Discover the Cheesehead State: Top 19 Amazing Fun Facts About Wisconsin You Can't Miss!

1. Houdini's Hometown

Before he was the ultimate escape artist, Harry Houdini must have made his childhood chores disappear in a flash: Appleton, Wisconsin is not only known for its lush landscapes but also as the stomping ground of none other than Houdini himself, where the History Museum at the Castle showcases his most prized possessions and allows visitors to try recreating some of his legendary illusions.
Source => roadsideamerica.com

2. Monroe: Cheese & Beer Haven

In a world where everyone's feta-p with cheesy puns, the town of Monroe, Wisconsin is a curd above the rest: turns out, it's not only famous for its Swiss Cheese, but also houses the oldest brewery in the Midwest, the Joseph Huber Brewing Company, founded in 1845 and later renamed to Minhas Craft Brewery, still operating and attracting beer-lovers from far and wide.
Source => authenticwisconsin.com

Discover the magic of manual foam-making at Milwaukee's Cheesehead Factory and create your very own quirky foam cheesehead hat for a tastefully cheesy souvenir. 🧀✨

=> Fun Facts about Milwaukee

3. Horicon Marsh Bird Paradise

If you think your backyard bird bath is a hot spot for our feathered friends, prepare to be astounded: Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin holds the title for the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, sprawling over 32,000 acres and providing a home to over 300 species of birds, complete with an Education and Visitor Center that hosts the annual Horicon Marsh Bird Festival for birdwatchers of all levels to flock together and enjoy family-friendly activities.
Source => dnr.wisconsin.gov

4. The Legendary "Ice Bowl"

Talk about putting the "Freeze" in "Cheesehead": Wisconsin's Lambeau Field, home turf of the Green Bay Packers, hosted the legendary "Ice Bowl" game on December 31, 1967, where temperatures dropped to a frigid -13 degrees and a wind chill of -46, making it one of the coldest playoff games in NFL history.
Source => wisn.com

5. Colossal Cheeses of Wisconsin

Say "Cheese!" and Wisconsin enthusiastically obliges with monumental cheesy grins: The state has a history of creating colossal cheeses, including a 34,591-pound cheddar displayed at the 1964 New York World's Fair, a 40,000-pound cheddar in 1988, and a 4,437-pound cheeseboard in 2018 featuring a 2,064-pound cheddar.
Source => postcrescent.com

6. Home of the Foam Cheesehead Hat

In Wisconsin, even the cheese wears a hat: The foam cheesehead hat was invented by Ralph Bruno in 1987, and these iconic oversized yellow wedges became popular accessories among Wisconsin sports fans and residents, thanks to Bruno's company, Foamation Inc. At their Milwaukee factory, visitors can create their own cheeseheads and other foam products while learning the company's history and chuckling at cheesy jokes, which are sure to "melt" a curdled heart.
Source => marketwatch.com

7. Summerwind Mansion's Fiery Fate

Haunted by party animals and torched by vengeful lightning, the ruins of Summerwind Mansion have certainly seen brighter days: This Victorian-style summer home in Vilas County, Wisconsin was destroyed by fire in 1988, allegedly from a lightning strike after nearby teenagers used it as a party hotspot.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Eagle River's Ice Castle

When Elsa goes on vacation, she heads to Eagle River, Wisconsin: This charming town is home to an annual ice castle, built entirely by hand from over 2,300 ice blocks and standing at a whopping 20 feet high, courtesy of the community and the Eagle River Volunteer Fire Department. Don't worry, no ice magic is involved, but you may want to snap a selfie before the mid-February thaw!
Source => eagleriver.org

9. Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum

For those who think canoes are just "oar-some" and love to paddle around in the world of canoe culture, there's a unique little gem hidden away in Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum in Spooner is home to an impressive array of canoes and canoe-related artifacts from the golden age of North American canoeing, as well as creations by notable contemporary builders. This museum lets visitors become members and work on personal projects at their state-of-the-art canoe shop, while regularly hosting programs for learning traditional and modern canoe construction and restoration techniques.
Source => wisconsincanoeheritagemuseum.org

