ROOTED HERE
Behind the downtown streets.
A whole city’s story.
Downtown, Broadway and Olde Main Street show Green Bay's local character between the river and long-established neighborhoods.
People made the city.
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Wisconsin Hometown Stories: Green Bay
A local history film shared by PBS Wisconsin.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1634
Jean Nicolet reaches the bay
The city's European-origin history begins with French explorer Jean Nicolet's arrival; Native communities were already established in the region.
City of Green Bay ↗ - 1838
Village charter
Green Bay was chartered as a village.
City of Green Bay ↗ - 1854
City incorporation
Green Bay incorporated as a city on February 27.
Brown County ↗ - 1854
The county seat moves
Voters transferred the Brown County seat from De Pere to Green Bay on April 4.
Brown County ↗ - 1895
Green Bay and Fort Howard unite
Green Bay consolidated with the neighboring community of Fort Howard.
City of Green Bay ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown to see surviving commercial architecture, then explore the Historical Preservation Society’s museum and visiting information. Check current opening dates before setting out. Historical Preservation Society.
For deeper research, the Green Bay library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.