Introduction to Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city located at the mouth of the Fox River in Wisconsin. Serving as the county seat of Brown County, Green Bay is situated 112 miles north of Milwaukee to which it is connected by Interstate I-43. Also servicing the city are U.S. Routes 41 and 141; and Wisconsin State Highways 29, 32, 54, 57, and 172.
The area where the Fox River empties into the Green Bay was a natural stopping place as far back as the 17th century for many types of travelers, including French voyagers, woodland Indian tribes, fur trappers, and Jesuit missionaries. This stopping place became Wisconsin's first settlement in 1634, only 14 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. The French first settled the area, before being driven out by the British in 1763, who retained it as a stronghold until after the war of 1812. The area was a prime fur trading center, but by the time of Wisconsin statehood in 1848, fur trading had given way to lumbering. The first paper mill was built in 1895, establishing a staple industry which retains its prominence today. The borough of Green Bay, formed in 1838, consolidated in 1895 with the City of Fort Howard to form the new City of Green Bay. In the 1920s, the city's meat packing industry provided a name for a local football team known as the Green Bay Packers, which later became one of two charter teams of the National Football League. Green Bay today stands as a progressive, modern city with a thriving, diversified economy. Its economy is still primarily driven by the paper product industry, with transportation and health care also significant employers.
Green Bay Attractions
Green Bay is a vibrant town in terms of arts, culture, and events. A visitor's options for seeing a live performance are plentiful and varied. The 2,000-plus seat Weidner Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a prime venue for performances on a grand scale, such as Broadway shows; while the Resch Center offers sporting events and concerts by world-class entertainers. There are also plenty of museums to enjoy in Green Bay. The Neville Public Museum is a modern 58,000 square-foot facility which houses more than two million items in its permanent collections, including historic artifacts, original artworks, archeological objects, still photographs and film. The Oneida Nation Museum, one of the nation's oldest Native American museums, relates the culture and history of the Oneida people. The National Railroad Museum is a window to the history of railroading and its contributions to the building of a nation. Festivals and events abound in the Green Bay area. The International Bayfest in downtown Green Bay, held in June, is the largest music and food festival north of Milwaukee, attracting well over 100,000 people every year. Late August heralds the excitement and color of ArtStreet, a cultural potpourri of both display art and performing arts, with four stages of jazz, blues and classical music; as well as dance and live theater.
The Green Bay area’s passion for sports is as visible as it is undeniable. The city's pride and joy is its Green Bay Packers, a staple franchise of the NFL with a storied past. With a fanbase stretching across the state of Wisconsin, the Packers can boast more championships - twelve - than any other team in NFL history. The Packers play in the recently renovated Lambeau Field, a Green Bay landmark. A couple of minor league teams also call Green Bay their home. The Green Bay Blizzard play a different kind of football, arena football, and provide area fans with the option of watching football pretty much year-round. The Blizzard belong to the af2, minor league of the Arena Football League (AFL), and play their home games at the Resch Center from March through mid-July each year. The Green Bay Gamblers hockey team, a member of the United States Hockey League (USHL), is comprised largely of young players vying for scholarships at Division I schools. Baseball fans can watch minor-league action thanks to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Class A farm team of the Seattle Mariners. The T-Rats belong to the Midwest League and play their home games at the Fox Cities Stadium, located about 30 minutes south of Green Bay. Fans who want to see major league baseball can take the two-hour drive to Milwaukee, home of MLB's Milwaukee Brewers, who play in the spectacular convertible-roof Miller Park. Also in Milwaukee are the Bucks of the National Basketball Association, who play their games at the city's Bradley Center.