Packers Heritage Trail
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The Packers Heritage Trail is a self-guided walking and biking heritage trail that traverses locations relating to the history of the Green Bay Packers, an American football team in the National Football League (NFL). All of the 25 sites have bronze commemorative plaques that explain the history of the site and its association to the Green Bay Packers. Each plaque, which has individual sponsors, is either affixed to the side of the relevant building or placed on a pole in front of the site. The Trail is split into three sections: the City Walk, which includes 16 sites and the Packers Heritage Plaza generally in downtown Green Bay; the Packing Plant Spur, which includes 4 sites along Baird Creek; and the Lambeau – Lombardi Spur, which includes another 4 sites along the Fox River.
The Packers Heritage Trail was developed by the sportswriter Cliff Christl, who would go on to become the team historian of the Packers. It was modeled after the Freedom Trail in Boston and opened in 2012. It was originally led by the Packers Heritage Trail Foundation, Inc., which was formed by Christl and his wife Shirley. Two years later, the Heritage Trail Plaza was opened on the corner of Cherry St. and Washington St. in downtown Green Bay. In 2017, the Foundation was taken over by the Packers and is now part of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. The Packers offer combined tickets for touring Lambeau Field, entrance to the Packers Hall of Fame and trolley tours of the Packers Heritage Trail. That same year, Christl published a book covering the Trail titled Packers Heritage Trail: The Town, The Team, The Fans From Lambeau to Lombardi. The Packers Heritage Plaza, which was updated and renovated in 2022, provides a larger overview history of the team with various plaques and statutes of past Packers players and coaches. However, the site of the plaza has been identified for future development, which would require its relocation to another site in downtown Green Bay. The city agreed to fund the removal of the plaza, while the Packers agreed to take possession of the statues, plaques and bricks that make up the landmark. The future location of the plaza is not yet decided.
The City Walk portion of the Trail includes various buildings with connections to the Packers. This includes two historic train depots that the Packers utilized for away games, multiple office buildings that either the Packers utilized or key figures worked at, cultural and religious sites, and past Packers stadiums. The entirety of downtown Green Bay is identified as one of the historic sites, with the commemorative plaque located on the CityDesk, the name of Green Bay's riverfront. The Packing Plant Spur follows Baird Creek, just outside of downtown Green Bay and includes the remains of the packing plants for the Indian Packing Company, the Riverside Ballroom, and other historic playing fields. As the name implies, the Lambeau – Lombardi Spur focuses on the history of two key Packers coaches: Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi. This spur is the only one that has sites with differences in their commemorative plaques: the plaques for Lombardi's home and Lambeau's gravesite are located a short distance from the house and the cemetery along the Fox River trail.
Historic sites
| Site # | Image | Site | Address | Trail portion | Plaque location | Significance | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Packers Heritage Plaza | Washington St. & Cherry St. | City Walk | — | The Packers Heritage Plaza is a public plaza built in Downtown Green Bay that includes statues and signs honoring the history of the Packers. | 44°30′55.3″N 88°0′54.7″W/44.515361°N 88.015194°W/ 44.515361; -88.015194(Packers Heritage Plaza) | |
