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Map of the Territories of Michigan and Ouisconsin, 1835

This hand-colored map shows the area from Michigan west to the Missouri River and Lake Winnipeg, and includes expedition routes of Stephen H. Long and Henry R. Schoolcraft. The "Ouisconsin" spelling of Wisconsin is used. View the original source document: WHI 92162

Westward migration increased after the war of 1812. White travelers initially settled in two areas: the lead mining regions along the Mississippi and along the lakeshore in what became Milwaukee. Rivers, lakes and oceans were the most reliable means for travel and transport in the nineteenth century. Towns and cities usually developed near rivers and lakes because of the accessibility of goods and ease of travel. 

Land Speculation

One of the best business opportunities on the Wisconsin frontier was land speculation. Land speculators advertised their settlements and provided money to attract merchants and workers to their towns. They hoped their towns would become popular destinations for settlers so they could reap profit from real estate sales.

Competition

Solomon Juneau, a fur trader and merchant, and his partner Morgan Martin owned much of Milwaukee's east side. They wanted their land to become the center of a major port city on Lake Michigan. Two other speculators named Byron Kilbourne and George Walker owned tracts on Milwaukee's west and south sides. All four of them wanted their lands surveyed and opened to public sale, engaged in a bitter competition to improve their village sites to attract buyers. 

Politician and speculator James Duane Doty's land was chosen as the territorial capital of the state and named "Madison." The city of Belmont had been considered for the same title. But Belmont never gained the lasting popularity that its early investors had hoped. 

Land Offices

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Map of Wiskonsan, 1844

Map of Wisconsin including Lakes Michigan and Superior. The "Wiskonsan" spelling of the state name is used. View the original source document: WHI 36988

Certain towns and plots of land were more favorable than others. Roads, canals and harbors made some locations more marketable. The presence of government land offices also helped create a more civilized, less rugged atmosphere for settlers and investors. Land offices attracted settlers, lawyers, merchants, moneylenders and speculators. The federal government opened offices in Mineral Point and Green Bay in 1834. Another land office was opened in Milwaukee in 1838. As these regions became more attractive, the land offices moved to other, less populated parts of the territory to encourage settlement. 

The most reliable indicators of a town's potential to become a major city were the presence of sustainable resources and accessible transport routes. Mineral Point was centered on lead mining. After its land offices closed, it stopped expanding. But Milwaukee and Green Bay continued to flourish even after the government land offices left.

Becoming Cities

Villages that wanted more public services and greater autonomy could apply for city charters from the legislature. When Wisconsin became a state in 1848, Milwaukee was its only city. It consisted of five separate villages known as wards. Its mayor governed five sets of independent representatives from each area. Smaller cities that were chartered in the 1850s had more centralized governments. Madison was incorporated as a village in 1846, and received its city charter from the state legislature in 1856. 

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Explore the Turning Points in Wisconsin History Collection

[Sources: The History of Wisconsin vols. 1, 2, and 3 (Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin); Kasparek, Jon, Bobbie Malone and Erica Schock. Wisconsin History Highlights: Delving into the Past (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2004); Risjord, Norman K. Wisconsin: The Story of the Badger State (Madison: Wisconsin Trails, 1995);]