Happy National Wisconsin Day

For our friends in Texas and other places typically much warmer this time of year, sorry you had to suffer snow, cold, and power outages today. We had to share the love because it's, well, National Wisconsin Day.

Who knew it was thing? I've lived the Badger State my whole life and I didn't know they did a national holiday for any state, let alone mine.

When most of you think of Wisconsin, you think Green Bay Packers. I think "record cold highs" on Valentine's Day. I think cows and cheese, beer and brats, cranberries and COLD, polka music and brandy old-fashioneds. A look at some online sources that actually recognize this holiday, and they remind us of all those things we learned in 4th grade.

For example, nationalcalendarday.com reports this [with a few of my side notes]:

Rich in copper, lead, forest and fertile farmland, Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. In 1634, French explorer Jean Nicolet was the first European to reach Wisconsin while seeking a Northwest passage to China.  [Kids: No GPS in those days.]

A mining boom, not fur trading, led to the nickname The Badger State. [Fans: The Big Ten and football team came later.] According to oral history, the miners burrowed into the hillsides much like badgers for shelter instead of setting up more permanent homesteads. The first wave of settlers to the area also began the uprooting of the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Chippewa, and other indigenous people. [Fellow white people: We suck.]

Early in Wisconsin’s settlement, dairy production began to take root. By the turn of the century [Shouldn't that be the "churn" of the century?], the state became known for its dairy farms and synonymous with cheese.

Mining, dairies, and breweries grew one after the other. [Supper clubs and deep-fried cheese curds came next.] An influx of German immigrants in the 1850s brought a new brand of dreamers. Brewers cropped up across Wisconsin satisfying the thirst of The Badger State. As with brewers in other regions of the country, the 18th Amendment of 1919 prohibiting alcohol drowned out much of the competition leaving only a handful after the legislation was repealed in 1933. [Pretty sure we've made up for lost time.]

From Lake Michigan to Superior and numerous river and lakes in between, Wisconsin offers ample opportunity for water recreation and sport. There are also year-round trails perfect for summer hiking or substantial snow for winter activities. [And Frozen Tundra temps to keep the long underwear manufacturers in business.]

And for the record, I guess this is only the second National Wisconsin Day. Now we know for next year to plan a big celebration that involves shutting down the schools and staying home due to extreme temperatures and wind chills. Pretty sure we got those logistics figured out today.

Be careful out there, Wisconsinites!