Trivia question: When is National Trivia Day? Answer: Tomorrow, Jan 4. There are plenty of places in town to show off with your smarty-pants brains.
First, impress your friends with some Madison trivia (in addition to these 15 interesting facts):
- The statue on top of the Capitol building, named Wisconsin, has a badger on top of her helmet. That badger’s butt is the highest point in the city.
- The origins of Earth Day started in Madison, thanks to Wisconsin politician Gaylord Nelson. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Nelson was inspired to start a national event in 1969 after witnessing an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. More than 3 million gallons of oil went into the bay, killing tens of thousands of animals.
- On Ho-Chunk land, Madison has the highest concentration of effigy mounds in the US.
- UW-Madison was the first college in the country to offer a dairy major.
- “On, Wisconsin!” is both the UW-Madison fight song and a modified version of it is the Wisconsin State Song. It’s origins come from the cry of Arthur MacArthur Jr. who used it in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge during the American Civil War.
- Thomas Jefferson’s son, Eston Hemings Jefferson, lived in Madison and is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery. His mother was the enslaved Sally Hemings.
- Madison is the birthplace of limnology, the study of lakes.
- Artist Georgia O’Keeffe was born in Sun Prairie. She holds the record for the highest price paid for a painting by a woman ($44.4 million).
Perhaps that information will prove key to your victory. Channel 3000 made note of quite a few local pub quizzes, including:
Echo Tap and Grill, 554 W. Main St. | Thursdays
Garth’s Brew Bar, 1726 Monroe St. | Tuesdays
Glass Nickel Pizza Company - Madison East, 2916 Atwood Ave. | Mondays
Pitcher’s Pub, 323 W. Beltline Hwy. | Fridays
SconnieBar, 1421 Regent St. | Wednesdays
