Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:

Read More About It

"Wisconsin Blue Book, 1960"

"Dictionary of Wisconsin Biography" by the Wisconsin Historical Society

Vocabulary:

descendant

land agency

Interesting Fact:

Washburn gave the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa his stately country home outside the city of Madison in 1881, after deciding he had no political future in Wisconsin and, therefore, no further use for the house. The land was to become the site of Edgewood College.

Study Questions:

What were the primary issues in the state while Washburn was governor?

What building on the UW-Madison campus is named after Washburn?

With what political party was Washburn affiliated? Who defeated him in the 1973 election?

U.S. historical events that occurred on May 14:

1804: The Lewis and Clark left St. Louis to begin their journey up the Missouri River.

1904: The first Olympic games to be held in the U.S. opens in St. Louis.

May 14

Wisconsin's Governors
May 14, 1882 Cadwallader C. Washburn, Wisconsin's 11th governor, died on May 14, 1882. He was born on April 22, 1818 in Livermore, Maine, a descendant of early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As a young lawyer he moved to Mineral Point in 1842 to set up a law practice and land agency and banking business. He was elected to Congress for six years, after which he fought in the Civil War and rose to the rank of major-general. He returned to La Crosse and served another term in Congress. He was elected governor in 1871 but was defeated in 1873.

Wisconsin History Day By Day homepage January - December calendar page