Dive into the transformation of Wisconsin’s economic landscape as a local historian unravels the intricate shift from fur trading to timber and eventually the paper industry in the 1800s. Explore how treaties and key figures catalyzed this industrial evolution. The narrative weaves through indigenous nations' intricate relationships with European traders, emphasizing the Menominee, Ho-Chunk, and Ojibwe's crucial roles. As the fur trade waned, timber took center stage, setting the stage for Wisconsin's paper mills, marking a pivotal transition in the state's economic history.