Bronze plaque reads: This state constitution was ratified by the territorial voters on March 13, 1848. It consists of a preamble and 14 articles which set forth the principles of the new state government.
On May 29, 1848, President James K. Polk signed the bill admitting Wisconsin as the 30th state of the Union.
Wisconsin was the last of the five states created from the Northwest Territory.
Most state capitols seemed to have two wings; Wisconsin went with four. Here is a view of two of the wings. Madison, Wisconsin was laid out as a tribute to the U.S. Constitution and the men who signed it. The city was named after James Madison, the Father of the COnstitution, and the original plat of the city had the streets named after the other signers.
"Forward", the statue created by Jean Pond Miner of Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Women's Memorial at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.
Wisconsin displayed their replica of the Liberty Bell in the rotunda. The bell was presented to them by the U.S. Government as part of the bi-centennial celebration.
There are seven justices on the Supreme Court; each justice is elected for a ten year term in a non-partisan statewide election. The Court meets three or four times a month from September through June to hear oral arguments. The Court is open to the public.
There are 99 Representatives of the Assembly. The Republicans sit on the side of the room by the windows, the Democrats sit on the side by the doors.
The Senate consists of 33 members. The majority party sits on the outer circle of desks and the minority party sits in the inner circle.
Wisconsin is known as the Badger State; this nickname came from Wisconsin lead mining towns in the 1830's. The miners often lived in shelters dug into hillsides and were called "badgers" after the burrowing animal. A badger sculpture exists over each entrance of the four second floor chambers.
Hans C. Heg was a Major in the 4th Wisconsin Militia, an out-spoken anti-slavery activist and appointed to be the Colonel (commander) of the 15th Wisconsin. Colonel Heg was the highest-ranked Wisconsin soldier killed in combat during the Civil War.
Sculpture by Karl Bitter on the northwest part of Capitol.
The University of Wisconsin is in Madison close to the Capitol. The day of my visit was a nice sunny day in the upper 60's. One of the college students made use of the capitol grounds.
