Jean Nicolet

Jean Nicolet

THE STORY: Way back in history—before Marquette and Joliet’s expeditions and before the French Fur Trade ever existed in Wisconsin—there was a man named Jean Nicolet. Nicolet was THE first European to explore what would become Wisconsin. Jean Nicolet, who was born in France in 1598, immigrated to Canada in 1618 to live among the […]

Prairie du Chien and the War of 1812

Prairie du Chien and the War of 1812

THE STORY: During the War of 1812, the United States began to realize how important Prairie du Chien was in the fur trade and the Mississippi River-Great Lakes transportation route. The settlement had been part of the U.S. for years, but no one was sent that far west to occupy it, so the British had […]

Charles de Langlade

Charles de Langlade

THE STORY: George Washington may be the”Father of our Country,” but do you know who the “Father of Wisconsin” is? It’s only fitting that the man recognized as the “Father of Wisconsin,” was born the son of a fur trader and an Ottawa woman. Our state’s “Father,” Charles de Langlade, was born in 1729 at […]

Governor Dodge and the Wisconsin Territory

Governor Dodge and the Wisconsin Territory

THE STORY: Before there were craft breweries in every zip code, even before the wild bratwurst was domesticated, Wisconsin was a land of plenty—which is what lured the Chippewa, the Winnebago, and European voyageurs and fur traders. After a few armed misunderstandings with the French and the Indians, Wisconsin ended up as part of the […]

The Black Hawk War

The Black Hawk War

THE STORY: Out west they have Geronimo, Cochise, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. Here in the Midwest, we have Black Hawk. One of the most legendary Sauk war chiefs in history, he led the last battles in Wisconsin’s history during the Black Hawk War. In 1829, the government ordered the Sauk and Fox tribes in […]

The French Fur Trade

The French Fur Trade

THE STORY: The badger may be Wisconsin’s state animal, but no other animal played as an important role in our state’s past as the beaver. For over two hundred years, Wisconsin’s economy revolved around beavers. After the French arrived in Wisconsin in the early 1600s, beaver pelts became equal to gold. Because beaver fur is […]