Wisconsin
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

Located in the Midwest, Wisconsin became a state in 1848. It takes its name from the eponymous river bearing a name ultimately deriving from an Algonquian term meaning ‘the stream of red stone’. Ancient populations are reflected in the effigy mounds still found in parts of the state, while at the time of European contact the area was inhabited largely by indigenous groups like the Ojibwa, Kickapoo, Menominee, and Miami. French explorers arrived in the 17th century, although the British established their dominance in the 18th century before ceding it to the United States in 1783. This was followed by substantial European American settlement, including by many Scandinavian and Finnish migrants, with the settlers largely becoming farmers or lead miners.