97-464: A Wisconsin state park is an area of land in the U.S. state of Wisconsin preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other resources. The state park system in Wisconsin includes both state parks and state recreation areas. Wisconsin currently has 51 state park units, covering more than 60,570 acres (245.1 km) in state parks and state recreation areas. Each unit was created by an act of
194-447: A "site blessed by a benevolent Nature" and possessing "the same characteristics as southern France." After signing the contract, Nolen wrote an associate, "This seems to be an opportunity to do rather more than we have ever been given the chance to do before." In March 1923, Nolen completed an ambitious plan to imbue this resort city of 15,000 with a "form and flavor unlike that of other places." A greenbelt of preserves and parks encircled
291-464: A few African American freedmen, arrived in Wisconsin while it was under British control. Charles de Langlade is generally recognized as the first settler, establishing a trading post at Green Bay in 1745, and moving there permanently in 1764. Settlement began at Prairie du Chien around 1781. The French residents at the trading post in what is now Green Bay, referred to the town as "La Baye". However, British fur traders referred to it as "Green Bay", because
388-526: A reason for their existence. He recommended the creation of four state parks and provided guidelines for the establishment of a state park system. Nolen's legacy lives on in Madison. One of Madison's main thoroughfares, John Nolen Drive, is named after him. A strava cycling segment, named "John Nolen" in his honor, is a 1.4 mile stretch of bike path adjacent to John Nolen Drive. Nolen Shore, a twelve-story, 145-foot-tall (44 m) high-rise building named after him,
485-558: A referendum, Nolen's planning initiative received only 13 percent of the vote. The St. Petersburg experience disheartened Nolen, but he remained optimistic. His firm worked on 54 projects in Florida, including city plans for Clearwater, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach, new town plans for Clewiston and Bellaire, and neighborhood plans for University Park (Gainesville) and San Jose Estates (Jacksonville). In 1925, Nolen finally found in "Venice an opportunity better ... than any other in Florida to apply
582-592: A religion or spiritual tradition were approximately 75% of the state's population. 69% of Wisconsinites self-identified as Christian . Specifically, 25% of respondents identified as Mainline Protestant , 12% as Evangelical Protestant , 4% as other Protestants, and 27% as Catholic . Roughly 25% of the population were unaffiliated with any religious body. Small minorities of Jews (1%), Hindus (1%), Buddhists (1%), Jehovah's Witnesses (1%), Unitarian Universalists (1%), Muslims (<1%), Mormons (<1%), and other faiths exist according to this study. Christianity
679-485: A state park. In 1899, the legislature approved the purchase of Interstate State Park and it was established on September 20, 1900. Architect John Nolen was hired in 1907 to draft a feasibility plan for a Wisconsin State Parks System and State Parks for Wisconsin was released later that year. The report was the guideline used to set up the state park system. It recommended the creation of four state parks: Dells of
776-470: A wedge-shaped golf course buffered the eastern section of town from the railway and industrial uses. Nolen also placed Harlem Village east of the railway, surrounding it with "white farms." Segregation was a staple of southern life, and if Nolen failed to fight the southern caste system directly, he remained adamant that African Americans receive the benefits of good planning. In Venice, like other southern cities, he connected African American neighborhoods to
873-588: Is Hmong , with significant communities in Milwaukee , Wausau , Green Bay , Sheboygan , Appleton , Madison , La Crosse , Eau Claire , Oshkosh , and Manitowoc . 61,629 people in Wisconsin, or around 1% of the population, identify as Hmong. Of the residents of Wisconsin, 71.7% were born in Wisconsin, 23.0% were born in a different US state, 0.7% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 4.6% were foreign born. In 2018,
970-519: Is considered a preeminent example of the urban landscape movement. Nolen later cited the grounds surrounding Worcester College as an inspiration for his plans for Madison. In 1908, John Olin of the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association contacted Nolen for advice in laying out Madison city parks. Without the money to pay Nolen, Olin enlisted the support of the city, the University of Wisconsin, and
1067-519: Is dominated by manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture—specifically dairy, cranberries , and ginseng . Tourism is also a major contributor to its economy. The gross domestic product in 2020 was $ 348 billion. Wisconsin is home to one UNESCO World Heritage Site , comprising two of the most significant buildings designed by Wisconsin-born architect Frank Lloyd Wright : his studio at Taliesin near Spring Green and his Jacobs I House in Madison. The Republican Party
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#17330853548411164-509: Is home to eleven federally recognized tribes . Originally part of the Northwest Territory , it was admitted as a state in 1848. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many European settlers entered the state, mostly from Germany and Scandinavia . Wisconsin remains a center of German American and Scandinavian American culture, particularly in respect to its cuisine , with foods such as bratwurst and kringle . Wisconsin
