Wisconsin

Wisconsin

State Facts

  • Capital City - Madison
  • Motto - ‘Forward’
  • Population - 5,654,774* 2009
  • Time Zone - Central: UTC -6/-5
  • State abbreviation - Wis./ WI
  • Border States - Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan
  • Admission to Statehood - May 29, 1848 (30th state)
  • Largest City - Milwaukee
  • Highest point- Timms Hill, 1,952 ft. (595 m)
  • Lowest point - Lake Michigan, 581 ft. (177 m)
  • Professional Sports - Green Bay Packers (NFL), Milwaukee Brewers (MLB), Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

State Symbols

  • State Animal- Badger
  • Flower- Wood Violet
  • Song- “On, Wisconsin!” * see below for chorus
  • Fruit- Cranberry
  • Grain- Corn
  • Bird- Robin
  • Fish- Muskellunge
  • Dance- ‘Polka’
  • Rock- Red Granite
  • Tree- Sugar Maple
  • Insect- European Honey Bee
  • Fossil- Trilobite

Fun Facts

  • The city of Middleton is home to the National Mustard Museum. The collection has grown to 5,300 mustards from more than 60 foreign countries!
  • Milwaukee’s Summerfest is the nation’s largest music festival
  • The Circus World Museum in Baraboo is a museum devoted to the history of the Circus.
  • Noah’s Ark, in Wisconsin Dells, is the largest water-themed park in the United States
  • The original Barbie Doll is from Willows.
  • Eagle River is known as the Snowmobile Capital of the World
  • The National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is located in Hayward
  • The Hamburger Hall of Fame is located in Seymour

Famous Wisconsinites:

  • William H. Rehnquist (born in Milwaukee in 1924) was the 16th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder, (born in Pepin in 1867), was the author of the very popular novel “The Little House on the Prairie.”
  • Architect Frank Lloyd Wright - born in Richland Center in 1867.
  • Georgia O’Keeffe - born in Sun Prairie in 1887.

The State of Wisconsin is home to many well-known and successful actors, including:

  • Don Ameche was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1908. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in his role in the film ‘Cocoon’ (1985).
  • Fredric March, a native of Racine, is also an Academy Award Winner for his parts in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ (1931) and ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ (1946).
  • Chris Farley (Born in Madison in 1964) was a well-known comedian and actor. He is best known for his works on Saturday Night Live and the film ‘Tommy Boy’ (1995).
  • Spencer Tracy was born in Milwaukee in 1900. He attended Wauwatosa East High School, St. John’s Cathedral School, Marquette Academy, and West Division High School (now Milwaukee High School of the Arts). He was an Academy Award Winner for Best Actor in Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938).

Wisconsin State's Song: 'On, Wisconsin!'

William T. Purdy and Carl Beck wrote the music and lyrics in 1909 and introduced the song at the University of Wisconsin Madison campus in November of that same year.

Over the years, the song has been edited from its original and was officially recognized as the state song in 1959.

On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Grand old badger state!
We, thy loyal sons and daughters, Hail thee, good and great.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Champion of the right,
'Forward', our motto - God will give thee might!