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Wisconsin is nicknamed the Badger
State. In the early lead-mining days in Southwestern Wisconsin,
the miners from Southern Illinois and farther south returned home every
winter and came back to the diggings in the spring, thus imitating the
migrations of the fish popularly called the "sucker," in the
Rock Illinois and other south-flowing rivers of the region.
For this reason, the south-winterers were jocosely called
"Suckers" and Illinois became known as "The Sucker
State" On the other hand, lead miners from the Eastern States
were unable to return home every winter, and at first lived in rude
dug-outs--burrowing into the hillsides after the fashion of the
badger. These men were the first permanent settlers in the mines
north of the Illinois line; and thus Wisconsin in later days became
dubbed "The Badger State" Contrary to general belief,
the badger itself is not frequently found in Wisconsin.
(Source: 1899 Wisconsin Blue Book)
Wisconsin Genealogy on GeneaSearch:
Wisconsin State Officials in 1899
Wisconsin Government Officers in 1903
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