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One of the periods of glaciation was also termed the Wisconsin
glaciation.
Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state of the United States, (54,314 square miles) and 18th greatest population (5,453,896 as
of 2002). The state's name is an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian name
said to mean "the place where we live."
Wisconsin's natural beauty has made the state a favorite playground of the nation. Vacationers enjoy the state's clean lakes,
rolling hills, quiet valleys, deep forests and cool, pine-scented breezes. The winters are ideal for skating, skiing,
snowmobiling and tobogganing. Many communities stage curling matches during the winter and others hold snowmobile derbies. Many
annual events celebrate the state's rich ethnic heritage and diversity.
Known as "The Dairy State", Wisconsin is also known for beer, cheese, and many festivals, such as Summerfest and the
EAA Oshkosh Airshow.
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, Fighting Bob La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe
McCarthy, the anti-communist "witch-hunter" of the 1950s. The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was
Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from
1916 to 1940.
History
Main Article: History of Wisconsin
In 1634, Frenchman Jean
Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer. The French controlled the area until 1763, when it was ceded to the
British.
After the American Revolutionary War,
Wisconsin was a part of the U.S.Northwest Territory. It was then governed as part of Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory,
and Michigan Territory. Wisconsin Territory was organized on July 3, 1836 and became the 30th state on May 29, 1848.
Law and Government
The capital is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee.
Geography
See: List of Wisconsin counties,
List of Wisconsin towns.
It is bordered by Lake Superior and Michigan to the north, by Lake Michigan to the east, by
Illinois to the south, and by Iowa and
Minnesota to the west. Part of the state's boundaries includes the Mississippi River and St. Croix River.
Important cities and villages
Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more as of 2000
include:
- Milwaukee, pop. 596,125 (1,500,741 in metropolitan
area)
- Madison - pop. 208,856, state capital, flagship campus of
University of Wisconsin
- Green Bay, pop. 102,263, home of Green Bay Packers football team
- Kenosha, pop. 90,625, considered part of the greater
"Chicagoland" area
- Racine, pop. 81,703
- Appleton, pop. 70,232
- Waukesha, pop. 65,092
- Oshkosh, pop. 63,325
- Eau Claire, pop. 61,792
- Janesville, pop. 60,294
- West Allis, pop. 60,254
- La Crosse, pop. 51,907
Other cities include:
- Antigo, pop. 8,560
- Baraboo, pop. 10,717, home of Circus World Museum
- Beloit, pop. 35,821, home of Beloit College
- Stevens Point, pop. 24,539, home of the
Wisconsin Conservation Hall of
Fame , commemorating Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and others
- Stockholm, pop. 81
- Superior, pop. 27,389
- Wausau, pop. 38,469
- Wisconsin Dells, pop. 2418 (approx. 4000
including Lake Delton) Popular resort area, home of Tommy Bartlett's thrill shows
Education
Colleges and universities
- Alverno College
- Beloit College
- Cardinal
Stritch College
- Carroll College
- Carthage College
- Concordia University Wisconsin
- Edgewood College
- Lakeland College
- Lawrence University
- Maranatha Baptist Bible
College
- Marian College of Fond du Lac
- Marquette University
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Mount Mary
College
- Mount Senario
College
- Northland
College
- Ripon College
- St. Norbert
College
- Silver Lake
College
- University of Wisconsin System
- UW-Eau Claire
- UW-Green Bay
- UW-La Crosse
- UW-Madison
- UW-Milwaukee
- UW-Oshkosh
- UW-Parkside
- UW-Platteville
- UW-River Falls
- UW-Stevens Point
- UW-Stout
- UW-Superior
- UW-Whitewater
- UW Colleges
- Viterbo College
- Wisconsin Lutheran College
- Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology
Wisconsin became a state in 1848
Professional sports teams
Miscellaneous information
- List of television
stations in Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin state parks
- Territory of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
External links
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