Stories of the Badger State
THWAITES
STORIES OF THE BADGER STATE
BY
REUBEN GOLD THWAITES
NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
Copyright, 1900, BY
REUBEN GOLD THWAITES.
STO. BADGER STA.
W. P. I.
PREFACE
The student of nature lives in a broader and moreinteresting world than does he who has not learned thestory of the birds, the streams, the fields, the woods, andthe hedgerows. So, too, the student of local historyfinds his present interest in town, village, city, or State,growing with his knowledge of its past.
In recognition of this fact, these true stories, selectedfrom Wisconsin's history, have been written as a meansto the cultivation of civic patriotism among the youthof our commonwealth. It is not the purpose of thebook to present a continuous account of the developmentof the State; for this, the author begs to refer tohis larger work, "The Story of Wisconsin" (in theStory of the States Series). Rather is it desired togive selections from the interesting and often stirringincidents with which our history is so richly stored, inthe hope that the reader may acquire a taste for delvingmore deeply into the annals of the Badger State.
Wisconsin had belonged, in turn, to Spain, France,and England, before she became a portion of the UnitedStates. Her recorded history begins far back in thetime of French ownership, in 1634. The century anda third of the French régime was a picturesque period,[4]upon which the memory delights to dwell; with itsmany phases, several of the following chapters are concerned.The English régime was brief, but not withoutinterest. In the long stretch of years which followed,before Wisconsin became an American State, many incidentshappened which possess for us the flavor ofromance. The formative period between 1848 and 1861was replete with striking events. In the War of Secession,Wisconsin took a gallant and notable part. Sincethat great struggle, the State has made giant strides inindustry, commerce, education, and culture; but thepresent epoch of growth has not thus far yielded muchmaterial for picturesque treatment, perhaps because weare still too near to the events to see them in properperspective. An attempt has been made to presentchapters representative of all these periods, but naturallythe earlier times have seemed best adapted to thepurpose in hand.
R. G. T.