Celebrating Wisconsin History

I need to visit the earliest founded cities in Wisconsin. Listed below are places that 1) still exist today and 2) were established by 1836, the year in which Wisconsin became a territory.  Their founding is dated from the arrival of the first permanent, year-round, settlers rather than from the establishment of a seasonal trading post:

1765 Green Bay  (Seat of Brown County, established as a trading post in 1634 by Jean Nicholas Nicollet. Incorporated 1754 and as a city in 1854.)

ca. 1785 Prairie du Chien   

ca. 1795 La Pointe            

ca. 1820  Shullsburg            

ca. 1825 Platteville (post office established 12/31/28)

1827 Dodgeville          

1827 Mineral Point    

1827 Cassville (John Marsh letter, 1/14/27)

1828 Gratiot's Grove (post office established 2/20/28)

1828 Portage              

1829 De Pere              

1830 Paris (post office established 3/31/30)

1831 Helena (post office established 2/10/31)

1831 Kaukauna (post office established 5/5/31)

1831 Elk Grove (post office established 9/17/31)

1832 Sinsinawa (post office established 4/26/32)

1834 Menomonee (post office established 7/10/34)

1834 Racine    

1834 Waukesha    

1835 Lancaster (post office established 1/19/35)

1835 Milwaukee (post office established 3/16/35)

1835 Wiota (post office established 3/23/35)

1835 Butte des Mortes (post office established 9/5/35)

1835 Kenosha             

1835 Appleton        

1836 Janesville            

1836 Beloit     

1836 Oshkosh             

1836 White Oak Springs (post office established 1/26/36)

1836 Sheboygan (post office established 4/18/36)

1836 Savannah  (post office established 5/19/36)

1836 Wingville (post office established 5/23/36)

1836 Belmont (post office established 5/9/36)

[Source: Wisconsin Historical Collections; "The Territorial Post Offices of Wisconsin." (Oshkosh, Wis.: Wisconsin Postal History Society, 1963)]

This rather large coin is from the City of Green Bay Sesquicentennial celebration in 2004. The back side of the coin shows all Mayors of Green Bay and their years of service starting with Mayor Thomas (1854) and ending with Mayor Jim Schmitt (current).

The history of the city of Green Bay is an inspiring story of pride and progress. As the oldest settlement in Wisconsin, Green Bay has grown from a bustling farming and logging community into a vibrant cultural and economic center. In 2004 they celebrated the City's rich history and the leaders whose vision helped transform Green Bay into an 'All-American City'.

Watch a fun and informative documentary about the history of Green Bay on YouTube. Parts 1 | 2 | 3