Miramar Drive in Allouez

The Village of Allouez owns a rich history. The very name of the village is that of Claude Allouez, a Jesuit missionary who in 1671 founded the St. Francis Xavier Mission at what is now De Pere. A portion of its history is reflected in the architecture that is to be found within the confines of the village. One example is the Cotton House. The Cotton House is a major attraction at Heritage Hill State Park, but unlike some of the structures in the park, it is an Allouez product. Originally located at the corner of South Webster Avenue and Beaupre Street, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance in 1970. It was moved to the park in 1977.

Now there is a possibility that an entire Allouez neighborhood may become a Historic District. The Allouez Historic Preservation Committee has begun the process of nominating a portion of Miramar Drive as a listing on the National Register of Historic Districts. The committee received positive feedback from residents, so last spring the village leadership invited Daina Pekiunas, a representative of the Wisconsin Historical Society, to come and speak to Miramar Drive homeowners. She explained how neighborhoods become Historic Districts and some of the possible benefits to homeowners.

The path to a neighborhood becoming a Historic District begins with the nominating process. Buildings and neighborhoods are nominated based on their particular significance in national, state or local history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture. Nominations are reviewed by staff members of the Wisconsin Historical Society. They are then reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Review Board, which is the approving authority. National Register nominations are approved by the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. The entire process may take up to 18 months. Often private consultants are hired to assess properties and navigate the nomination process.

Ms. Pekiunas pointed out that the principal benefit of having your home designated as part of a Historic District is the knowledge that you are helping to preserve your local, state and national heritage. A more tangible benefit is the possibility of state and federal tax credits for rehabilitating historic properties. There is also the opportunity to become eligible for official State Register of Historic Places plaques.

As with most things in this area, anything related to the Green Bay Packers generates interest. It happens that two of the most famous of Packers have ties to the Miramar neighborhood. Curly Lambeau and Don Hutson owned homes on Miramar Drive and both are listed in the Wisconsin State Historical Society’s Architecture and History Inventory.

Curly Lambeau was a co-founder of the Green Bay Packers. He went on to coach the Packers to six National Football League Championships in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He is a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, inducted in 1963. Curly built a brick Tudor Revival home on Miramar Drive in 1931. He was a colorful character and his story is a large part of Green Bay Packers lore. He and his wife Marguerite divorced in 1934, but Marguerite continued to live in the home until 1997.

Don Hutson was a star receiver for the Packers in the 1930’s and 1940’s. He was twice named the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player and was also inducted as a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Julia, purchased a white stucco Tudor Revival home on Miramar drive in 1935. The house was built in 1927 and is an excellent example of this particular architectural style.

There are several other examples of Tudor Revival homes in the neighborhood. Some characteristics of Tudor Revival homes are steeply pitched roofs, dormer windows and pillared porches.  Another popular style represented is that of Colonial Revival. These homes are typically of the two story variety with elaborate front doors, symmetrical windows flanking the door and columned porches. An excellent example of the American Foursquare style of architecture can be found on the east side of DuCharme. A popular style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characteristics include large front porches, a central dormer, and a general boxy design. The shape provided large interior space while fitting into small city lots.

So Miramar Drive has homes that are significant architecturally and homes that have a connection with the organization that for many, defines the city of Green Bay. Will Allouez soon have its first historic district? It is possible, so keep an eye out for those State Register of Historic Places plaques on Miramar Drive.

Fox River Trail in Allouez

The sun was setting and the Fox River glowed with the reflection of its dying light.  A woman was focussed on her tripod mounted camera, trying to capture the moment.  A young couple walked hand in hand, talking softly. A lone bicyclist whizzed past, getting in a few miles after a long workday. Out on the water, a mallard duck led her brood across the still surface, paddling silently toward shelter for the night. It was the end of another busy day on the Fox River Trail in Allouez.

Officially titled the Fox River State Recreational Trail, it traces the west side of Allouez along the Fox River. The trail corridor was originally a footpath for Native Americans. As the region became populated by the French and the English, the trail was used for trade. During the early 19th century a military road connecting Fort Howard to Madison and Crawford, Wisconsin, was established using this same stretch along the river. The first railroads from Green Bay to Milwaukee were built in the late 1800’s and used this corridor until the tracks were no longer needed in 1989. There is signage along the trail that describes some of the history of this part of Allouez.

