Deep woods and clean lakes lure wildlife and nature lovers to northern Wisconsin, while you’ll find picturesque dairy farms dot the landscape in the central region. In the south, bustling cities provide urban amenities and a high quality of life. Whether it’s one of Wisconsin’s metro areas or a rural small-town, you’re sure to find a great tradition of family values, diverse cultures and warm hospitality.
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Jean Nicolet, a French explorer, first set foot ashore near Green Bay in 1634. Although this was not China as he had hoped, he remained and negotiated treaties with the Native Americans and establishing the lucrative fur trade in the region.
Two events in 1816 paved the way for settlements. Foreigners were excluded from fur trading, enabling the American Fur Company and two military outposts were established – Fort Howard at Green Bay and Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien. The discovery of lead brought a second wave of settlers.
Hampered by the Civil War, strong economic growth did not occur until the early 1870s. The reaper made wheat farming productive and the dairy farming industry was born. The thriving network of rivers and harbors enabled flour and hydroelectric mills to spring up.
The lumber industry grew and sawmills became an increasingly common sight. By 1890, lumbering was the state’s second largest industry. Big business brought on growing social concerns and the state gave birth to the Republican Party in 1854. Robert M. La Follette was elected governor in 1900. He quickly attained national acclaim by spearheading the progressive movement known as the "Wisconsin Idea." It offered an alternative to conventional politics and garnered strong support for its causes.
The economy took a downturn after the Great Depression, when the dairy industry was struck particularly hard. The industrial demands of World War II gave a large economic boost to the state. Today it attempts to stay as economically diversified as possible to avoid any future downturns.
Three major bases, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture, lead Wisconsin’s economy. Manufacturing of goods generates over $70 billion annually with industrial centers in Milwaukee, Racine, Wausau and Green Bay. About 9 percent of the state’s workforce is employed in the tourist industry. Private resorts in the northern lake country attract visitors from around the country and around the world. Annual farm sales average more than $5 billion. Dairy products and livestock reign, followed closely by crop sales. It ranks first in the nation in the production of milk, cheese, butter and sweetened condensed milk. Minks are raised for pelts which generates about $51 million in annual sales. Major crops are: soybeans, wheat, potatoes, barley and sweet corn.
The statewide sales tax is 5 percent with local options for an additional 0.5 percent, plus a lodgings tax.
Summer recreation includes swimming, boating, fishing, canoeing and hiking. The Door Peninsula and Washington Island have a New England flavor, while Green Bay and Lake Michigan provide natural air conditioning as well as fine fishing opportunities. Winter brings about snowmobiling, skiing, ice fishing, ice boating and cross-country skiing.
