Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Jean Nicolet, a Frenchman, was the first explorer to reach the area that is now Wisconsin. The French had possession of this area until it lost all of its territories east of the Mississippi River during the French and Indian War. Great Britain held control of the area until the end of the American Revolution in 1783. From then, until the first settlers reached the area in 1820, the United States held official control of the area, but Britain remained unofficially in control. The area saw population booms in 1836 and 1840 as a result of lead mining in the area and a decrease in Indian tribal population. On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin officially became the 30th state in the Union.
Wisconsin is located in the north-central portion of the United States. It is bordered to the north by the Michigan peninsula and Lake Superior. Lake Michigan serves as the eastern border of the state. To the west are Iowa and Minnesota. The Mississippi River serves as a full border between Wisconsin and Iowa, and it is a partial border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Illinois borders Wisconsin to the south.
Wisconsin has six regions, each of which has very distinct features. The northern part of Wisconsin is the Lake Superior Lowland, an area that adjoins to Lake Superior. Just to the south of this area is an area of hardwood and coniferous forest called the Northern Highlands. Southeast Wisconsin is the most densely populated area, called the Eastern Ridges and Lowlands. The Central Plain is the area of dense farmland and sandstone formations in the center of the state. The Western Upland region is along the border with the Mississippi River. The remaining southwestern portion of the state is the Driftless Region, which is the only portion of Wisconsin that remained habitable during the last Ice Age.
Wisconsin has a varied landscape that makes it an attractive vacation spot year round. During the summer, the 11,188 square miles of rivers and lakes, along with the mild-yet-warm weather, makes it ideal for fishing and other water sports. During the winter, the state is frigid, which is ideal for snow skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling. On an average day, daytime temperatures are about fifteen degrees higher than nighttime temperatures.
Wisconsin is the United States second leading producer of dairy products, falling just behind California. Many people think that Wisconsin's main industry is farming, when in fact manufacturing is the state's leading industry. Most of the manufacturing industry in the Dairy State is food-based, including processed, frozen foods and alcoholic beverages. Wisconsin produces more of the nation's food supply than any other state in the country.