Wisconsin (WI)

Wisconsin State Flag

"Badger State" and "America's Dairyland"

"America's Dairyland ", "The Cheese State" and  "The Copper State"

Why visit Wisconsin?

A year round destination offering travels the opportunity of biking, birdwatching, boating, breweries, camping, canoeing, cheese factories, culture, fishing, forests, hiking, hunting, sailing, scenic railways, skiing, small towns,  snowmobiling and wineries. 

Madison, WI. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

At Glance

• Capital: Madison
• State Bird: Robin
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Wood Violet
• State Gemstone: None
• State Mammal: American Badger
• State Rock: Red Granite

Wisconsin Dells, WI. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Fun Facts

• Around 10,000 BCE, Paleo-Indians arrived to hunt for boaz mastodon (ice age animal).
  
• In 1673, explorers, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first to record traveling on the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway to the Mississippi River.
  
• During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the British gradually took over gaining full control of the state.
• After (1783) the American Revolutionary War became a territorial possession of the United States. Economy shifting from fur trading to lead mining.
  
• In 1873, John Michael Kohler founded Kohler Company (Kohler) best known for their plumbing products.
• In 1885, Charles R Nagreen "Hamburger Charlie" (Seymour), created the hamburger sandwich after the idea to flatten a meatball.
  
• In 1895, OshKosh B'gosh children's apparel company was founded (Oshkosh). Today, a subsidiary of Carter's.
  
• In 1903, the American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson was founded (Milwaukee).
• Since 1927, it has operated (Kenosha) our nation's oldest arena track cycling (velodrome) hosting annual races.
• Since 1990, has maintained a diplomatic relationship with Chiba (Japan). 
  
• In 1995, Frank Emmert Jr, Green Bay Packers claimed during a small plane crash (Stevens Point) the popular foam cheese wedge saved his head from injury.
• In 2008, Public Enemies directed by Michael Mann was the first major film production to take advantage of the state's film industries new tax incentive. Production spent $18 million to produce the film to only receive $5 million in revenue.
• In 2016, opened a Mexican Consulate (Milwaukee).
  
• Green Bay is named because the water and the shores green tints early spring. French residents rather called it, La Baye. 
  
• Some theories suggest the state name originates from Ojibwa (native language) to mean "red stone place", "where the waters gather", or "great rock".
  
• Our nation's top cheese maker produces 2 billion pounds annually.
• Goats are used to maintain traditional sod roofs (Door County).
• Nation's leading producer of carrots, cherries (tart), corn, dairy, cranberries, ginseng, maple syrup, oats, potatoes and snap beans.
• Economy thrives on agriculture, health care and manufacturing.
• Ranks second for butter production.
• Has a sister state relationship with Chiba Prefecture (Japan), Heilongjiang (China),  Hesse (Germany), Jalisco (Mexico) and Nicaragua (Central America).
  
• Headquarters to moguls Ashley Furniture (Arcadia), Johnsonville (Sheboygan Falls), Oscar Mayer (Madison), Tombstone (Medford) and Usinger's (Milwaukee). 
• Over 600,000 Hunting Licenses for deer are sold annually.
  
• Has 22 Apostle Islands islands (Lake Superior).
  
• Features 2 National Forests, 13 State Forests 46 State Parks and 11 Recreation Areas.
  

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Fish Creek, WI. Photo Credit: Mike Goad/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Ava Max (Musician), Brady Tutton (Actor), Chris Tallman (Actor), Colin Kaepernick (Athlete), Dylan Mark Postl "Hornswoggle" (Athlete), Gene Wilder (Actor), Holly Brook Hafermann "Skylar Grey" (Musician), Jidenna Theodore Mobisson (Musician), Justin James "JJ" Watt (Athlete), Luke Eisner (Actor), Madilyn Bailey (Musician), Mark Ruffulo (Actor), Paris Berelc (Actress), Talia Jackson (Actress) and Tyler Herro (Athlete), just to name a few. 
• Movies to Inspire You: American Movie (1999), Bridesmaids (2011), Iron Will (1994), Major League (1989), Public Enemies (2009), The Amityville Horror (2005), The Blues Brothers (1980), The Last Kiss (2006), The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) and Transformers Dark of the Moon (2011), just to name a few. 
• Reads Set in Wisconsin: Death Stalks Door County (written by Patricia Skalka), Driftless (written by David Rhodes), Indian Nations of Wisconsin (written by Patty Loew), Milwaukee A City Built on Water (written by John Gurda), Old World Murder (written by Kathleen Ernst), Rascal (written by Sterling North),  Shotgun Lovesongs (written by Nickolas Butler),  The Flavor of Wisconsin (written by Harva Hachten), The Selma of the North (written by Patrick D Jones), Thimble Summer (written by Elizabeth Enright) and Wisconsin Death Trip (written by Michael Lesy), just to name a few. 

Milwaukee, WI. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Considered the "tubing capital of the world" (Apple River, Somerset).
• Canada geese migration occurs in November.
  