Once the tracks were abandoned in 1989, the Brown County Parks Department began working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to develop the trail. It opened in 2001. All of the Allouez portion is asphalt paved and the trail stretches from Green Bay into Calumet County. It is paved as far south as Lasee Road. Beyond that point you will find a well-worn limestone surface.

In the summer, the trail is open for pedestrians, bicyclists and roller-bladers during daylight hours. The Brown County Parks Department is responsible for maintenance. Workers do weed eradication and grass cutting alongside the trail on a regular basis. They use a blower to keep the trail clear of leaves and twigs. In the winter the trail is not plowed, but is open for cross country skiing and hiking. Bicyclists and roller-bladers 16 years and older are required to purchase either a seasonal or daily trail pass.

One of the features of the trail that is exclusive to Allouez is the Health Trail. Sponsored by St. Vincent Hospital, it runs parallel to the Fox River Trail between the railroad overpass and the parking lot behind the Riverwalk Medical building. It is labeled the “Outdoor Fitness Challenge Course” and features stations with a variety of types of exercise apparatus. There are signs at each station that describe how to properly use that particular piece of equipment.

About halfway through the Health Trail, you will find St. Francis Park. Located on land donated in 2001 by the Green Bay Diocese, the park is named after St. Francis Xavier. Father Claude-Jean Allouez celebrated what is thought to have been the the first Mass held in what would become the Green Bay Diocese on December 3, 1669. That is the feast day of St. Francis Xavier and when the Diocese was established in 1869, he was chosen as the patron saint. The park features a lovely gazebo and several benches on which to rest and enjoy a view of the Fox River. Picnic tables are available for those who bring along a lunch or a snack. Restrooms and bicycle racks are provided for the convenience of trail users.

A little farther south the trail passes the west side of Heritage Hill State Park. If you look closely, you can see the French fur trader’s cabin from the trail. There is a retention pond just south of the park and this is a great area for wildlife viewing. Deer are plentiful and there has been a resident egret in the pond the past couple of summers. You may also see fox, raccoons, geese, ducks, herons.

Trail advocates have worked to find more and safer ways for people to access the trail. One recent addition to the trail is the paved path from Sunset Circle through Sunset Park to the trail. Another is the paved path constructed on the north side of the Highway 172 corridor. This leads to a pedestrian crossing at 172 and Riverside Drive. The path continues west to intersect with the trail below the overpass.

The Friends of the Fox River Trail is an organization that supports the trail in a variety of ways. The group serves as a legislative liaison with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and stays current on legislation that may affect the trail. The Friends raise funds to help pay for trail improvements. They also sponsor work days when volunteers are invited to help with trail maintenance and cleanup. The Friends meet quarterly and the membership fee is $10.00 annually per household. Their website is

The Fox River Trail is just one of the features that make Allouez a great place to live, work and play. You can find more information about the trail and the Friends of the Fox River Trail by following the links at www.co.brown.wi.us.

Spring Time in Allouez

The last couple of weeks have tested my resolve to accept whatever Mother Nature tosses in my direction in an uncomplaining fashion. But the promise of those first few warm days and the early signals from the earth that spring has arrived are what make this such a great place to live. The change of seasons is something that appeals to many Wisconsin residents and my favorite change is the one from winter to spring.

Although this spring entered the month of April kicking and screaming, there are signs other than the date on the calendar that it has arrived. There are tiny buds on the trees and bushes, fewer houses have Christmas decorations on them, residents have had a chance to visit with neighbors without competing with the roar of a snowblower, and road construction has begun.

The snow on portions of the Resch Family East River and Fox River Trails that stubbornly clung to the asphalt in areas sheltered from the wind and shaded from the pale spring sun is now gone. Regular bicycle traffic, commuters and riders on bikes with regular size tires, has returned to the trails. The relatively new fat tired bikes are made to travel over snow and there have been some of those on local trails all winter.

Early spring riders find that they do not have to contend with many other trail users. There are runners training for the Bellin Run or the Cellcom Marathon and the occasional roller blader. But the trails will remain quiet until the weather warms up enough for more fair weather exercise warriors and families out for walks.

On the Fox River Trail, the Brown County Parks Department has been busy. A brisk walk or ride through Allouez will reveal the stumps of trees cut down and piles of wood chips that are the remains of those trees. The county cut down fifty trees that were leaning over the corridor and were considered hazards. They also cut down or removed up to thirty trees that were damaged by high winds. Some of the trees were deemed too hazardous for the county to remove, so the work was contracted out.

