Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:
Glossary of fur trading terms

Nicolas Perrot: Early Wisconsinite

Electric Library: Nicolas Perrot


Read More About It

"Life on Wisconsin's Lead Mining Frontier" by James Clark

"Wisconsin Territorial Days" Badger History Wisconsin Historical Society


Vocabulary:

lead mine
economic resource


Interesting Fact:

Perrot State Park in Trempealeau County is named after Nicolas Perrot.


Study Questions:

  • Why wasn't the lead mined soon after the discovery by Perrot?
  • What is Perrot's background? What did he do before becoming a fur trader?
  • Why did Perrot have an excellent working relationship with the various Indian tribes?


    U.S. historical events that occurred on November 6:

    1860: Abraham Lincoln is elected president.
    1869: The first intercollegiate football game is played.



    • November 6

    Historical Highlight

    1690: Nicolas Perrot, a French fur trader who had an excellent working relationship with the Winnebago, Sauk, Fox and Menominee tribes, became the first European to discover the lead mines of southwest Wisconsin. It would be nearly 140 years before the Wisconsin lead was mined as an economic resource.

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