Scenic Wisconsin is located near the headwaters of North America's great inland waterways, the Mississippi and St. Lawrence rivers. The state is bordered on the north by Lake Superior, on the northeast by Michigan, to the east by Lake Michigan, the south by Illinois, and along the western border by the Mississippi, separating Wisconsin from Iowa and Minnesota. As a leading state in the production of milk and cheese, Wisconsin is known as America's Dairyland. It is also known as the Badger State, a nickname which dates back to the early lead miners who, like badgers, burrowed into hillsides to make temporary homes. The state name is derived from one of the region's chief rivers, the Wisconsin, from a Chippewa Indian word Meskousing, which means "gathering of waters." The word was misspelled by French explores as Ouisconsin. Magnificent natural beauty makes Wisconsin a favorite vacation destination--attractions including two of the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, wooded trails, colorful countryside, undisturbed wilderness, sparkling lakes and streams, hundreds of rushing waterfalls. Unsurpassed year-round recreation offers fishing, hunting, swimming, boating, rock climbing, skiing, tobogganing. This and other quality of life advantages combine with diversified economic opportunities to continue to attract new residents to Wisconsin, where the estimated population is now more than 5,450,000.

Wisconsin is a region of ridges, limestone bluffs, sandy beaches, rolling hills, thick forests, fertile valleys and plains, falls and rapids. The state is divided into five land regions: the Lake Superior Lowland, the Superior Upland, the Central Plain, the Western Upland, and the Great Lakes Plains. It features a 381-mile shoreline along Lake Michigan and 292 miles along Lake Superior. The rivers of St. Croix, Chippewa, Black, La Crosse, and Wisconsin flow into the Mississippi; the St. Louis, Bad, Memadji, Montreal into Lake Superior; and the Menominee, Peshtigo, Oconto, Fox, and Milwaukee form part of the Lake Michigan system. Natural resources are rich soil, abundant water, large forests, and wildlife. Of the state's more than 8,000 lakes, the largest is Lake Winnebago and the deepest is Green Lake. Principal cities are Madison (capital), Milwaukee (largest), Racine, Kenosha, and Green Bay. Excellent institutions of higher learning include the University of Wisconsin and Marquette University.

Wisconsin led the way in development of farmers' cooperatives, dairymen's associations, and cheese-making federations. It created the nation's first kindergarten, built the nation's first hydroelectric plant. Ringling Brothers started their first circus in Wisconsin, and the state was the birthplace of the Republican Party in 1854. Some famous Wisconsinites are the progressive political La Follette family, authors Edna Ferber and Thorton Wilder, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, film director and actor Orson Wells, and actor Alfred Lunt.

In this increasingly industrial state, agriculture is still a key economic factor. In addition to dairy products, Wisconsin leads the nation in production of alfalfa, sweet corn, and green peas. It also is a major producer of cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, and loganberries. Important to the economy are its many breweries, cattle farms, mining, forestry, fishing, and tourism. Major manufactures include diesel and gasoline engines, electric generators, pasteurizing machinery, tractors, steam shovels, food products, paper, and automotive products. The state is served by modern road and rail systems; key ports at Ashland, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Superior; the St. Lawrence Seaway; and major airports at Milwaukee and Madison.

Notable points of interest are Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright estate; Apostle Islands National Lakeshore; Circus World Museum, Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forests; 31 state parks including Brunet Island, Devils Lake, Potawatomi, and Yellowstone Lake; Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve; beautiful Potato River Falls; Old World Wisconsin; and National Railroad Museum. Other attractions include Grand Geneva Resort & Spa; Isle Vista Casino; American Folklore Theatre; Amish Country Corner; historic Pabst Theater; Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra; Wisconsin Historic Museum; Madison Civic Center; Madison's opera and symphony orchestra; scenic drives; arboretums and botanical gardens; science and nature centers. Professional sports include the NFL Green Bay Packers, the NBA Milwaukee Bucks, and the Milwaukee Brewers major league baseball team.

The Wisconsin region was occupied by Winnebago, Dakota, and Menominee peoples when the first French explorers arrived in 1634 and claimed the valley of Fox River for France. In 1658 French trappers opened fur trade in the Lake Superior region. After defeating the Fox Indians in 1740, the French opened new trade routes which extended to the Ohio River. England gained the French holdings by 1763 following the French and Indian War. U.S. took over the fur trade in 1816 and Wisconsin became part of the Northwest Territory at conclusion of the Revolutionary War. In 1836 Wisconsin became a separate territory, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state.

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