1261-523: Is one of the nation's leading dairy producers and is known as "America's Dairyland"; it is particularly famous for its cheese . The state is also famous for its beer , particularly and historically in Milwaukee , most notably as the headquarters of the Miller Brewing Company . Wisconsin has some of the nation's most permissive alcohol laws and is known for its drinking culture . Its economy
1358-489: Is the 20th-largest state by population and 23rd-largest by area . It has 72 counties and as of the 2020 census had a population of nearly 5.9 million. Its most populous city is Milwaukee ; its capital and second-most populous city is Madison . Other urban areas include Green Bay , Kenosha , Racine , Eau Claire , and the Fox Cities . Wisconsin's geography is diverse, shaped by Ice Age glaciers except in
1455-711: Is the largest inland lake, with over 137,700 acres (557 km ), and 88 miles (142 km) of shoreline. Along the two Great Lakes, Wisconsin has over 500 miles (800 km) of shoreline. Many of the named islands in Wisconsin are located in the Great Lakes; many surround the Door Peninsula in Lake Michigan or are part of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. The Mississippi River and inland lakes and rivers contain
1552-544: Is the only county in the eastern United States with a Native American majority. African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. 86% of Wisconsin's African-American population live in four cities: Milwaukee , Racine , Beloit , Kenosha , with Milwaukee home to nearly three-fourths of the state's black Americans. In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African-American residents. About 33% of Wisconsin's Asian population
1649-858: Is the predominant religion in Wisconsin. Per the Association of Religion Data Archives ' 2020 study, Catholicism was the single-largest denomination with 1,237,342 adherents, followed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 316,245 members and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod with 209,788 adherents. 276,904 adhered to nondenominational Christianity . Statewide FBI Crime statistics for 2009 include 144 murders/non-negligent manslaughter; 1,108 rapes; 4,850 robberies; 8,431 aggravated assaults; and 147,486 property crimes. Wisconsin also publishes its own statistics through
1746-498: The Boaz mastodon , a prehistoric mastodon skeleton unearthed along with spear points in southwest Wisconsin. After the ice age ended around 8000 BCE, people in the subsequent Archaic period lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering food from wild plants. Agricultural societies emerged gradually over the Woodland period between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Toward the end of this period, Wisconsin was
1843-644: The Driftless Area . The Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupy the state's western part, with lowlands stretching to Lake Michigan. Wisconsin is third to Ontario and Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline. Its northern portion is home to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest . At the time of European contact, the area was inhabited by Algonquian and Siouan nations, and today it
1940-646: The Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1,500,000-acre (610,000-hectare) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest , as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and
2037-473: The Great Lakes in 1634, and it is traditionally assumed that he came ashore near Green Bay at Red Banks . Pierre Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers visited Green Bay again in 1654–1666 and Chequamegon Bay in 1659–1660, where they traded for fur with local Native Americans. In 1673, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first to record a journey on the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway all
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#17330853548412134-748: The Ice Age National Scientific Reserve , while the Wyalusing Hardwood Forest in Wyalusing State Park is a National Natural Landmark . Two Wisconsin state parks contain National Historic Landmarks , both of which are Native American archaeological sites: Aztalan and Copper Culture . 15 state parks contain a total of 23 separate listings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). These are
2231-787: The Magnesian Escarpment . In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River, and the Baraboo Range . This region is part of the Driftless Area , which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest. Wisconsin has geologic formations and deposits that vary in age from over three billion years to several thousand years, with most rocks being millions of years old. The oldest geologic formations were created over 600 million years ago during
2328-553: The Menominee at the time of European contact. Other Native American groups living in Wisconsin when Europeans first settled included the Ojibwa , Sauk , Fox , Kickapoo , and Pottawatomie , who migrated to Wisconsin from the east between 1500 and 1700. The first European to visit what became Wisconsin was probably the French explorer Jean Nicolet . He canoed west from Georgian Bay through