County and village workers have been out cleaning off the trails. They use blowers to remove leaves, sticks and gravel from the trail to provide as safe a surface as possible. If there are cracks or holes that have developed over the winter, they will repair those.

People using the Fox River Trail near Heritage Hill in mid-April heard the sounds of creaking boards and nails being noisily pulled. Workers are removing the old cedar shingle roof from the sugar shack and replacing it with resawn red cedar shake.

The wildlife is returning to the area as the weather warms. The geese are making their presence known in their own unmistakable way. The waterfowl and deer have returned to the retention pond area south of Heritage Hill. The egret that has been there the past few summers has not shown up, but could be here soon. Turkeys are abundant and drivers on Riverside Drive are forced to yield as flocks of up to a dozen bob and weave across the state highway. The graceful American white pelicans can again be seen soaring over the Fox River and songbirds have returned to backyard feeders.

When strolling or riding around the village daffodils can be seen beginning to sprout in the flower beds that face the low April sun. Siberian Squill, the delicate blue flowers that grace some lawns in spring, are delighting some residents and annoying others. Early yardbirds have been out raking up what the winter snow and wind deposited on the lawn and hardy automobile lovers can be seen giving their car or truck a much needed spring cleaning.

All of these are harbingers of the warm and welcome weather to come in Allouez. Those of us who live here anticipate that first beautiful day in the spring when we can joyfully exclaim, “We deserve this!”

The Green Bay Diocese's History in Allouez

Allouez does not have what one would consider a downtown area, but the corner of St. Joseph Street and South Webster Avenue is a busy one. An interesting aspect of this piece of the village is that all of the land between just south of Beaupre Street and St. Joseph was once known as the Saint Joseph Orphanage Asylum.

The original lots in Allouez were plotted out by the French. Relatively narrow, they extended from the Fox River all the way east to the Devil’s, or East River, as it is now known. The lots were laid out in this fashion so that each property owner had access to transportation. They were called Private Claims and numbered in ascending order from north to south. The land that became known as the St. Joseph Orphanage Asylum property was Private Claim 14 and consisted of about 130 acres.

The acreage was purchased in 1887 and the orphanage was completed in 1896. It was built on the high ground overlooking Riverside Drive and the Fox River. The site of the orphanage is now a parking lot for diocesan employees and visitors. The School Sisters of Notre Dame staffed the facility and looked after the children. By 1897, 170 children were living there and in 1902 a south wing was added to the main building to accommodate the arrival of more orphans.

In 1911, a portion of this land was granted to the diocese to build a chancery, or diocesan office, for Bishop Joseph John Fox. Bishop Fox had been in Marinette prior to being named Bishop and became friends with the lumberman Isaac Stephenson. Though Stephenson was not a Catholic, he funded the building of the chancery. When the building was dedicated, Stephenson sailed to Green Bay in his yacht. He left the yacht in Green Bay for the use of the Bishop and took the train back to Marinette. This building was located at 1910 South Webster Avenue between US Bank and Wells Fargo Bank. An architectural review, conducted in 2005, found that the 94 year old building needed extensive renovations if it were to remain a safe working environment. It was determined that it was not worthy of being renovated and it was razed in 2010. The property is currently on the market.

Additional construction around the orphanage took place in the 1920’s. Melania Hall was built in 1923 and provided a boiler system, laundry, and manual training shops. It was named after Sister Melania, the first Sister Superior of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Melania Hall is now used as office space for the diocese. In 1929, Nazareth Hall was built to provide a special place to care for infants and young children. Nazareth Hall is now known as Bosco Hall and this building became the chancery when the building on Webster Avenue was deemed unsafe.

The year 1953 brought the construction of two new buildings. There were concerns about the children’s health and safety in the main orphanage building and a new dormitory was built in 1953. The dormitory, now known as Bona Hall, underwent extensive renovations after the orphanage closed in 1977 and is now home to the Diocesan Education Department. St Joseph Chapel was also built that year.

By 1967 the orphanage had become St. Joseph Home for Children and was only accepting boys who suffered from various types of adjustment problems. In 1977 the home merged with the Sisters of Christian Charity and moved to a site in west Green Bay. The orphanage was torn down in 1981.

