 1848 (30th)
Governor	Scott Walker (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Rebecca Kleefisch (R)
Legislature	Wisconsin Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	State Assembly
U.S. Senators	Herb Kohl (D) Ron Johnson (R)
U.S. House delegation	5 Republicans, 3 Democrats (list)
Time zone	Central: UTC -6/-5
Abbreviations	WI Wis. US-WI
Website	www.wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin (ⁱ/wɨsˈkɒnsɨn/) is a US state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin is the 23rd most extensive and the 20th most populous of the 50 United States. Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee. The state is divided into 72 counties.

Etymology[link]

The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.^[4] French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal.^[5] This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.^[6]

Throughout the course of its many variations, the Algonquian word for Wisconsin and its original meaning have both grown obscure. Interpretations may vary, but most implicate the river and the red sandstone that line its banks. One leading theory holds 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 Wisconsin Dells.^[7] Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."^[8]

History[link]

Wisconsin in 1718, Guillaume de L'Isle map, approximate state area highlighted.

Wisconsin has been home to a wide variety of cultures over the past twelve thousand years. The first people arrived around 10000 BCE during the Wisconsin Glaciation. These early inhabitants, called Paleo-Indians, hunted now-extinct ice age animals exemplified by the Boaz mastodon, a prehistoric mastodon skeleton unearthed along with spear points in southwest Wisconsin.^[9] After the ice age ended around 8000 BCE, people in the subsequent Archaic period lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering food from wild plants. Agricultural societies emerged gradually over the Woodland period between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Toward the end of this period, Wisconsin was the heartland of the "Effigy Mound culture," which built thousands of animal-shaped mounds across the landscape.^[10] Later, between 1000 and 1500 CE, the Mississippian and Oneota cultures built substantial settlements including the fortified village at Aztalan in southeast Wisconsin.^[11] The Oneota may be the ancestors of the modern Ioway and Ho-Chunk tribes, who shared the Wisconsin region with the Menominee at the time of European contact.^[12] Other American Indian groups living in Wisconsin when Europeans first settled included the Ojibwa, Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, and Pottawatomie, who migrated to Wisconsin from the east between 1500 and 1700.^[13]

Jean Nicolet, depicted in a 1910 painting by Frank Rohrbeck, was probably the first European to explore Wisconsin. The mural is located in the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay.

The first European to visit what became Wisconsin was probably the French explorer Jean Nicolet. He canoed west from Georgian Bay through the Great Lakes in 1634, and it is traditionally assumed that he came ashore near Green Bay at Red Banks.^[14] Pierre Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers visited Green Bay again in 1654–1666 and Chequamegon Bay in 1659–1660, where they traded for fur with local American Indians.^[15] In 1673, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first to record a journey on the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway all the way to the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien.^[16] Frenchmen like Nicholas Perrot continued to ply the fur trade across Wisconsin through the 17th and 18th centuries, but the French made no permanent settlements in Wisconsin before Great Britain won control of the region following the French and Indian War in 1763. Even so, French traders continued to work in the region after the war, and some, beginning with Charles de Langlade in 1764, now settled in Wisconsin permanently rather than returning to British-controlled Canada.^[17]

Wisconsin became a territorial possession of the United States in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War. However, the British remained in de facto control until after the War of 1812, which finally established an American presence in the area.^[18] Under American control, the economy of the territory shifted from fur trading to lead mining. The prospect of easy mineral wealth drew immigrants from throughout the U.S. and Europe to the lead deposits located at Mineral Point, Wisconsin and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug and earned the nickname "badgers," leading to Wisconsin's identity as the "Badger State."^[19] The sudden influx of white miners prompted tension with the local Native American population. The Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832 led to the forced removal of American Indians from most parts of the state.^[20] Following these conflicts, Wisconsin Territory was organized in 1836. Continued white settlement led to statehood in 1848.

The Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin held the nation's first meeting of the Republican Party

Politics in early Wisconsin were defined by the greater national debate over slavery. A free state from its foundation, Wisconsin became a center of northern abolitionism. The debate became especially intense in 1854 after a runaway slave from Missouri named Joshua Glover was captured in Racine. Glover was taken into custody under the Federal Fugitive Slave Law, but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional in a trial stemming from the incident.^[21] The Republican Party, founded on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery expansion activists in Ripon, Wisconsin, grew to dominate state politics in the aftermath of these events.^[22] During the Civil War, around 91,000 troops from Wisconsin fought for the Union.^[23]

Drawing of Industrial Milwaukee in 1882

Wisconsin's economy also diversified during the early years of statehood. While lead mining diminished, agriculture became a principal occupation in the southern half of the state. Railroads were built across the state to help transport grains to market, and industries like J.I. Case & Company in Racine were founded to build agricultural equipment. Wisconsin briefly became one of the nation's leading producers of wheat during the 1860s.^[24] Meanwhile, the lumber industry dominated in the heavily forested northern sections of Wisconsin, and sawmills sprang up in cities like La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau. These economic activities had dire environmental consequences. By the close of the 19th century, intensive agriculture had devastated soil fertility, and lumbering had deforested most of the state.^[25] This forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline.

The Daniel E. Krause Stone Barn in Chase, Wisconsin was built in 1903 as dairy farming spread across the state

Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production in order to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese-making traditions that, combined with the state's suitable geography and dairy research led by Stephen Babcock at the University of Wisconsin, helped the state build a reputation as "America's Dairyland."^[26] Meanwhile, conservationists including Aldo Leopold helped reestablish the state's forests during the early 20th century,^[27] paving the way for a more renewable lumber and paper milling industry as well as promoting recreational tourism in the northern woodlands. Manufacturing also boomed in Wisconsin during the early 20th century, driven by an immense immigrant workforce arriving from Europe. Industries in cities like Milwaukee ranged from brewing and food processing to heavy machine production and toolmaking, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910.^[28]

Wisconsin Governor Robert La Follette addressing an assembly in Decatur, Illinois, 1905.

The early 20th century was also notable for the emergence of progressive politics championed by Robert M. La Follette. Between 1901 and 1914, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created the nation's first comprehensive statewide primary election system,^[29] the first effective workplace injury compensation law,^[30] and the first state income tax,^[31] making taxation proportional to actual earnings. The progressive Wisconsin Idea also promoted the statewide expansion of the University of Wisconsin through the UW-Extension system at this time.^[32] Later, UW economics professors John R. Commons and Harold Groves helped Wisconsin create the first unemployment compensation program in the United States in 1932.^[33]

Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in the mid to late 20th century, ranging from the anti-communist crusades of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to the radical antiwar protests at UW-Madison that culminated in the Sterling Hall bombing in August 1970. Recent politics have been comparatively moderate, but the state has continued to push forward new ideas, most notably becoming a leader in welfare reform under Republican Governor Tommy Thompson during the 1990s.^[34] The state's economy also underwent further transformations towards the close of the century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of a service economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism.

Two U.S. Navy battleships, BB-9 and BB-64, were named USS Wisconsin in honor of this state.

State Symbols[link]

Geography[link]

Wisconsin can be divided into five geographic regions.

The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.

Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa to the southwest and Minnesota to the northwest. A border dispute with Michigan was settled by two cases, both Wisconsin v. Michigan, in 1934 and 1935. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. Wisconsin is the northernmost state that does not share a border with Canada.^{[citation needed]}

With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1,500,000 acres (6,100 km²) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. The ridges include the Niagara Escarpment that stretches from New York State, the Black River Escarpment and the Magnesian Escarpment.^[39][40] The bedrock of the Niagara Escarpment is dolomite, while the two shorter ridges have limestone bedrock. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River. This region is part of the Driftless Area, which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.

Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest. Langlade County has a soil rarely found outside of the county called Antigo Silt Loam.

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:^[41]

• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

There is one national forest managed by the U.S. Forest Service in Wisconsin, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.^[42]

Climate[link]

Wisconsin's climate is classified as humid continental. The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where it reached 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the village of Couderay, where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and 4, 1996.^[43]