2425-639: The New England states. The Erie Canal facilitated the travel of both Yankee settlers and European immigrants to Wisconsin Territory. Yankees from New England and upstate New York seized a dominant position in law and politics, enacting policies that marginalized the region's earlier Native American and French-Canadian residents. Yankees also speculated in real estate, platted towns such as Racine, Beloit, Burlington, and Janesville, and established schools, civic institutions, and Congregationalist churches. At
2522-465: The Pottawatomie Lighthouse , Rock Island Historic District, Thordarson Estate Historic District, and a water tower. Wisconsin became the first state to have a state park in 1878 when it formed "The State Park". The park consisted of 760 square miles (2,000 km) in northern Wisconsin (most of present-day Vilas County ). The state owned 50,631 acres (205 km), which was less than 10% of
2619-746: The Precambrian , with the majority being below the glacial deposits. Much of the Baraboo Range consists of Baraboo Quartzite , and other Precambrian metamorphic rock . This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation . Langlade County has a soil rarely found outside the county called Antigo silt loam . The state has more than 12,000 named rivers and streams, totaling 84,000 miles (135,000 km) in length. It has over 15,000 named lakes, totaling about 1 million acres (4,000 km ). Lake Winnebago
2716-1213: The Seth Peterson Cottage in Mirror Lake State Park , the Raddatz Rockshelter at Natural Bridge State Park , Stonefield partially within Nelson Dewey State Park , Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park , the Roche-a-Cri Petroglyphs in Roche-a-Cri State Park , the shot tower in Tower Hill State Park , Whitefish Dunes-Bay View Site in Whitefish Dunes State Park , Wyalusing State Park Mounds Archaeological District in Wyalusing State Park, and four listings in Rock Island State Park :
2813-614: The UW-Extension system at this time. Later, UW economics professors John R. Commons and Harold Groves helped Wisconsin create the first unemployment compensation program in the United States in 1932. Other Wisconsin Idea scholars at the university generated the plan that became the New Deal's Social Security Act of 1935, with Wisconsin expert Arthur J. Altmeyer playing the key role. In
2910-457: The University of Wisconsin , helped the state build a reputation as "America's Dairyland". Meanwhile, conservationists including Aldo Leopold helped re-establish the state's forests during the early 20th century, paving the way for a more renewable lumber and paper milling industry as well as promoting recreational tourism in the northern woodlands. Manufacturing also boomed in Wisconsin during
3007-409: The University of Wisconsin , the city of Madison , and the state park system. His comprehensive approach blended social, economic, and physical aspects of urban life with the preservation of natural beauty. He felt strongly that: ... simple recreation in the open air amid beautiful surroundings contributes to physical and moral health, to a saner and happier life ... His plan for the city of Madison
List of Wisconsin state parks - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-519: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources . The Division of Forestry manages a further 471,329 acres (1,907.40 km ) in Wisconsin's state forests . Most of Wisconsin is classified as warm-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), while southern and southwestern portions are classified as hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa ). The highest temperature ever recorded in
3201-510: The Wisconsin Legislature and is maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources , Division of Parks and Recreation. The Division of Forestry manages a further 471,329 acres (1,907.40 km) in Wisconsin's state forests . Several Wisconsin state parks contain resources that have been recognized on a national level. Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area , Devil's Lake State Park , and Interstate State Park are units of
3298-422: The "adequate control of private development." He proposed a series of land use controls to ensure that development followed the efficient outlay of public facilities, rather than outline speculative desires. Without these regulations, Nolen was hardly sanguine about the city's future. "It has been said and with reason," he wrote, "that man is the only animal who desecrates the surroundings of his own habitation." In
3395-512: The "civic spirit." An ideal site for contemplation, a vision of Nature was always at hand, but it never remained the same, shifting with the tides and the seasons. Two diagonal avenues defined the neighborhoods lying between the Gulf and the Civic Center. School sites and the commercial center provided focal points for neighborhoods. Common greens and playgrounds were provided in each neighborhood, while
3492-550: The 20th century, a number of African Americans and Mexicans settled in Milwaukee ; and after the end of the Vietnam War came an influx of Hmongs . The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although German immigrants settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegian immigrants settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants settled primarily in urban areas. Menominee County
