 
The Grant River Recreation area is located 2 miles south of Potosi, Wisconsin off
Highway 133. The area provides camping, picnicking, fishing, and boat access to the Upper
Mississippi River.
The attraction of fishing on the Mississippi River draws
many anglers. The most popular species is the channel catfish. The city of
Potosi has earned the nickname "Catfish
Capital of Wisconsin." Other fish species include bluegill, walleye, crappie,
northern pike, and bass.
Many times during the past, glaciers advanced and retreated across Wisconsin. The
southwestern corner, however, was untouched and is now called the "driftless"
area. It is a land of deep valleys, ridges, and bluffs never leveled by the glaciers.
Native Americans were, of course, the first inhabitants of the Upper Mississippi River
Valley. Indian tribes respected the river's resources and made use of them in their
everyday lives.
This area has become the site of one of Wisconsin's greatest archeological finds ever.
The banks of the river revealed a large burial site. It belonged to the Woodland Indians
who lived here 1000 years ago. Found at this site were copper instruments and jewelry. The
Woodland Indians came to this region from the shores of Lake Michigan. Grant River
Recreation area is connected to the site. The Corps of Engineers Park Rangers protect this
area under Title 36 Federal Regulations. No digging or ground disturbance is allowed.
In the early 17th century, French missionaries and fur traders were the first Europeans
to view the area. Fur trade continued with the local Native Americans, and the river
served as a means to transport the goods to market. Nicholas Perrot discovered
southwestern Wisconsin's first lead mine in what is now Potosi. By 1850, the area embraced
more than 10,000 hand-dug lead mines, supplying more than half of the nation's supply.
Mississippi riverboats carried Wisconsin lead throughout the nation. The region produced
virtually all of the lead shot for the Northern forces during the Civil War.
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