| 1 | Neville Museum | 210 Museum Place | Near parking lot | The Neville Museum is the trailhead of the Packers Heritage Trail. | 44°31′4.8″N 88°1′5.3″W/44.518000°N 88.018139°W/ 44.518000; -88.018139(Packers Neville Museum) | ||
| 2 | Downtown Green Bay | 325 N. Washington St. | In back along CityDeck | Downtown Green Bay served as the site of the founding of the Packers and the team's first practice. It has been home to many notable events and served as a place for players to interact with fans. | 44°31′1.9″N 88°0′54.4″W/44.517194°N 88.015111°W/ 44.517194; -88.015111(Downtown Green Bay) | ||
| 3 | — | Birthplace of the Packers | 200 N. Adams St. | On Cherry St. | The Packers were formed at this location in the now-demolished Green Bay Press-Gazette building on August 11, 1919. | 44°30′52.8″N 88°0′48.2″W/44.514667°N 88.013389°W/ 44.514667; -88.013389(Birthplace of the Packers) | |
| 4 | Hotel Northland | 304 N. Adams St. | On Pine St. | The Hotel Northland was a social gathering point in Green Bay that hosted many Packers events, including the introductory press conference for Vince Lombardi. | 44°30′56.8″N 88°0′47.2″W/44.515778°N 88.013111°W/ 44.515778; -88.013111(Hotel Northland) | ||
| 5 | — | Curly Lambeau's office, Northern Building | 305 E. Walnut St. | On Adams St. | Curly Lambeau's office was located in the Northern Building for 20 years, which was later expanded to include the Packers as an organization. | 44°30′50″N 88°0′52.3″W/44.51389°N 88.014528°W/ 44.51389; -88.014528(Curly Lambeau's Office, Northern Building) | |
| 6 | Bellin Building | 130 E. Walnut St. | On Walnut St. | The Bellin Building is a significant landmark in Green Bay whose occupants included Gerald Clifford, W. Webber Kelly and Fred Trowbridge, all of whom served as executives for the Packers. | 44°30′51.4″N 88°0′59″W/44.514278°N 88.01639°W/ 44.514278; -88.01639(Bellin Building) | ||
| 7 | Milwaukee Road Depot | 400 S. Washington St. | On Washington St. | The Milwaukee Road Depot witnessed the return of the Packers after three NFL championships: in 1931, 1936 and 1939. | 44°30′38″N 88°1′7.6″W/44.51056°N 88.018778°W/ 44.51056; -88.018778(Milwaukee Road Depot) | ||
| 8 | — | Packers office building | 321 S. Washington St. | On Crooks St. | The Packers' main offices were located in this building from 1949 to 1963. | 44°30′38.6″N 88°1′6″W/44.510722°N 88.01833°W/ 44.510722; -88.01833(Packers Office Building) | |
| 9 | — | Elks Club | 300 Crooks St. | On Adams St. | The Elks Club hosted various banquets honoring Packers players and coaches, including the first Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame induction ceremony. | 44°30′36″N 88°1′1.7″W/44.51000°N 88.017139°W/ 44.51000; -88.017139(Elks Club) | |
| 10 | St. Willebrord Catholic Church | 209 S. Adams St. | Corner of Adams St. & Doty St. | St. Willebrord Church was Vince Lombardi's home church for 10 years. | 44°30′44.8″N 88°0′55.8″W/44.512444°N 88.015500°W/ 44.512444; -88.015500(St. Willebrord Catholic Church) | ||
| 11 | Brown County Courthouse | 100 S. Jefferson St. | On Jefferson St. | The Brown County Courthouse hosted multiple important meetings related to the Packers, including the first stockholder meeting in 1923. | 44°30′44.7″N 88°0′51.1″W/44.512417°N 88.014194°W/ 44.512417; -88.014194(Brown County Courthouse) | ||
| 12 | — | Columbus Community Club | 115 S. Jefferson St. | On Jefferson St. | The Columbus Community Center was the location of banquets, celebrations and public rallies related to the Packers. | 44°30′46″N 88°0′48.1″W/44.51278°N 88.013361°W/ 44.51278; -88.013361(Columbus Community Club) | |
| 13 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | 435 E. Walnut St. | On Walnut St. | The Green Bay Press-Gazette was instrumental in the early history of the Packers, both in promoting the team and as a source of key team executives, including Andrew B. Turnbull and George Whitney Calhoun. | 44°30′46.9″N 88°0′44.1″W/44.513028°N 88.012250°W/ 44.513028; -88.012250(Green Bay Press-Gazette) | ||
