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 […]

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 […]