Badgerland Journal

Jean Nicolet was the first documented exploration of Wisconsin by French explorers. He landed near the Bay of Green Bay and met with leaders of the local Ho-Chunk Nation. Sent by Samuel De Champlain to broker peace in hopes of expanding French fur trade further west. Tune in to learn more about Jean Nicolet and his place in Wisconsin history. Suggest a future episode! Contact us on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In honor of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, Badgerland Journal will be covering Revolutionary War veterans who served, later moved to Wisconsin and are interred in the state. The first of this series cover Philip Allen, whose family founded Allen's Grove Wisconsin. Philip Allen was present for the Siege of Boston at the Roxbury Garrison, Battle of Bennington and the surrender...

On May 13th 2025 the shipwreck of the Tugboat J.S. Ames was found in Manitowoc Bay. The ship lay within The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary which was recently designated in 2021. This episode talks about the history of both the J.S. Ames as well as the creation of the Oceanic Atmospheric Administrations newest National Marine Sanctuary. Let us know what other shipwrecks we shou...

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ralph and Mary Ehlinger to discuss their play Lincoln and Liberty Too. The story is based on their ancestor Peter Ehlinger who served in the Civil War, was captured, and died in Andersonville Prison. Tune in to learn about how they turned their family history into a compelling story about family, hope and faith. Let us know what other Wisconsin Hero...

Poplar Wisconsin produced one of the best fighter pilots in U.S. History. Richard Bong became known as the Ace of All Aces after he shot down 40 Japanese airplanes. While he cemented his place in history as an American hero, his life came to a tragic end shortly before the end of the war. Tune in to learn more about the history of Richard Bong. Let us know what other Wisconsin Heroes we should cov...

The Shipwreck of the Trinidad was discovered by the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association last year and was recently placed on the Historic Register by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Today we are going to discuss the history Wisconsin's recently discovered shipwrecks. Make sure to let us know your favorite Great Lakes shipwreck! Check us out on Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ , Twi...

Mildred Fish-Harnack was the only American women to be executed on Hitler's direct orders. She was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin and was a professor at UW-Madison before moving to Germany with her husband Arvid Harnack. When the Nazis rose to power Mildred, Arvid and their friends began to work against the authoritarian government even though it would eventually cost them their lives. Tune in to...

Today's episode discusses the German-American identity of the Pabst Family. I am joined by Grace Mager as we discuss how the beer baron's family navigated both their German heritage as immigrants, as well as their love of their new home in Milwaukee. Check out the Pabst Mansion website here Let us know what you think of our podcast on  ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ , or send an email to ba...

The state of Wisconsin has a large variety of geographic features. Much of the land has been influenced by the glaciers when they melted over 17,000 years ago. Today's podcast will cover some of the most well-known features such as the driftless area, the Kettle Moraine, the Niagara escarpment, ancient coral reefs, and the sub-continental divide. A listener suggested today's episode! You c...

One of my fellow graduate students Jesse Marshall took some time out of his busy schedule at St. Augustine Prep here in Milwaukee to join the episode today. His research focuses largely on the experience of German Americans in the United States. Much of his research looks at Milwaukee Wisconsin because of its high German-American population. We discuss how the German-American experience has change...

Today Dr. Christopher Cantwell of Loyola University Chicago joins us to discuss his project Gathering Places which looks at the history of religious places in Milwaukee. He talks about how the project was started when he was teaching at UW-Milwaukee. In addition, we discuss the significance of the project and what the future holds for this digital archive. Click the link to check out The Gathering...

Dr. Michael Oberg of SUNY Geneseo the Author of Professional Indian: The American Odyssey of Eleazer Williams was kind enough to join the podcast and discuss his book. He has spent hours understanding the mind of Williams and has intriguing insights into the complex man. We discuss Williams's faith, his flaws, and his legacy in both Wisconsin and New York. Williams spent his life attempting to...

