The City of Green Bay, founded on February 27, 1854, is celebrating its 169th birthday today. The City is marking the occasion with the unveiling of an exhibit at City Hall to celebrate the City’s founding. This exhibit is located on the 2nd Floor of City Hall and is open to members of the public and the press beginning today and running through March 20, 2023, during City Hall’s hours of operation. The City will also light the bridges in the City’s colors of blue and green to signify the milestone.
“This is a great opportunity for members of the public to visit and learn a bit about Green Bay’s storied history,” said Mayor Eric Genrich. “We’ll also be sharing pieces of the exhibit digitally, through the City’s social media channels, and we invite the public to share memories of their own.”
The exhibit includes a timeline of the City’s founding, our history leading up to our incorporation, information about the old City Hall building and Fort Howard, as well as details on buildings that existed in 1854 and remain standing today. As part of the exhibit, the public should feel free to explore other areas of City Hall; many of the public hallways include photographs and maps from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Once residents have completed the tour of City Hall, they are welcome to explore the history of our city’s neighborhoods! Historic Walking Tours can be found on the City’s website that can be experienced from the comfort of one’s home, or used as a guide when walking through our historic neighborhoods. Walking tour information can be found on the City’s “Historic Preservation” webpage.
Finally, the City intends to celebrate “Founders Day” 2024 with even more fanfare, as it will mark the 170th anniversary of the City’s incorporation. If the public has ideas to see incorporated into next year’s celebration, they are invited to submit them through the “Contact the Mayor” form available on the City’s website.