Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-06-17

Editors Note-Did you know
hat only fourteen days after the
orritans landed at Plymouth Rock
lIcolet set foot on Wisconsin's
80? This interesting fact is retold
H. this, the lead-of' number Of a
cries Of II articles on the history
l,rd resources Of Wisconsin. Writ
len by two Of the states loyal sons,
lT O. Hotchkiss and F. A. Cannon,
Hi fascinating story should make
\ srery true Badger love his home
l,od take greater pride in his or her
I tate This series fits splendidly
4 INTO Badger editors plan to help
their readers and advertisers Know
WISCONSIN Better.O
4 Wisconsin is a state of marked
characteristics and individuality.
lis Geographical location is rich
asset Guarded on the north and
the east by two Of the Great Lakes,
Il has an open gateway of water
transportation to the east. It's
Western boundary is fringed by the
Mississippi River, an artery through
the heart Of the country.
For practically 200 years Wiscon-
sin was a province Of New France.
It's early history, the story of the
French explorers, has all the lure
of romance; its surface is varied,
combining beauty of landscape and
rich agricultural productiveness.
Finally it's population is virile
stock made up of the best racial
clements which emigrated from the
east ian the earlier days and later
from the finest stock Of Europe.
Beauty is Rock Deep.
The two outstanding impressions
made on a visitor to the state are
the unusual combination of beauty
and utility. There are states in
which a much greater part of the
surface is tillable. But they lack
variety and beauty Of landscape
and their topography is flat and
monotonous. Other states have
rugged mountain ranges, but pos
sess IitCle utility to give balance to
their scenic impressiveness.
The scenery of Wisconsin is
strikingly varied. Here you come
on % massive hill, with farmhouses
skirting it's base as if seeking shell
ter from the winds and the storms.
The next glimpse is a group Of
farm buildings picturesquely
guarded by an outstanding crag of
crcam-colored sandstones carved
into fantastic forms by the wind Of
the ages. Another group is framed
in q forest on a glacial knoll.
Lakes abound, over two thous-
and Of them, skirted by fertile
farms. The villages and small cit
les are prosperous and well-kept
with comfortable homes and broad
lawns. There is evidence on every
hand Of a uniform degree of pros
pcrity To one who loves his fell
low men this fairly equal distrib-
utjon of the worlds goods adds zest
to the appreciation of the sur
roundings.
White Man Comes 1854.
Nor does Wisconsin lack in his
torjeal association, which is needed
to enrich the story of any state or
country. The foot prints of his
tory lie along her waterways which
were the routes of the French ex-
plorers and missionaries, the voy-
ageurs, and couriers du bois. Civ
en- q few maps and a couple of vol
umes Of Parkman, and a journey
down the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers
is an education in two centuries Of
empire building with all their dra-
matte episodes, their personal ira
gedies and the romance Of discov-
cry
In 1884 Cet it be marked that
this was only fourteen years after
the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth
Rock) Nicolet, the French explor-
en- reached Red Banks on the
shores of Green Bay, northeast Of
the present city. of that name,
after crossing from Lake Superior
10 Lac Vieux Desert lake north of
Eagle River. So far as historical
records go he was the first white
man to set his foot on Wisconsin
soil. lie believed he had reached
the far east and was about to greet
the Chinese. With due ceremonial,
wearing "A grand robe of China
Damask all strewn with flowers
and birds of many colors" he met
what proved to be the Winnebago
Indians.
Nicolet was the precursor of a