3589-630: The 20th century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of a service economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism. In 2011, Wisconsin became the focus of some controversy when newly elected governor Scott Walker proposed and then successfully passed and enacted 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 , which made large changes in the areas of collective bargaining, compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave of public sector employees, among other changes. A series of major protests by union supporters took place that year in protest to
3686-730: The American City Planning Institute and a writer. Born in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, Nolen was orphaned as a child and placed in Girard College . After he graduated first in his class in 1884, he worked as a grocery clerk and secretary to the Girard Estate Trust Fund before enrolling in the Wharton School of Finance and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania in 1891. Nolen earned a Ph.B. in 1893, and for
3783-450: The Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis. The state reported 14,603 violent crimes in 2009, with a clearance rate (% solved) of 50%. The state reported 4,633 sexual assaults in 2009, with an overall clearance rate for sexual assaults of 57%. John Nolen John Nolen (June 14, 1869 – February 18, 1937) was an American landscape architect , planning consultant, founding member of
3880-404: The Civic Center and Rialto Avenue. The Civic Center not only defined the town center, but it stood midway between the commercial core and Venice's most sublime natural feature — the Gulf of Mexico. In Venice, Nolen effectively balanced his design between two transcendental ideals — civic virtue and Nature. From City Hall, one could view the palette of Nature while surrounded by the physical form of
3977-559: The French and Indian War, taking control of Green Bay in 1761 and gaining control of all of Wisconsin in 1763. Like the French, the British were interested in little but the fur trade. One notable event in the fur trading industry in Wisconsin occurred in 1791, when two free African Americans set up a fur trading post among the Menominee at present-day Marinette . The first permanent settlers, mostly French Canadians , some Anglo- New Englanders and
List of Wisconsin state parks - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-654: The Garden City in Florida. Neighborhoods segregated by class and cost were connected by parkways and linked to the Civic Center. Combining the lines of Nature with a civic orientation, Venice offered, Nolen wrote, "an inspiration to those who would make this world a better place to live." At the 1926 National City Planning Conference, held in St. Petersburg, Nolen presented Venice in his presidential address, "New Communities to Meet New Conditions." More than any other state, Nolen believed, Florida needed "a state plan" to "regulate reasonably"
4171-499: The Lake Superior snowbelt each year. Wisconsin has three types of municipality: cities, villages, and towns. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties with limited self-government. Over two-thirds of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas. Milwaukee , in southeastern Wisconsin, is the state's most populous city, with approximately 580,000 people. The Milwaukee metropolitan area accounts for 1.57 million of
4268-615: The Town Planning Institute of England. Nolen completed a number of projects in Wisconsin as well as earlier efforts in Virginia , Georgia , and particularly, San Diego, California . His prestige as an innovative urban planner was firmly established. By 1919, Nolen had written two books, edited two others, and published dozens of articles. In 1927, he was elected president of the National Conference on City Planning. Nolen
4365-405: The U.S. resulted in a net decrease of 72,006 people. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 4,775 homeless people in Wisconsin. (of any race) In 2022, the five largest European ancestry groups were: German (36%), Irish (10.2%), Polish (7.9%), English (6.7%), and Norwegian (6.3%). German is the most common ancestry in every county in
4462-562: The United States in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War . In 1787, it became part of the Northwest Territory . As territorial boundaries subsequently developed, it was then part of Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1809, Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, and Michigan Territory from 1818 to 1836. However, the British remained in control until after the War of 1812 , the outcome of which finally established an American presence in
4559-740: The Wisconsin River, Devil's Lake , Door County's Fish Creek (now Peninsula State Park ) and the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers (now Wyalusing State Park ). Three became state parks, and the fourth became Dells Natural Area in 2005. A State Conservation Commission was formed in 1915 by combining the State Park Board, the State Board of Forestry, the Fisheries Commission, and
4656-654: The aftermath of these events. During the Civil War , around 91,000 troops from Wisconsin fought for the Union . Wisconsin's economy also diversified during the early years of statehood. While lead mining diminished, agriculture became a principal occupation in the southern half of the state. Railroads were built across the state to help transport grains to market, and industries like J.I. Case & Company in Racine were founded to build agricultural equipment. Wisconsin briefly became one of