10. Master Cheesemaker Training Ground

Blessed are the cheesemakers, for they shall inherit the Swiss holes: Wisconsin reigns supreme as the "Cheese Capital of the United States," boasting over 600 varieties of curdled goodness, and to snag the prestigious title of Master Cheesemaker, one must undergo rigorous training in vat operations, product aging, quality management, evaluation, and enough food safety and milk quality know-how to churn up a deliciously perfect storm of cheese.
Source => cdr.wisc.edu

11. Schoep's Ice Cream Empire

In a world where scoops of joy unite the nation, one little-known ice cream empire has stealthily taken over as the Midwest's frozen dessert overlord: Schoep's Ice Cream, from Madison, Wisconsin, churns out a frosty 12 million gallons of pure happiness every year, partying it up in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, while also signing sweet deals with major retailers like Walgreens.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Wisconsin's Apple Production

In the land of cheeseheads and brewers, it's apple-solutely crazy how many apples Wisconsin produces: With four main commercial apple production areas, 57 of the state's 72 counties dedicate over 6,500 acres to housing nearly 900,000 trees, resulting in at least 60 million pounds of fruit, worth more than $15 million annually.
Source => dccl.org

13. Paper Industry Powerhouse

Who needs smartphones when you've got paper and the mighty pen? Wisconsin's got paper game strong: With over 30,000 people working in the paper industry, the state dominates the paper business, using cutting-edge technology and creative strategies to attract and train the next generation of paper connoisseurs, making job opportunities anything but "paper-thin."
Source => wbay.com

14. Wisconsin Dells: Waterpark Capital

In the land of cheeseheads and wholesome Midwestern folk, you'll find more waterlogged revelry than you bargained for – a veritable tidal wave of splash-tastic fun: Wisconsin Dells, the "Waterpark Capital of the World," is home to over 20 parks, including Noah's Ark, the state's largest. Outfitted with a cavalcade of heart-stopping slides plus a cashless system for convenient splurges, this aquatic utopia is a flip-flop-clad haven for slippery shenanigans, even boasting a shiny new Chameleon slide sneaking into the watery lineup in 2023.
Source => noahsarkwaterpark.com

15. Ancient Roman Cheese Curds

Before the dairy state founder themselves lost in the sauce, Romans were already "cheesin'" on the OG curd concoctions: In ancient times, Romans savored a dish called Globuli, made of fried cheese curds dredged in semolina flour, fried in olive oil, and rolled in honey, proving that Wisconsin's famous cheese curds have a sophisticated ancestry dating back centuries to Ancient Rome.
Source => radiomilwaukee.org

16. World's Largest Musky Statue

In Wisconsin, it's not the early bird that catches the worm, but the giant fiberglass musky that catches the awe: Cozily nestled in the town of Hayward, the world's largest musky fish statue spans a jaw-dropping 143 feet in length and weighs a whopping 4 tons, luring fishing fanatics and snap-happy tourists from near and far to pay homage to this phenomenal fishy figure.
Source => roadsideamerica.com

17. Lake Winnebago Iceboating

They say Wisconsin has a need for speed, but who knew it was true even out on the frozen tundra: Lake Winnebago has been home to iceboating enthusiasts since the 1930s, reaching breakneck speeds of up to 143 mph and hosting daredevil racers like Chuck Nevitt, Daniel Kampo, and Richard Jenkins.
Source => landracing.com

18. Washington Park Velodrome

If you're pedaling around Kenosha, don't be surprised if you find velociraptors chasing you – well, maybe not exactly prehistoric creatures, but certainly committed, helmet-clad folks whizzing past on bicycles: Kenosha, Wisconsin is home to the country's oldest operating velodrome, the Washington Park Velodrome, which has had cyclists racing around its 333-meter banked oval track since 1927, attracting competitive riders from far and wide to engage in pedal-pushing battles.
Source => wbur.org

19. Leinenkugel's Brewery Legacy

Has anyone seen hops, barley, and a pinch of German ingenuity? Leinenkugel's probably stole them to brew their beer! The secret ingredient: a sprinkling of Wisconsin innovation, concocting the perfect potion of endless good times: The Leinenkugel's Brewery, thriving for 155 years in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, merges German brewing traditions with Wisconsin's creative twist. Leinie Lodge, situated just a river away from the bewitching brewery, is a mecca for suds connoisseurs to savor new blends, stock up on beer paraphernalia, and celebrate one and a half centuries of foamy wizardry.
Source => leinie.com