Attractions of the "Badger State"
"My Stay in Green Bay"
Thanks to my stay in Green Bay in October-November 1999 as an exchange teacher I could pay a visit to Platteville together with my host family.
My host family had a family reunion there.
Platteville is located in the south of Wisconsin in the area called Wisconsin's Southern Wonders.
"Some History"
They say this area was one of the first to be settled by Europeans in Wisconsin. Rich lead deposits attracted the settlers in early 19th century. The figures of these settlers are still represented on the emblem of the state of Wisconsin together with the state's motto: Forward. The lead miners' nickname was badgers for they lived in earth houses like badgers.
So Wisconsin's nickname is Badger State thanks to the lead miners.
"Lots of Things to Explore"
Now there is a mining museum in Platteville. It is called The Mining Museum - Rollo Jamison Museum (P.O.Box 780, Platteville, 53818-0780, Tel.608.348-3301). The museum visitors can ride the mine train, and then descend into the old Bevins Mine. It is much fun. The museum exhibits and pictures complement the impressions.
Besides, there is the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus that hosts the Chicago Bears summer training camp every year.
The University also holds Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival each summer and performs four Shakespearean plays .(Shakespeare Box Office, UW-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, Tel.608/342-1298,
www.uwplatt.edu/~wss/index.html
If you are interested in history, you can visit the First Capitol Historic Site. It is the place where you can see the 1836 Capitol of the Wisconsin territory. This site is located in Platteville area 4 miles north of Belmont on Cty.Hwy.G (Tel.608/987-2122).
More information on this city at:
http://www.plattevile.com