4753-473: The area. Under American control, the economy of the territory shifted from fur trading to lead mining. The prospect of easy mineral wealth drew immigrants from throughout the U.S. and Europe to the lead deposits located at Mineral Point , Dodgeville , and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug, and earned the nickname "badgers", leading to Wisconsin's identity as the "Badger State". The sudden influx of white miners prompted tension with
4850-532: The changes, and Walker survived a recall election held the next year , becoming the first governor in United States history to do so. Wisconsin is located in the Midwestern United States and is part of both the Great Lakes region and Upper Midwest . The state has a total area of 65,496 square miles (169,630 km ). Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River ; Lake Superior and Michigan to
4947-530: The countries of origin for Wisconsin's immigrants came from Mexico, India, China, Laos and the Philippines . Note: Births in table add to over 100%, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey According to Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey , those identifying with
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#17330853548415044-459: The current spelling official in 1845. The Algonquian word for Wisconsin and its original meaning have both grown obscure. While interpretations vary, most implicate the river and the red sandstone that lines its banks. One leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing , meaning ' it lies red ' , a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows through
5141-481: The early 20th century, driven by an immense immigrant workforce arriving from Europe. Industries in cities like Milwaukee ranged from brewing and food processing to heavy machine production and tool-making, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910. The early 20th century was also notable for the emergence of progressive politics championed by Robert M. La Follette . Between 1901 and 1914, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created
5238-535: The first governor of Wisconsin , was a Democrat . Dewey oversaw the transition from the territorial to the new state government. He encouraged the development of the state's infrastructure, particularly the construction of new roads, railroads, canals, and harbors, as well as the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers . During his administration, the State Board of Public Works was organized. Dewey, an abolitionist ,
5335-404: The heartland of the " Effigy Mound culture", which built thousands of animal-shaped mounds across the landscape. Later, between 1000 and 1500 CE, the Mississippian and Oneota cultures built substantial settlements including the fortified village at Aztalan in southeast Wisconsin. The Oneota may be the ancestors of the modern Ioway and Ho-Chunk nations who shared the Wisconsin region with
5432-512: The immediate aftermath of World War II , citizens of Wisconsin were divided over issues such as creation of the United Nations , support for the European recovery, and the growth of the Soviet Union 's power. However, when Europe divided into Communist and capitalist camps and the Chinese Communist Revolution succeeded in 1949, public opinion began to move towards support for the protection of democracy and capitalism against Communist expansion. Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in
5529-405: The larger community via a parkway. In cities separated by race, interconnected parkways offered the hope of uniting diverse people through "nature" and to, Nolen wrote, "the brotherhood of man." The BLE invested heavily in infrastructure, before the land boom crashed in 1927. Nolen's plan remained a guiding vision (although Harlem Village was nixed), and Venice stands as the most complete example of
5626-434: The local Native American population. The Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832 culminated in the forced removal of Native Americans from most parts of the state. Following these conflicts, Wisconsin Territory was created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1836. By fall of that year, the best prairie groves of the counties surrounding what is now Milwaukee were occupied by farmers from
5723-415: The location of future towns and cities. Nolen envisioned a state of interconnected garden cities based on Venice's regional and town plan. Although Nolen's agenda never moved beyond the conference, his vision drew admirers. A year later, Lewis Mumford, in the keynote address to the same conference, proclaimed, "At least one planner realizes where the path of intelligent and humane achievement will lead during
5820-545: The lower third (45 square miles) of the Pinellas Peninsula, setting the city's "natural boundaries" and creating a lure for tourists. He also presented plans to improve traffic connections and establish a Civic Center. Mixed-use neighborhood centers were clustered to prevent the unsightly spread of commercial uses and traffic problems along city thoroughfares. A system of parkways united the city, providing pedestrian access to parks and local neighborhood centers with store groups, churches, and public buildings. Nolen's plan rested on
