2019-2020 Wisconsin Blue Book
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Significant events in Wisconsin history First nations 1668 Nicolas Perrot opened fur trade Wisconsin’s original residents were with Wisconsin Indians near Green Bay. Native American hunters who arrived 1672 Father Allouez and Father Louis here about 14,000 years ago. The area’s André built the St. François Xavier mis- first farmers appear to have been the sion at De Pere. Hopewell people, who raised corn, 1673 Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques squash, and pumpkins around 2,000 Marquette traveled the length of the years ago. They were also hunters and Mississippi River. fishers, and their trade routes stretched 1679 to the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Daniel Greysolon Sieur du Lhut Mexico. Later arrivals included the (Duluth) explored the western end of Chippewa, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Lake Superior. Mohican/Munsee, Menominee, Oneida, 1689 Perrot asserts the sovereignty of Potawatomi, and Sioux. France over various Wisconsin Indian tribes. Under the flag of France 1690 Lead mines are discovered in Wis- The written history of the state began consin and Iowa. with the accounts of French explorers. 1701–38 The Fox Indian Wars occurred. The French explored areas of Wiscon- 1755 Wisconsin Indians, under Charles sin, named places, and established trad- Langlade, helped defeat British Gen- ing posts; however, they were interested eral Braddock during the French and in the fur trade, rather than agricultural Indian War. settlement, and were never present in 1763 large numbers. The Treaty of Paris is signed, mak- ing Wisconsin part of British colonial 1634 Jean Nicolet became the first territory. known European to reach Wisconsin. 1654–59 Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Under the flag of Great Britain Médart Chouart des Groseilliers be- Wisconsin experienced few changes came the first known fur traders in under British control. It remained the Wisconsin. western edge of European penetration 1661 Father René Ménard became the into the American continent, import- first missionary to set foot in Wisconsin. ant only as a source of valuable furs for 1665 Father Claude Allouez founded export. French traders plied their trade, a mission at La Pointe. and British and colonial traders began Statistics and Reference: History | 459 to appear, but Europeans continued to 1787–1800 Northwest Territory. be visitors rather than settlers. 1800–1809 Indiana Territory. 1763 Wisconsin Indians staged a revolt 1809–1818 Illinois Territory. against the new and comparatively 1818–1836 Michigan Territory. more hostile British regime. 1836–1848 Wisconsin Territory. 1764 Charles Langlade—later known 1795 Jacques Vieau established a trad- as the “Father of Wisconsin”—settled ing post at Milwaukee, and outposts at at Green Bay. Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan. 1766 Jonathan Carver explored various 1804 William Henry Harrison’s treaty sites along the Mississippi River, includ- with Indians at St. Louis extinguished ing a Fox Indian settlement at Prairie Indian title to land in the lead region, du Chien. which eventually became a contribut- 1774 The Quebec Act made Wisconsin ing cause of the Black Hawk War. a part of the Province of Quebec. 1815 The War of 1812 concluded, lead- 1783 The second Treaty of Paris is signed, ing to the abandonment of Fort McKay making Wisconsin a U.S. territory. (formerly Fort Shelby) by the British. 1816 Astor’s American Fur Company Achieving territorial status began operations in Wisconsin. In spite of the second Treaty of Paris, 1819 Solomon Juneau bought Jacques Wisconsin remained British in all but Vieau’s Milwaukee trading post. title until after the War of 1812. In 1815, 1820 Rev. Jedediah Morse traveled to the American army established con- the Green Bay area to report on Indian trol. Gradually, the British extinguished tribes to the U.S. secretary of war. Lewis Indian title to the southeastern half of Cass, James Duane Doty, and Henry the state. Lead mining brought the Schoolcraft made an exploratory trip first heavy influx of settlers and ended through Wisconsin. the dominance of the fur trade in the 1821 Oneida, Stockbridge, Munsee, economy of the area. The lead mining and Brothertown tribes began migrat- period ran from about 1824 to 1861. ing to Wisconsin from the New York Almost half of the 11,683 people who area. lived in the territory in 1836 were resi- dents of the lead mining district in the 1822 The first mining leases in south- southwestern corner of the state. west Wisconsin were issued. 1787 Under the Northwest Ordinance 1825 A treaty concluded at Prairie du of 1787, Wisconsin was made part of Chien established tribal boundaries. the Northwest Territory. The governing 1827 The Winnebago War began and units for the Wisconsin area prior to quickly ended with the surrender of statehood were: Chief Red Bird to the United States. 460 | Wisconsin Blue Book 2019–2020 1832 The Black Hawk War occurred. 