University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center

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University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center

The UWGB Archives and Area Research Center has original records for northeastern Wisconsin. We can The collections date from the 1600s to the present.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center has original materials such as diaries, letters, maps, photos, and scrapbooks, pertaining to northeastern Wisconsin. We also have the original records pertaining to the history of UWGB. We are open to everyone.....all ages and skill levels. We can help you find your family history; the age of your home or business; create lessons for use with children or scouts; or any local history topic you might have.

04/06/2026

The Archives staff recently picked some favorite photos from our collections. Click into each image for information about the photo and the reason for the staff pick.

Enjoy!

03/16/2026

Blizzard Elsa" has left most of northeastern Wisconsin buried in snow over the last few days. As we contemplate the drifts and begin digging out, we were reminded of a another local snowstorm from the past.

In March 1918, 108 years ago, Green Bay was faced with what was then dubbed the "worst storm in forty years."

This photo of downtown Green Bay was taken in the 200 block of Walnut Street looking toward the 100 block of Walnut Street. The 200 block is between Washington and Adams Street. The 100 block is the Fox River to Washington Street.

To learn more about the rich history of this snowstorm, check out the 2026 Winter edition of the Brown County Historical Society & Hazelwood Historic House newsletter.

I(https://browncohistoricalsoc.org/category/newsletters/)

Stay safe!

03/02/2026

We believe in celebrating history each day in the Archives but do want to give a shout out to Women's History Month.

Our collections are rich with an abundance of records from local women’s clubs. The organizations span across the decades with purposes ranging from educational, social, political, and cultural. The documents include minutes, scrapbooks, photos and publications. Each collection tells the story of how women drew together in a common cause or interest.

Researchers use the collection to understand the changing roles of women, education of girls and women in a variety of topics, and how women socialized. Some individuals even find their foremothers in the documents!

Enjoy the highlights from two of our collections: YWCA Green Bay-De Pere and League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay.

02/14/2026

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day has a long history dating back to early English poets in the 1300s. Some accounts have the exchange of greetings and gifts to mark the occasion beginning in the 1700s in America.

Over time, Valentine’s Day has come to mean many different things to each of us. Hearts, flowers, and chocolates. “Just another day.” A celebration of friendship (think Galentines!).

In the Archives, our Valentine's Day thoughts turn to love letters in our collections. One of our newer sets of courtship letters can be found in the Cofrin Family Papers.

Austin Cofrin (founder of Fort Howard Paper Company in Green Bay) and Edith Dehos of Sturgeon Bay wrote frequent letters from 1911-1913 while they were dating. Beginning in the very early days of their relationship, the letters describe their daily lives, activities and experiences when they were able to see each other, and their growing feelings. Through dozens of letters, the reader sees Austin and Edith fall deeply in love and marry in September 1913.

This sampling of letters is from the fall of 1912.

02/06/2026

Wisconsin Genealogy Day is coming soon!

Mark your calendars for February 21 and join this exciting free, virtual program. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Historical Society, experts will provide information on how to research your Wisconsin and Midwest ancestors.

To learn more about the program and register, see: https://tinyurl.com/46fvzapn

After you attend the program, we invite you to connect with us if you have any questions or need help with your genealogy.

Happy Family History Sleuthing!

02/01/2026

Happy National Library Lovers Month!

In 1883, local businessman Rufus Kellogg, proposed the idea of establishing a library for the city of Green Bay. After a few years, funding was provided by Arthur Neville and a Carnegie Grant.

Built in 1902, local architect, Henry Foeller designed the NeoClassical Building. One notable interior feature was a skylight located above the Library’s circulation desk and abundant natural light throughout. A large lecture room was located in the basement. An addition was constructed in 1914.

In 1925, construction began on the east wing which became the home of the Neville Public Museum when it was finished in 1927. This wing was intended to echo the style of the original building.

In 1974, a new city library (today's Brown County Library) was built leaving the Kellogg Library vacant. It was later rehabilitated to commercial offices and is known as Jefferson Square (125 S. Jefferson St. in Green Bay).

Share your favorite story of libraries.

12/31/2025

Happy New Year!

We love these vintage cards with sentiments for the new year. They are from one of our favorite collections of family papers. The postcards date from 1908-1909.

12/24/2025

For many this time of year includes gift giving and remembering loved ones. We recently came across a touching December 25, 1863 diary entry of James S. Anderson who was serving with the 5th Wisconsin Infantry at Brandy Station, Virginia. We value its simplicity and how celebrations are marked even in the time of conflict.

Anderson was a resident of Manitowoc and after the war returned to the community becoming an attorney and later judge.

Diary Transcription:

Went on Picket at the usual time and went on the line with the first relief, went in and got a Christmas present from home. This is my 22nd birthday and hope the last as a soldier.

11/22/2025

The Green Bay Community learned this week that Captain's Walk Winery will soon close its doors. The announcement made us think about the rich history of the building.

The building at present day 345 S. Adams was home to the Elisha Morrow family. Built in 1856-1857, it is considered a superb example of the Greek Revival architectural style with a combination of Italianate style elements.

Elisha Morrow was an entrepreneur with numerous businesses over the years, including real estate, lumbering, farming, and merchandising. From 1843-1851, he ran stage lines from Green Bay to Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Madison. Morrow was a delegate to the 1860 Republican National Convention, at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the presidential candidate. Elisha Morrow and his wife, Josephine, raised six daughters in the Morrow House.

In 1920, Helen Morrow sold the home to the Green Bay Women’s Club which used it for its meetings and functions. The Club was involved in many community projects, including sponsorship of the first open-air school, first vocational training classes, and the visiting nurse service.

When the Green Bay Women’s Club moved to the YWCA in 1962, the home was sold to Mrs. Murcile McMahon of Luxemburg whose plans for the building did not materialize. The building remained vacant for decades as members of the Brown County Historical Society and Brown County’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation pondered its fate. Although there was interest in moving the building to Heritage Hill, it seemed destined for razing until the home was bought by Ron and Pat Bushmaker.

According to a 1973 magazine article, the Bushmakers planned to “refurbish” it and operate a gift store from it. The historical records are not clear if the gift store came into existence. During this remodeling, many historical furnishings were saved and given to local historical institutions such as Heritage Hill State Historical Park and Brown County Historical Society & Hazelwood Historic House.

For decades, beginning in the 1980s, the building was occupied by many small businesses such as law firms, real estate companies, and other commercial enterprises. The interior of the building was remodeled to accommodate office operations.

In 2007, UWGB Alums, Brad and Eric Schmiling, purchased the building with the vision of opening an urban winery. The brothers undertook remodeling and restoration work to preserve the original integrity of the home. Their work earned them a 2008 Green Bay Historic Preservation Commission Award.

On November 18, 2025, the current owners of Captain’s Walk Winery shared on Facebook that the popular business would be closing its doors on November 26th.

11/12/2025

For those who might need some No Shave November inspiration, we have pulled some photos from our collections for you.

Feel free to share your photos or those of your ancestors.

10/17/2025

October is American Archives Month!

Archivists love a good unboxing—but they never know what they will find!

UWGB Archives staff are constantly opening boxes as new collections arrive from donors. These boxes might contain paper documents, photographs, maps, memoirs, official records, or other more surprising finds. But what happens when a box holds more than expected?

Our staff was recently reminiscing about some of the strangest things we have come across while processing records on the job—this bingo card highlights just fourteen of the real-life examples of the startling, unexpected things we have found.

Address

2420 Nicolet Drive
Green Bay, WI
54311

Telephone

+19204652539

Website

http://www.uwgb.edu/archives/

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