5917-438: The metro area. Other metropolitan cities in the state include Appleton , Racine , Oshkosh , Eau Claire , Janesville , Wausau , La Crosse , Sheboygan , and Fond du Lac . Furthermore, another 12 cities function as centers of micropolitan statistical areas which typically anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. As of 2011, there were 12 cities in Wisconsin with a population of 50,000 or more, accounting for 73% of
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#17330853548416014-402: The mid to late 20th century, ranging from the anti-communist crusades of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to the radical antiwar protests at UW-Madison that culminated in the Sterling Hall bombing in August 1970. The state undertook welfare reform under Republican Governor Tommy Thompson during the 1990s. The state's economy also underwent further transformations towards the close of
6111-420: The midst of the great Florida land boom, the desire to make quick profits outweighed any lofty notion of city building. Moreover, the idea of investing public funds to improve the squalid conditions in "the colored section" found little sentiment in a place, where one anti-planning editor advocated replacing black laborers (17 percent of the population) with immigrants from the "agricultural sections of England." In
6208-463: The most advanced and most practical ideas of regional planning." Nolen planned Venice for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), a labor union looking to capitalize on the land boom. The BLE, however, was also investing for the long term. BLE officials envisioned a regional center for agriculture and light industry, "a place where the ordinary man could have a chance to get all that the rich have ever been able to get out of Florida." "Nature led
6305-422: The nation's first comprehensive statewide primary election system, the first effective workplace injury compensation law, and the first state income tax , making taxation proportional to actual earnings. During World War I , due to the neutrality of Wisconsin and many Wisconsin Republicans , progressives , and German immigrants which made up 30 to 40 percent of the state population, Wisconsin would gain
6402-421: The nation's leading producers of wheat during the 1860s. Meanwhile, the lumber industry dominated in the heavily forested northern sections of Wisconsin, and sawmills sprang up in cities like La Crosse , Eau Claire , and Wausau . These economic activities had dire environmental consequences. By the close of the 19th century, intensive agriculture had devastated soil fertility, and lumbering had deforested most of
6499-500: The next generation." Both Mumford and Nolen advocated regional planning and the new town as the means to channel urbanization into a higher level of civilization. They also saw planning as an art form that revealed mankind's highest aspirations. "City design" could only "succeed," Mumford remarked in his conclusion, "when the city planner tries to fathom and express ... what the best life possible is." John Nolen died at his home in Cambridge on February 18, 1937. Nolen developed plans for
6596-568: The next ten years worked as secretary of the American Society for the Extension of University Teaching. He married Barbara Schatte in 1896. In 1903 Nolen sold his house and used the money to enroll in the newly established Harvard School of Landscape Architecture, under the famed instructors Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. , Arthur Shurtleff , and B.M. Watson. He received an A.M. in 1905 from Harvard. He established an office in Cambridge, Massachusetts , where he and his associates branched out into city planning , as well as landscape architecture. Nolen
6693-464: The nickname "Traitor State" which was used by many "hyper patriots". As the war raged on in Europe, Robert M. La Follette , leader of the anti-war movement in Wisconsin. led a group of progressive senators in blocking a bill by president Woodrow Wilson which would have armed merchant ships with guns. Many Wisconsin politicians such as Emanuel L. Philipp and Irvine Lenroot were accused of having divided loyalties. Even with outspoken opponents to
6790-403: The north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa to the southwest and Minnesota to the northwest. A border dispute with Michigan was settled by two cases, both Wisconsin v. Michigan , in 1934 and 1935. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between
6887-515: The period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish , who settled the southwestern area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees", migrants of English descent from New England and upstate New York ; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics, and education. Between 1850 and 1900, the immigrants were mostly Germans , Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian ), Irish , and Poles . In
6984-546: The reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells . Other theories include claims that the name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning ' red stone place ' , ' where the waters gather ' , or ' great rock ' . Wisconsin has been home to a wide variety of cultures over the past 14,000 years. The first people arrived around 10,000 BCE during the Wisconsin Glaciation . These early inhabitants, called Paleo-Indians , hunted now-extinct ice age animals such as