1836 Henry Dodge was appointed 1833 The second Treaty of Chicago governor by President Andrew Jack- between the United States and the son. The first session of the legislature Potawatomi granted the U.S. govern- was held, and Madison was chosen as ment the land between Lake Michigan permanent capital. (The capital had ini- and Lake Winnebago. The first Wis- tially been located in Belmont.) Madi- consin newspaper, the Green Bay Intel- son was surveyed and platted. ligencer, was established. 1837 Construction on the first capi- 1834 Land offices were established in tol building began. The Panic of 1837 Green Bay and Mineral Point. The first drove territorial banks to failure and public road was laid. initiated a five-year economic depres- sion. The Winnebago Indians ceded all 1835 The first steamboat arrived in Mil- claims to land in Wisconsin. Imprison- waukee. The first bank in Wisconsin ment for debt was abolished. obtained its charter and later opened in Green Bay. 1838 The territorial legislature met in Madison. The Milwaukee & Rock River 1836 President Andrew Jackson signed Canal Company was chartered to cre- the act creating the Territory of Wiscon- ate a canal connecting Lake Michigan sin on April 20. (Provisions of Ordinance to the Rock River and, accordingly, a of 1787 made part of the act.) waterway to the Mississippi River. 1841 James D. Doty was appointed gov- Wisconsin territory ernor by President John Tyler. Wisconsin’s population had reached 1842 Legislator James Vineyard shot 305,000 by 1850. Newcomers were pri- and killed fellow legislator Charles marily migrants from New York and Arndt in the capitol. New England, or immigrants from 1844 Nathaniel P. Tallmadge was England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, appointed governor by President Tyler. and Scandinavia. New York’s Erie Canal The Wisconsin Phalanx, a utopian com- gave Wisconsin a water outlet to the mune, was established in Ceresco (later Atlantic Ocean and a route for new set- annexed by Ripon). tlers. Wheat was the primary cash crop 1845 Dodge was reappointed governor for most of the newcomers. by President James Polk. Mormons set- State politics revolved around fac- tled in Voree (near Burlington). Swiss tions headed by James Doty and Henry immigrants founded New Glarus. Dodge. As political parties developed, the Democrats proved dominant 1846 Congress passed the enabling act throughout the period. for the admission of Wisconsin as state. Statistics and Reference: History | 461 The first constitutional convention met 1851 The first railroad train ran from in Madison. Milwaukee to Waukesha. The first state 1847 The first proposed state constitu- fair was held in Janesville. tion was rejected by the people. A sec- 1852 The Wisconsin School for the ond constitutional convention was held. Deaf opened in Delavan. Prison con- 1848 The second proposed state con- struction begun at Waupun. stitution was adopted. President Polk 1853 Capital punishment was abol- signed a bill on May 29 making Wis- ished following the controversial exe- consin a state. cution of John McCaffary in 1851. 1854 The Republican Party formed in Early statehood Ripon. The first class graduated from Heavy immigration continued, and the University of Wisconsin. Joshua the state remained largely agricultural. Glover, a fugitive slave, was arrested Slavery, banking laws, and temperance in Racine, and the Wisconsin Supreme were the major political issues of the Court, in a related matter, declared the period. Despite the number of foreign Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 unconstitu- immigrants, most political leaders con- tional. The Milwaukee and Mississippi tinued to have ties to the northeastern Railroad reached Madison. United States, and New York state laws 1856 Two candidates claimed them- and institutions provided models for selves winners of a contested guberna- much of the activity of the early legis- torial race. Coles Bashford took office lative sessions. Control shifted from the only after acting Governor William Democrats to the Republicans during Barstow was found to have committed this period. election fraud. 1848 The legislature met on June 5, and 1857 The first passenger train reached Governor Nelson Dewey was inaugu- Prairie du Chien, connecting Milwau- rated June 7. The University of Wiscon- kee with the Mississippi River. sin was founded. Large-scale German immigration began. 1858 Legislators uncovered bribery by former Governor Bashford and other 1849 A school code was adopted, and members of the 1856 Legislature. the first free, tax-supported, graded school with a high school was estab- 1859 Abraham Lincoln spoke at the lished in Kenosha. The first telegram state fair in Milwaukee. reached Milwaukee. 1861 The U.S. Civil War began. A bank 1850 The state opened the Wisconsin riot occurred in Milwaukee. The office Institute for Education of the Blind at of county superintendent of schools Janesville. was created. 462 | Wisconsin Blue Book 2019–2020 1862 Governor Louis P. Harvey thriving heavy machinery industry, and drowned. Draft riots occurred. the paper industry emerged in the Fox 1864 Chester Hazen founded the state’s River Valley.