| 14 | Hagemeister Park | 1415 E. Walnut St. | On Baird St. | Hagemeister Park was the Packers' first home stadium from 1919 to 1922. | 44°30′26.4″N 87°59′40.5″W/44.507333°N 87.994583°W/ 44.507333; -87.994583(Hagemeister Park) | ||
| 15 | City Stadium | 400 S. Washington St. | On front gates | City Stadium was the Packers' home stadium from 1925 to 1956. | 44°30′29.1″N 87°59′37.4″W/44.508083°N 87.993722°W/ 44.508083; -87.993722(City Stadium) | ||
| 16 | — | Curly Lambeau's birthplace home | 615 N. Irwin Ave. | On Irwin Ave. | Curly Lambeau was born on Irwin Avenue and would go on to be the key figure in the founding and development of the Packers. | 44°30′47″N 87°59′39.6″W/44.51306°N 87.994333°W/ 44.51306; -87.994333(Curly Lambeau's Birthplace Home) | |
| 17 | Chicago and North Western Depot | 200 Dousman St. | Near entrance | Chicago and North Western Depot was the Packers' typical train station for leaving and returning on road trips, often accompanied by cheering fans. | 44°31′9.7″N 88°1′5.5″W/44.519361°N 88.018194°W/ 44.519361; -88.018194(Chicago and North Western Depot) | ||
| 18 | — | Packers practice fields | 100 Block N. Baird St. | Packing Plant Spur | North of City Stadium | The Packers practiced on fields next to City Stadium for over 30 years. | 44°30′33.8″N 87°59′35″W/44.509389°N 87.99306°W/ 44.509389; -87.99306(Packers Practice Fields) |
| 19 | — | Riverside Ballroom | 1560 Main St. | Near entrance | The Riverside Ballroom hosted banquets and other Packers events, but is more well known for hosting indoor practices for the Packers during inclement weather. | 44°30′16.9″N 87°59′13.2″W/44.504694°N 87.987000°W/ 44.504694; -87.987000(Riverside Ballroom) | |
| 20 | — | Bellevue Park | 1613 Main St. | On Janquet Lumber building | Bellevue Park was the Packers' home stadium for two seasons in 1923 and 1924. | 44°30′15.9″N 87°59′3.5″W/44.504417°N 87.984306°W/ 44.504417; -87.984306(Bellevue Park) | |
| 21 | — | Indian and Acme Packing Plants | 200 Block Elizabeth St. | Start of Kress Trail | The Indian and Acme Packing Plants served as the namesake of the Packers, provided financial support and employed Curly Lambeau when he founded the team. | 44°30′19.2″N 87°59′8.2″W/44.505333°N 87.985611°W/ 44.505333; -87.985611(Indian and Acme Packing Plants) | |
| 22 | — | Curly Lambeau's gravesite | 2121 Riverside Dr. | Lambeau – Lombardi Spur | On Fox River Trail near Allouez Catholic Cemetery | After Curly Lambeau died in 1965 he was buried in Allouez Catholic Cemetery. | 44°29′3.5″N 88°1′52.8″W/44.484306°N 88.031333°W/ 44.484306; -88.031333(Curly Lambeau's Gravesite) |
| 23 | — | Vince Lombardi's home | 667 Sunset Cir. | On Fox River Trail near Sunset Park | After accepting the head coach job for the Packers, Lombardi moved into a home on Sunset Circle in Allouez, Wisconsin. | 44°27′56.9″N 88°3′7.2″W/44.465806°N 88.052000°W/ 44.465806; -88.052000(Vince Lombardi's Home) | |
| 24 | — | Union Hotel | 200 N. Broadway St. | Corner of Broadway St. & James St. | The Union Hotel hosted multiple players, coaches and other prominent people in the history of the Packers. | 44°27′0.6″N 88°3′37.1″W/44.450167°N 88.060306°W/ 44.450167; -88.060306(Union Hotel) | |
| 25 | — | St. Norbert College | 505 Third St. | On Third St. | St. Norbert College has been the home of the Packers' training camp since 1958. | 44°26′34.9″N 88°4′7.1″W/44.443028°N 88.068639°W/ 44.443028; -88.068639(St. Norbert College) |
Footnotes
Citations
Sources
- Christl, Cliff (2017). Packers Heritage Trail: The Town, The Team, The Fans From Lambeau to Lombardi. Stevens Point, Wisconsin: KCI Sports. ISBN 978-1940056586.