7081-446: The region licenses for fur trading had been issued scarcely and only to select groups of traders, whereas the British, in an effort to make as much money as possible from the region, issued licenses for fur trading freely, both to British and to French residents. The fur trade in what is now Wisconsin reached its height under British rule, and the first self-sustaining farms in the state were established as well. From 1763 to 1780, Green Bay
7178-779: The rest of the islands of Wisconsin. Areas under the protection of the National Park Service include the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore , Ice Age National Scenic Trail , and portions of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway and North Country National Scenic Trail . There are an additional 18 National Natural Landmarks in the state that include dune and swales, swamps, bogs, and old-growth forests. Wisconsin has 50 state park units , covering more than 60,570 acres (245.1 km ) in state parks and state recreation areas maintained by
7275-448: The river Meskousing (likely ᒣᔅᑯᐤᓯᣙ meskowsin ) in his journal. Subsequent French writers changed the spelling from Meskousing to Ouisconsin , and over time this became the name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling from Ouisconsin to Wisconsin when they began to arrive in large numbers during the early 19th century. The legislature of Wisconsin Territory made
7372-699: The same time, many Germans , Irish, Norwegians , and other immigrants also settled in towns and farms across the territory, establishing Catholic and Lutheran institutions. The growing population allowed Wisconsin to gain statehood on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. Between 1840 and 1850, Wisconsin's non-Indian population had swollen from 31,000 to 305,000. More than a third of residents (110,500) were foreign born, including 38,000 Germans, 28,000 British immigrants from England, Scotland, and Wales, and 21,000 Irish. Another third (103,000) were Yankees from New England and western New York state. Only about 63,000 residents in 1850 had been born in Wisconsin. Nelson Dewey ,
7469-578: The state Game Warden Department. Wisconsin Wisconsin ( / w ɪ ˈ s k ɒ n s ɪ n / wiss- CON -sin ) is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States . It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin
7566-488: The state was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where it reached 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the village of Couderay , where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and 4, 1996. Wisconsin also receives a large amount of regular snowfall averaging around 40 inches (100 cm) in the southern portions with up to 160 inches (410 cm) annually in
7663-447: The state's employment. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Wisconsin was 5,822,434 on July 1, 2019, a 2.4% increase since the 2010 United States census . This includes a natural increase since the last census of 150,659 people (i.e., 614,771 births minus 464,112 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 12,755 people. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 59,251 people, and migration from within
7760-580: The state's highest point, Timms Hill . In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. The ridges include the Niagara Escarpment that stretches from New York, the Black River Escarpment and
7857-446: The state's residents. With a population of nearly 280,000, the state capital of Madison is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in both the state and country and is the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin. The Madison metropolitan area in southern Wisconsin has about 680,000 residents. Medium-size cities dot the state. The largest of these is Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin, with approximately 320,000 people in
7954-533: The state, except Menominee, Trempealeau, and Vernon. Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. According to the 2022 American Community Survey , 7.6% of Wisconsin's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race). The largest Hispanic ancestry groups were Mexican (5.1%), Puerto Rican (1.1%), Central American (0.4%), and Cuban (0.1%), with 0.9% reporting other Hispanic or Latino origins. Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following
8051-402: The state. These conditions forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline. Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese-making traditions that, combined with the state's suitable geography and dairy research led by Stephen Babcock at
8148-423: The state. Together, they devised a contract to have Nolen make recommendations for the beautification of each. Perhaps Nolen's most important contribution, though, was his plan for a state park system. Having seen the rapid deforestation of northern Wisconsin, the depletion of mineral resources in the southwest, and increasing urban development, Nolen was hired not only to find locations for parks but also to provide
8245-504: The total area. There were few residents in the area. Lumber barons were powerful in the area, and they purchased 2/3 of the state's land at $ 8 per acre. This defeated the purpose of the parks for it didn't save the land from the ax. In 1895, the state legislature created an act which authorized the state governor to examine some land in Polk County at the Dalles of the St. Croix River to become