• Mosquitos are known to carry the West Nile Virus.
• Has one of the healthiest populations of bald eagles compared to any other state.
  
• Rut (Deer Mating Season) is September-October during this time in particular known to cause automobile accidents.
• Ferry Service is available from Lake Michigan from Muskegon to Milwaukee, also between Ludington (MI) and Manitowoc (WI).
• There are no toll roads (highway construction and maintenance are funded by motor fuel tax and non highway by the local government).
  
• Home to the "The World's Largest Music Festival" (Summerfest) hosted annually (Milwaukee).

Subject to humidity, snowstorms, tropical storms, tornadoes and wildfires.

• Best Time to Visit: August-October
• Coldest Month: January
• Hottest Month: July 
• Peak Season: June - August

Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI, Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Administration Building & Research Tower S.C. Johnson Company, Aldo Leopold Shack & Farm, Astor Fur Warehouse, Aztalan, Brisbois House, Dousman Hotel, Dr Fisk Holbrook Day House, Farmers' & Merchants' Union Bank, First Unitarian Society Meetinghouse, Fountain Lake Farm, Fourth Street (Meir) School, Greendale Historic District, Hamlin Garland House, Harold C Bradley House, Herbert & Katherine Jacobs First House, Herbert & Katherine Jacobs Second House, Herbert Johnson House, Little White Schoolhouse, Man Mound, Milton House, Milwaukee City Hall, Namur Historic District, North Hall, University of Wisconsin,  Northwestern Branch National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Oconto Site, Pabst Theater, Ringling Brothers Circus Winter Headquarters, Robert M La Follette Home, Schoonmaker Reef, Second Fort Crawford Military Hospital, Silver Mound Archeological District, Soldiers' Home Reef, Taliesin, Ten Chimneys, The History Museum at the Castle, Thomas A Greene Memorial Museum, Turner Hall, University of Wisconsin Armory & Gymnasium, University of Wisconsin Dairy Barn,  University of Wisconsin Science Hall, USS COBIA, Van Hise Rock, Villa Louis, Wade House Historical Site and Wisconsin State Capitol.
• Museums: Above & Beyond Children's Museum, Alexander Noble House Museum, America's Black Holocaust Museum, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, Beyer Home & Carriage Museum, Building For Kids, Cable Natural
  History Museum, Camp Five Museum, Castlerock Museum, Chazen Museum of Art, Chippewa Valley Museum, Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, Circus World Museum, Civil War Museum, Colfax Railroad Museum, Dahl Auto Museum, Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bike Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum, Discovery World, Door County Historical Museum, Dr Kate Museum, EAA Aviation Museum, Fairlawn Mansion & Museum, Fennimore Doll & Toy Museum, Fort Crawford Museum, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Grohmann Museum, Haggerty Museum of Art, Hamburger Hall of Fame, Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, Harley-Davidson Museum, Hazelwood Historic Home Museum, Hearthstone Historic House Museum, Henschel's Indian Museum, H. H. Bennett Studio, Hoard Historical Museum, Jewish Museum Milwaukee, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Kenosha Public Museum, Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Logan Museum of Anthropology, Logic Puzzle Museum,  L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum, Madeline Island Museum, Madison Children's Museum, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), Madeline Island Museum, Manitowoc County Historical Society, Military Veterans Museum & Education Center, Miller Art Museum, Milton House Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Public Museum, Minocqua Museum, Mitchell Gallery of Flight, Museum of Historic Torture Devices, Museum of Wisconsin Art, Mustard Museum, National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, National Railroad Museum, Neville Public Museum, North Point Lighthouse Museum, Northwoods Childrens Museum, Octagon House Museum, Old Firehouse & Police Museum, Old World Wisconsin, Oneida Nation Museum, Oshkosh Public Museum, Paine Art Center & Gardens, Paper Discovery Center, Peshtigo Fire Museum, Portage WW II History Museum, Racine Art Museum, Rahr West Art Museum, Railroad Memories Museum, RAM's Charles Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Sheboygan County Historical Museum, Snowmobile Hall of Fame, S S Meteor Maritime Museum, Stonefield Museum, Ten Chimneys, The Children's Museum of Green Bay, The Dells Mill  & Museum, The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums, Trout Museum of Art, University Wisconsin Madison Geology Museum, Vilas County Historical Museum, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, Washington Island Farm Museum, Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Webster House Museum, Weis Earth Science Museum, Wisconsin Automotive Museum, Wisconsin Black Historical Museum, Wisconsin Historical Museum, Wisconsin Logging Museum, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, Wisconsin Science Museum, Wisconsin Veterans Museum, World Of Accordions and Wright Museum of Art.
