It's no surprise that the state mammal of Wisconsin is the badger. But the name goes beyond the animal. What was the real reason Wisconsin started being called "The Badger State"?
Answer From miners that dug tunnels like badgers
The nickname "The Badger State" far precedes the designation of the animal as the state mammal. In the 1820s, mining was booming in the state, leading thousands of workers to come to the iron ore mines in the Midwest. The workers in Wisconsin would sleep in caves in the rocks of the mines, becoming known as “badger boys” or “badgers".
Asked by Tom Cohen · Last updated 5 years ago · 26.1K views
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