8342-425: The two previously mentioned National Historic Landmarks, plus Lake Farms Archaeological District at Capital Springs State Recreation Area , Copper Falls State Park , six individual buildings at Heritage Hill State Historical Park ( Baird Law Office , Cotton House , Fort Howard Hospital , Fort Howard Officers' Quarters , Fort Howard Ward Building , and Tank Cottage ), High Cliff Mounds at High Cliff State Park ,
8439-400: The war, at the onset of the war many Wisconsinites would abandon neutrality. Businesses, labor and farms all enjoyed prosperity from the war. With over 118,000 going into military service, Wisconsin was the first state to report for the national drafts conducted by the U.S. military . The progressive Wisconsin Idea also promoted the statewide expansion of the University of Wisconsin through
8536-410: The water and the shore assumed green tints in early spring. The old French title was gradually dropped, and the British name of "Green Bay" eventually stuck. The region coming under British rule had virtually no adverse effect on the French residents as the British needed the cooperation of the French fur traders and the French fur traders needed the goodwill of the British. During the French occupation of
8633-409: The waterfront, with an amphitheater and beachfront park lying at the terminus of Venice Parkway, which connected the beach to the Civic Center. The Civic Center's grouping of parks and public buildings offered a view of the Gulf and marked the western edge of the commercial core. From this point east, Venice Parkway narrowed to Venice Avenue, which ran the center of a three-block commercial core between
8730-708: The way to the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien . Frenchmen like Nicholas Perrot continued to ply the fur trade across Wisconsin through the 17th and 18th centuries, but the French made no permanent settlements in Wisconsin before Great Britain won control of the region following the French and Indian War in 1763. Even so, French traders continued to work in the region after the war, and some, beginning with Charles de Langlade in 1764, settled in Wisconsin permanently, rather than returning to British-controlled Canada. The British gradually took over Wisconsin during
8827-404: The way" and the plan, Nolen wrote, "followed her way." Greenbelts protected important natural features, and parkways extended from the hinterlands into Venice's downtown (Figure 1). A greenbelt bounded the town to the east and south, while Venice Bay marked the northern edge and the Gulf of Mexico lay to the west. Nolen paid special attention to the town's Gulf front location. A linear park ran along
8924-442: Was a frequent lecturer on city and town planning, and was active in many professional organizations, including the American City Planning Institute (now American Institute of Planners ), American Civic Association (now Urban America), American Society of Landscape Architects , American Society of Planning Officials, International Garden Cities and Town-Planning Federation, National Conference on City Planning (now Urban America), and
9021-587: Was a prosperous community which produced its own foodstuff, built graceful cottages and held dances and festivities. Joseph Roi built the Tank Cottage in Green Bay in 1776. Located in Heritage Hill State Historical Park , it is the oldest standing building from Wisconsin's early years and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Wisconsin became a territorial possession of
9118-519: Was founded in Wisconsin in 1854; in modern elections, it is considered a swing state . The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian -speaking Native American groups living in the region at the time of European colonization . The French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River, arriving in 1673 and calling
9215-681: Was taken into custody under the Federal Fugitive Slave Law , but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. In a trial stemming from the incident, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional. The Republican Party , founded on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery expansion activists in Ripon, Wisconsin , grew to dominate state politics in
9312-477: Was the first of many Wisconsin governors to advocate against the spread of slavery into new states and territories. Politics in early Wisconsin were defined by the greater national debate over slavery. A free state from its foundation, Wisconsin became a center of northern abolitionism . The debate became especially intense in 1854 after Joshua Glover , a runaway slave from Missouri , was captured in Racine . Glover
9409-583: Was the official landscape architect to such municipalities as Kingsport Tennessee ; Madison, Wisconsin ; Asheville, North Carolina ; Montclair, New Jersey ; Reading, Pennsylvania ; Roanoke, Virginia ; San Diego, California ; New London, Connecticut ; Bristol, Connecticut ; Savannah, Georgia ; and Schenectady, New York . After his success with Mariemont, Ohio , Nolen moved on to Florida to plan what he called, "the last frontier." In February 1922, he contracted with St. Petersburg to design Florida's first comprehensive plan. The city, he found, occupied
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