• Popular Attractions: Amnicon Falls State Park, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Atwater Park, Aztalan State Park, Barlow Planetarium, Basilica of St. Josaphat, Bay Beach Amusement Park, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, Bear Foot Bay Indoor Water Park, Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, Big Manitou Falls, Black Point Estate & Gardens, Blue Mound State Park, Boerner Botanical Gardens, Bradford Beach, Bronze Fonz, Brown County Historical Society & Hazelwood Historic House, Calvary Cemetery & Mausoleum, Cana Island Lighthouse, Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, Cascade Mountain, Cathedral Square Park, Cave of the Mounds, Cave Point County Park, Cool Waters Aquatic Park, Copper Falls State Park, Crawdaddy Cove Indoor Water Park, Dells Ghost Boat, Dells of the Wisconsin River, Devil's Lake State Park, Discovery World, Door County, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Geneva Lake, Governor Dodge State Park, Grand Avenue Mall, Great River Road, Great Wall of China, GuitarTown Guitar, Helium Trampoline & Indoor Adventure Park, Henry Maier Festival Park, Henry Vilas Zoo, High Cliff State Park, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, Holy Hill Basilica & National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Horicon Marsh, House on the Rock, Interfalls Lake, Irvine Park Zoo, Jelly Belly Center, Jurustic Park, Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Klondike Kavern Water Park, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Knuckleheads Trampoline Park, Lakefront Brewery, Lake Monona, Lakeside Park, Lake Tomahawk, LaReau's World of Miniature Buildings, Lautenbach's Orchard Country Winery & Market, Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve, Little Amerricka Amusement Park, Little Switzerland Ski Area, Lizard Mound State Park, Logger's Landing Indoor Waterpark, Madison's University of Wisconsin Arboretum, MagiQuest, Mars Cheese Castle, Menominee Park Zoo, Miller Park, Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee Riverwalk, Min-Aqua Bats, Mineral Point, Mirror Lake State Park, Mitchell Gallery of Flight, Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, Mount La Crosse, Mt La Crosse Ski Area, Mt Olympus Water & Theme Park, Noah's Ark Waterpark, Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Old World Wisconsin, Oshkosh B'Gosh Outlet, Pattison State Park, Peninsula State Park, Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf, Pirates’ Hollow Waterpark, Pleasant Prairie RecPlex, Pollock Community Water Park, Potawatomi Casino, Pyramids, Rib Mountain State Park, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Road America, Rotary Botanical Gardens, Sphinx, Schoolhouse Beach Park, Simmons Island Park, Springs Water Park, Taliesin Preservation, The Elk Mound Castle, The Green Gallery, The House on the Rock, The Memorial Union, The Mountain Top Ski & Adventure Center, Timbavati Wildlife Park, Third Ward District, Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, Tyrol Ski Basin, Walnut Hollow Woodcraft Outlet, Wakanda Water Park, Whitecap, Wild Waterdome Water Park, Wild West Water Park, Willow River State Park, Wisconsin Deer Park, Wisconsin River, Wisconsin State Capitol and Wizard Quest.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Algoma, Appleton, Ashland, Babcock, Baraboo, Bayfield, Beaver Dam, Berlin, Campbellsport, Cassville, Cedarburg, Dodgeville, Eau Claire, Egg Harbor, Elkhart Lake, Ellsworth, Fish Creek, Hayward, Horicon, Hudson, Jacksonport,    Janesville, Kenosha, Lake Geneva, Green Bay, Lake Mills, Lodi, Madison, Mellen, Milwaukee, Mineral Point, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Northwoods, Oshkosh, Paoli, Somerset, Pardeeville, Pattison, Portage, Prairie du Sac, Racine, Sauk City, Sauk-Prairie, Seymour, Sparta, Spring Green, Superior, Verona, Waukesha and West Bend.
• Popular Islands to Visit: Bear Island, Devil's Island, Madeline Island, Oak Island, Outer Island, Pilot Island, Plum Island, Raspberry Island, Rock Island, Sand Island, St Feriole
  Island, Stockton Island, Washington Island and York Island.
• Special Events: (February) Anime Milwaukee, Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race, Wiscon, (March) St Patrick’s Day Parade, (April) Country Thunder USA, No Brand Con, Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI),  (May) Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), (June) Alice in Dairyland, Blue Ox Music Festival, Country Fest, Country USA, Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival, Metro Jam, Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen, Polish Fest, Porterfield Country Music Festival, River Rhythms, Steel Bridge Songfest, Summerfest, Porterfield Country Music Festival, Willard Polka Fest,(July) Acoustic Fest, Bastille Days, Country Jam USA, Country Thunder, Driftless Music Festival, EAA Oshkosh Airshow, Eaux Claires, Festa Italiana, Hodag Country Music Festival, Kitsune Kon, Lifest, Lumberjack World Championships,Polka Days, Prairie Dog Blues Festival, Rhythm & Booms, Rock Fest, (August) Ashley for the Arts, Blues on the Chippewa, Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Brat(wurst) Days, Harbor Park Jazz Rhythm & Blues Festival, Irish Fest, Madison Pride & MAGIC Picnic, Mile of Music, Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival, Voices of Peace Gospel Music Fest, Wisconsin Highland Games, Wisconsin State Fair, (September) Cheese Days, Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival, Oktoberfest, (October) African World Festival, Arab Fest, Indian Summer and (November) Daisho Con.

Devil's Lake, Sauk County, WI. Photo Credit: Amanda Krueger/Pixabay 

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                                                                                                  All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.