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At the very first Board of Regents meeting for the establishment of the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1848, one of the primary topics for discussion was the creation of an exhibit to display of geological and mineralogical samples from around the state. The Board commissioned H. A. Tenney to oversee the solicitation and collection of specimens from the public and the distribution of any duplicate samples to other state educational institutions to encourage public interest in the natural resources of Wisconsin.