Special guests Steve Schaffer and Michael Barera, archivists at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, join us today to discuss the history of breweries in Milwaukee. We discuss everything beer from the early history of breweries, beer gardens, tide houses, and prohibition. Let us know if there are any specific breweries you want us to cover in future podcasts! Give us some feedback! ⁠Facebook⁠...

The first large shipping vessel to sail the Great Lakes disappeared in 1679 and was never heard or seen from again. The Griffon was built by explorer Rene Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle in order to help expand the fur trade in North America. Its maiden voyage was from New York to what is modern-day Wisconsin. After waiting out a storm, it departed from either Washington or Rock Island off the D...

Have you ever wondered why the Upper Peninsula is not a part of Wisconsin? Did you know that Chicago, Duluth, and St. Paul were all originally part of Wisconsin's intended state borders? Today's episode discusses the formation of Wisconsin's borders and its eventual statehood. Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota were all part of the Northwest Territory of 1787....

In this episode, we have a special guest, Dant'e Cottingham, a community organizer for EXPO (Ex-incarcerated People Organizing) Wisconsin. We will discuss a bit about the prison history in Wisconsin however it will not be our normal format. The majority of the podcast is dedicated to more current issues as Dant'e talks about his own experience with incarceration in addition to the organiza...

Samuel Stritch was born in Nashville Tennessee in 1887. He was an influential figure in the Catholic history of the Midwest, including serving as the Archbishop of Milwaukee. Our guest, Fr. Steven Avella, joins us today to discuss the life of Stritch, his passion for education, and his reaction to major events in U.S. history, such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. Send us f...

J.R.R. Tolkien is the author of popular works such as The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. He has a huge fan base that spans the world and while he never set foot in the United States, a large chunk of his manuscript collection resides at Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Our guest is Dr. Bill Fliss who is the archivist in charge of the Tolkien Collection. We discuss how the collection cam...

Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 decided to run for a third term as president after being disappointed in his hand-picked successor William Howard Taft's administration. After losing the Republican nomination, Roosevelt ran as a third-party candidate, and the campaign became extremely heated. Toward the end of the campaign, he visited Milwaukee Wisconsin where he was shot from five feet away. Tune in to fi...

January 1854 in Washington D.C. a senator from Illinois introduced a bill to congress. Slavery had become a hotly contested issue within the United States and this bill seeks to resolve the issue of free versus slave states. Little did the man who introduced the bill know that once passed this bill will lead to the downfall of a major political party, and the birth of a new one. Tune into our late...

When we left off in part 1 Eleazer Williams had begun to push the Oneida to move from New York to Wisconsin. Nothing about this endeavor would be easy, as the Oneida and his benefactors began to question his reliability. As Williams's influence waned, he struggled to stay relevant in Wisconsin and New York. He would eventually adopt a new angle, one that would make his name known across the nation...

We are changing things up on Badgerland Journal because our story today starts in France during the French Revolution. The King and Queen have been beheaded and there is a mystery surrounding the final days of the prince who is the heir to the French throne. Some believe he escaped death and survived outside of France...  One man Eleazer Williams will claim to be the Lost Dauphin which makes...

I am dreaming of a white Christmas. Just like the ones I knew before... Merry Christmas everyone!  This episode is going back in time to Wisconsin's Christmas past as we discuss some of the earliest recorded Christmases along with a few traditions that are not specific to Wisconsin but are celebrated in different regions of the state. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Make sure to let...

When settlers first began arriving in Wisconsin they discovered large mounds formed in the shape of people and animals. These mounds were left by an earlier indigenous civilization. However, this was not the only intriguing discovery to be found in Wisconsin. Tune in to learn more about the purpose of these mounds, and the work that has gone into preserving them. Check us out on Facebook , Instagr...

On November 10th, 1975 the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was caught in one of the worst storms imaginable. Before the evening was out the Edmund Fitzgerald lay at the bottom of Lake Superior in two pieces. Afterward, there were many questions about what caused this ship to sink. Tune in to find out the different theories! Let us know your favorite on Facebook , Instagram , or send an email badgerlandjourna...