Badger at zoo in Madison, Wisconsin; photo by Sean Lamb on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).
Unofficial Nickname for Wisconsin
The nickname for Wisconsin is "The Badger State." The badger is featured on Wisconsin's coat of arms, state seal, and state flag, and is also the official state animal.
The nickname began in the 1800s; during their search for lead ore (galena), miners dug hillside tunnels and sometimes lived in them, which reminded people of the burrowing badger. All State Nicknames
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