Interesting State Facts

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One of the most popular places to visit in the state is Wisconsin Dells, where the Wisconsin River passes through a winding gorge about 13 km (about 8 mi) long.

Wisconsin is among the nation's leaders in production of dairy products and is sometimes called America's Dairyland.

One of the nation's worst natural disasters took place in Peshtigo in 1871, when a forest fire killed more than 1000 people and damaged $5 million worth of property.

Wisconsin ranks number one in # of milk cows (1,500,000) and produces over 15% of the entire country's milk.

Wisconsin has over 14,000 lakes, with Lake Winnebago the largest. It also has 7,446 streams and rivers, which if you stuck them end to end they'd stretch nearly 27,000 miles--enough to circle the whole planet.

Milwaukee's Summerfest is the nation's largest music festival, with over 2,500 performers.

Wisconsin is known as the Badger State after the living habits of early miners in the region who either lived in mine shafts or dug their homes out of the sides of hills--just like Badgers do.

The House on the Rock was designed and built in the early 1940s. It is considered an architectural 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.

In 1882 the first hydroelectric plant in the United States was built at Fox River.

Milwaukee is home of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

The first Ringling Brothers Circus was staged in Baraboo in 1884.

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Largest cities in 2000:

Milwaukee: 583,624
Madison: 208,054
Green Bay: 102,313

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Highest Point

Timms Hill, 595 m (1,951 ft)

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Total Area: 22nd among states, 169,642 sq km (65,499 sq mi)

Water Area: 28,972 sq km (11,186 sq mi)

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Bird: Robin
State Animal: Badger

State Wildlife Animal: White-tailed Deer

State Domestic Animal: Dairy Cow

State Dog: American Water Spaniel

State Fish: Muskellunge

State Insect: Honey Bee

State Flower: Violet

State Tree: Sugar Maple

State Grain: Corn

State Mineral: Galena

State Rock: Red Granite

State Fossil: Calymene Celebra

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State Soil: Antigo silt loam

State Beverage: Milk (not beer)

State Song: "On Wisconsin"

State Dance: Polka

State Symbol of Peace: Mourning Dove

Motto: Forward

Origin of State Name: The name is derived from the French version of an Ojibwa term that may mean "gathering of the waters" or "place of the beaver."

Nickname for State: The Badger State. The name refers to miners, among the state's first settlers, who lived in mine shafts or dug their homes out of hillsides, as badgers do.

Nickname for residents: Wisconsinites

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1634—French-Canadian Jean Nicolet lands on the shore of Green Bay

1763—England gains control of Wisconsin

1783—Wisconsin becomes part of the United States

1832—The Black Hawk War

1836—Congress creates the Wisconsin Territory

1848—Wisconsin becomes the 30th state

1854—The Republican Party is formed in Ripon

1871—The Peshtigo Fire kills almost 1,200 people

1904—The Progressive Era begins, as Robert La Follette becomes governor

1932—Wisconsin passes the first state unemployment-compensation act

[ONEZ48]

History... I never liked trying to remember the past.