Wisconsin
Wisconsin is known as America’s Dairyland. Much of
the state is a rolling plain that is good for dairy farming and growing crops.
In southern Wisconsin, you’ll see herds of dairy (milk) cows grazing in
pastures. Much of the state’s milk is turned into cheese and butter.
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Facts About Wisconsin
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Capital
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Madison
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Population
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5,600,000
people
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Rank
among states in population
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20th
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Major
cities
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Milwaukee,
Madison, Green Bay
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Area
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65,500
square miles
170,000 square kilometers |
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Rank
among states in area
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22nd
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Statehood
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May 29,
1848, the 30th state
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State
nickname
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The
Badger State
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Name
for residents
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Wisconsinites
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State
bird
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Robin
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State
flower
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Violet
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State
tree
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Sugar
Maple
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Abbreviation
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WI
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CHEESE CAPITAL
Wisconsin is known for making cheese. It produces
more cheese than any other state in the United States. It’s sometimes called
the Cheese Capital of the Nation. Immigrants from Europe brought their
cheese-making skills to Wisconsin.
Many of Wisconsin’s cheese-making factories are
small, family-owned businesses. These factories generally offer tours and
welcome tourists.
CHEESEHEADS
A group of people in Wisconsin call
themselves Cheeseheads. They are fans of the Green Bay Packers, a football team
in the National Football League (NFL). Some Cheeseheads wear hats that look
like big pieces of cheese. Most people from Wisconsin are very proud of their
NFL team.
Green Bay is a small city. Most
professional football teams are in much bigger cities. What’s especially
unusual about the Packers is that the people of Green Bay own them. Wealthy
people or big companies own the other professional sports teams.
THE BADGER STATE
Wisconsin’s official nickname is the Badger State, but
not after the animals known as badgers. Wisconsin’s badgers were miners who
were looking for lead in the 1800s. During winter, they dug holes out of the
hillsides for shelter, just like badgers. The miners lived in these holes.
SETTLING WISCONSIN
Lead mining brought the first white settlers to
Wisconsin in the 1820s. Wisconsin produced nearly half the nation’s lead until
1845. Many miners left after gold was discovered in California in 1848.
Farmers began pouring into the state during the 1830s.
They were drawn by Wisconsin’s fertile soil. They immigrated to Wisconsin from
England, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Switzerland, and Norway.
Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848.
Madison is the capital of Wisconsin. Milwaukee is the largest city.
The state is named after the Wisconsin River.
The name comes from an Ojibwa Indian word. The Ojibwa word may mean “gathering
of the waters” or “place of the beaver.”
MILWAUKEE
Wisconsin’s largest city is located on the shores of
Lake Michigan, in the southeastern corner of the state. Beer made Milwaukee famous.
Brewing beer was a major industry in Milwaukee for most of the 1900s. German
immigrants brought a love of beer to the city.
Milwaukee is an important manufacturing city. It is
also known for its summer festivals. The city holds an 11-day music festival
called Summerfest. Numerous ethnic groups also hold festivals that feature
food, music, and dancing. You can go to Irish Fest, Mexican Fiesta, Arab World
Fest, Polishfest, Germanfest, and Festa Italiana. There are also festivals that
celebrate African American, Native American, and Asian heritages.
CIRCUS WORLD
Every summer, the Great Circus Parade comes to
Milwaukee. It features 75 historic circus wagons pulled by horses. Clowns,
elephants, and camels are also part of the parade.
The Great Circus Parade travels to Milwaukee from
Baraboo, Wisconsin. That’s where the Circus World Museum is. At the museum, you
can see the colorful circus wagons, circus costumes, and circus posters. Circus
acts also perform here.
At one time, many circuses wintered in Wisconsin.
The Circus World Museum is located on the site of the winter quarters of the
Ringling Brothers Circus. John Ringling, founder of the circus, was born near
Baraboo.
SAVING CRANES
If you like animals, you’ll probably enjoy
visiting the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo. This organization is
helping to preserve these beautiful birds. It’s the only place in the world
where you can see all 15 species (kinds) of cranes. Some of these birds
are 6 feet (2 meters) tall! The whooping crane is one of our rarest birds.
THE DELLS
The Wisconsin Dells is an area of beautiful
sandstone cliffs and caverns along the Wisconsin River. It’s one of the most
popular recreation areas in the state. People come to the dells to enjoy the
scenery, take boat rides on the river, and hike along the cliffs. There are
outdoor amusement parks here as well.
DOOR COUNTY
Wisconsin is shaped like a mitten. Door County is
the thumb of that mitten. It’s on a peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan, and
it’s a popular recreation area. Fishing, boating, and swimming are popular
activities in summer. Door County has miles of beaches. In winter, people come
to Door County to ski and ride snowmobiles across the snow.
AIRVENTURE
If you’re interested in flying or airplanes, you
might want to go to AirVenture. About 10,000 airplanes are on display at this
summer event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
At AirVenture, you’ll see antique airplanes and watch
daredevils wingwalk—walk on an airplane’s wings during flight. You might
even get a ride in an airplane or hot air balloon. You’ll have a chance to
build model planes and rockets, too.
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