Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wisconsin's heavy manufacturing cities drew waves of economic migrants to its factories
after World War II, and agribusiness rose in income despite a steady reduction in the
number of farms. The state's economic fortunes were generally positive right through the
mid-1980s, when the state endured its greatest recession since the catastrophic days of the
Depression. Wisconsin companies lost control to or were bought out by competitors in oth-
er states. In the early 1990s, agribusiness, still one of the top three Wisconsin industries,
became vulnerable for the first time when California challenged the state in production of
whole milk.
The one industry that blossomed like no other after the war was tourism. Forethinking
Wisconsin politicians enacted the first sweeping environmental legislation, and North
Woods resort owners instituted effective public relations campaigns. By the late 1950s,
Wisconsin had become a full-fledged four-season vacation destination, and by the early
1990s tourism had become a $6 billion industry in Wisconsin, which established a cabinet-
level Department of Tourism and opened regional travel centers in other states.
Wisconsin entered the Union as the 30th state with the final signing, by President James K.
Polk, on May 29, 1848.
Wisconsin has a bicameral legislative system, with a 99-member Assembly elected
every two years and a 33-member Senate elected every four years. The governor wields
veto power and also has a powerful weapon: the line-item veto.
Wisconsin has always relished its penchant for progressive, and occasionally even rad-
ical, politics.
Wisconsin may be “America's Dairyland,” but it isn't
only
America's Dairyland. The eco-
nomic triumvirate of the state is agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. Wisconsin is an
international exporter, tallying $6 billion in receipts in 15-20 foreign markets. Leading ex-
ports include computers, industrial machinery, and transportation equipment (crops come
fifth).
