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Historical Essay

Petersylvania, Wisconsin

A Bizarre Story of Land Prospecting Gone Awry
Read the amazing story of a man who watched his potential 10,000-square-mile northern Wisconsin empire disappear into thin air.
Historical Essay

Was Nicolet Really the First European in Wisconsin?

An Unreliable Text and Other Evidence
Wisconsin History books teach that Jean Nicolet was the first white person to reach the state, but he may have been the second.
Historical Essay

The French Fur Trade in Wisconsin

When the Beaver was King
Discover how beavers transformed Wisconsin's economy in the 1650s for the next two centuries.
Historical Essay

Early U.S. Settlement

Military Outposts in Wisconsin
Read how American forts were established and settlement increased in Wisconsin after the War of 1812.
Historical Essay

Wisconsin's Early Schools

How the University was Began
Discover how the lack of educational opportunities in Wisconsin helped create the University of Wisconsin.

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