Other than the four diocesan buildings, the orphanage property on the west side of Webster Avenue looks much the same as it did when the land was purchased over 120 years ago. The area that was the orphanage’s front yard holds the remains of an apple orchard and usually a few geese. The property east of Webster Avenue that was part of the St. Joseph Orphanage Asylum tract was sold off over the years. It now houses a strip mall, Bellin Psychiatric Clinic and the Bishop’s Court Assisted Living Communities by Hillcrest.

The story of this prominent part of the community is an example of why Allouez is such an interesting place to live. Our society has changed much since the foundation for the orphanage was laid, but this piece of property reminds us of how precious our children are to us.

Allouez's Historic Cemeteries

People who enjoy learning the history of an area have some reliable sources they can depend upon. Libraries are excellent resources and staff members are often eager to talk about their community’s history. Historical societies exist to provide information to history buffs and they welcome inquiries. Local historians have found that some of the best repositories of local history are cemeteries. Allouez is fortunate to have two cemeteries rich in history within the village limits.

The oldest one is Allouez Catholic Cemetery.  It is the final resting place for some of the most well known names in local history. Some of them, such as Dousman and Desnoyers, are familiar street names to west Green Bay residents. Others, like Lambeau and Canadeo, are instantly recognizable to long time Green Bay Packers fans. The names on other headstones may not be so recognizable even though their accomplishments are quite noteworthy.

One example is Denis John Francis Murphy. Born in Cork, Ireland, in 1830, Murphy emigrated to northeast Wisconsin and worked a farm in Glenmore. He enlisted in Company F, 14th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War and was awarded the Civil War Medal of Honor in 1892 for his bravery during the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi. Murphy returned to the area after the war, but was no longer able to work his farm. He and his wife moved into Green Bay where he died in 1901.

An aspect of the cemetery’s history that makes it especially interesting is that some of the deceased are not in their original burial location. Up to the early 1800’s, Catholics from the area were buried in a cemetery at the intersection of Washington and Adams Streets in Green Bay. Known as La Baye Cemetery, it was located where Green Bay Fire Station Number One is now. The city grew in population and by 1835 it needed to close the cemetery and relocate the graves. Allouez Catholic Cemetery had opened in 1822 and accepted a number of these displaced graves.

Woodlawn Cemetery, opened in 1856, is located north of the Allouez Catholic Cemetery near the village’s border with Green Bay. This cemetery is also noteworthy for people buried within its shady confines. The 1997 movie Titanic brought some attention to Woodlawn because one of the victims of the famous shipwreck is buried there. Dr. William Edward Minahan boarded the ill-fated ocean liner in Queenstown with his wife Lillian and sister Daisy. Lillian and Daisy heard Dr. Minahan’s last words, “be brave”, and lived to tell the story of the tragic event. Dr. Minahan’s crypt is on the far west side of the cemetery. There is a path leading to a few stairs that allow visitors to see the front of the crypt, which overlooks Riverside Drive.

Otto Kaap’s mausoleum is located just southeast of Dr. Minahan’s crypt. Otto was born in Manistee County, Michigan in 1887. He moved to Green Bay and in 1907 he was a bank teller by day and a drummer by night. In order to convince another musician to move from Oshkosh, he helped him open a candy store in downtown Green Bay. The gentleman’s business failed and Otto took it over in an attempt to save his investment. He made candy after his vaudeville performances so it would be fresh in the morning. As the business became more and more successful, he added an ice cream parlor, tea room and restaurant. Beloved by many, his establishments moved to various locations during the last century, the final location being razed when downtown Green Bay was renovated in the 1970’s. You can still taste chocolate made using Otto Kaap’s recipes at Kaap’s Old World Chocolates on South Webster Avenue.

The Brown County Historical Society has taken note of the history contained in these two cemeteries and has instituted Cemetery Walks to make their histories come alive. Society members select several people from each cemetery and research their stories. Local actors dress in period clothing and tell their stories while standing next to the headstone of their character. Last year’s walks featured John Dousman and Bishop Aloysius Wycislo at the Allouez Catholic Cemetery.  Woodlawn Cemetery walks have told the stories of  members of the Martin Morgan family and Daniel Whitney, known as the Father of Green Bay. A recent walk there featured the brewer August Hochgreve.  The events are titled, “If Tombstones Could Talk”, and will be held again late this summer.

History is all around us in the village of Allouez. It may seem a bit strange, but it comes alive in our cemeteries.