RobbieTunes

Back before dinosaurs, there were explorers trying to find the source of the Mississippi River. They came across the Great Lakes, turned Left onto Lake Michigan, and ended up in a small inlet, so they came ashore. It was very pretty, and very lush, so they called it Green Bay, and left some folks there. It became the Wisconsin territory's oldest city, and those left behind were bored, so they invented football.

As the explorers meandered their way across Wisconsin on rivers they thought would lead them to the source of the Big Muddy, they came to a dead end of sorts. Sending out patrols, they found an even bigger river about a mile away. "Must be the Mississippi," they thought, and they left some folks there, too. This became the 2nd oldest city in the territory, aptly named Portage.

To their dismay, they'd taken a wrong turn again, and ended up on a little stream called the Pecatonica. While they were sitting around wondering what to do, one of them looked at the very interesting rock formations (being in the driftless area) and spied lead ore shining from an outcropping. They knew "money," when they saw it, and left a group there, which grew into Mineral Point, the 3rd oldest city. Eventually, they made their way to the Wisconsin River, and to the 4th oldest town, Prairie du Chien, where the Wisconsin meets the Mississippi. They even found the source of the Mississippi, way up near gomango's stomping grounds....

Mineral Point became a mining town, and was soon invaded by Cornish miners, excellent stonemasons in their own right. While they waited for their families to arrive, they staked their claims in mines they dug out of the local hills. They lived in these mines, and ferociously defended their claims during the lawlessness time. They came out of their holes only to eat and fight for their claim. This earned them the nickname "Badgers."

When their families arrived, these same miners cut stones from the local hills and put them together, without mortar, because they were cut so precisely. They built homes of this stone and lined them up along a street below and along the valley, across from the mines. At lunchtime, the women would wave colored cloths to get the miners' attention and get them to come and eat. Shakerag Street is still one of the finest examples of hand-cut, mortarless stone homes you can find. The state flag bears a "Cousin Jack and Cousin Jill" which are meant to represent the miners and their wives. One of the churches they built, with flying buttresses and all, is still there, and the German organ they installed in 1835 is still played in it, having just undergone a 10-year restoration, including polishing of every single intricately engraved pipe.

I imagine the dairy stuff started when the Swiss and Germans showed up, with the beer.
As the Cornish were Methodists, this was just fine with them.

I'm working on something the night before....haven't been in the Brew Pub since it was the Walker House, soaking up money from every investor, but sounds good.