“Battle for Nicolet’s Anchor”

One of the earliest known residents of Wisconsin are the Menominee Nation. In 1633, a French explorer named Jean Nicolet was tasked with finding a water route through the North American continent to the Orient. Stopping at the shores of what is now Green Bay, Nicolet and his party were met by the Menominee Nation who spoke of their own rich and glorious lands and the great body of water that lay further to the West. Hoping this was the long sought water route to China, Nicolet and his party, accompanied by a few Native guides, headed up the Fox River. Sometime later that spring, they passed through what is now known as the city of Appleton. And within another week, they had found the great Mississippi River just as described by the Menominee people.

Legend has it that this journey was made more difficult because Nicolet’s largest boat had lost its anchor. Years later, an anchor was pulled from the Fox River and it was believed to have belonged to the expedition led by the Menominee Nation that accompanied Nicolet. For local people there are still some unanswered questions. Was this Nicolet’s lost anchor? Which side of the river did Nicolet first set foot? Which side of the river was the Menominee Nation referring to when they spoke of rich and glorious lands...was it West or East?

There is only one way to truly answer these questions. It must be settled on the field. West will meet East on the gridiron to Battle for Nicolet’s Anchor.