In 1852 Wisconsin established the Office of Emigration to attract European - mainly German-speaking - settlers to the state. Drawing on contemporary newspaper articles and privately published emigrant guides, as well as official publications of the emigration office, the authors document the office's influence on the settlement history of early Wisconsin and assess that influence against the backdrop of state politics in the mid-nineteenth century. Complementing the text are rare and interesting photographs illustrating the work of the office and the people it served. This book is invaluable for genealogists interested in learning more about emigration, as well as for anyone interested in Wisconsin history and German American studies.