Chronological History
Territory is inhabited by Winnebago, Menominee, and Potawatomi Indians.
1656-58 Radisson and Groseillier explore trade with Indians at Green Bay.
1660 Additional Indian tribes in area: Sauk, Fox, Mascouten, Kickapoo, Miami, and Illinois.
1667 Father Claude Allouez arrives.
1670-71 St. Francis Xavier Mission built by Father Allouez.
1673 Marquette-Joliet explorers spend one year in De Pere after their voyage of discovery.
1681 Explorer La Salle is at Rapides Des Peres to barter materials for his Mississippi River voyage, which ended in discovery of Louisiana Territory.
1686 Gov. Perrot donates famous ostensorium to St. Francis Mission.
1687 St. Francis Mission burned and ostensorium lost.
1701 Fort St. Francis built in De Pere.
1795 Neighboring Ashwaubenon is formed from land deeds made by Menominee Chief Ashwaubemie.
1802 Ostensorium found buried on bank of Fox River. (Now in Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin.)
1804 First permanent settlers at Rapides Des Peres. (Rapids of the Fathers.)
1816 Fort Howard built in area.
Soldiers garrisoned at Camp Smith, Menomineeville. (Allouez, then known as Shantytown.)
1818 Brown County made a territory of Michigan.
1820 Additional Indian Tribes arrive from the East: Oneida, Brothertown, Stockbridge, and Munsee.
1822 Rev. R. Cadle founded Episcopalian Mission.
1829 Wm. Dickinson moves from Shantytown and is founder of De Pere.
1830 Catholic church purchases land from the Fox River to present East River for a cemetery and church.
1834 Jim Sweet, a resident of De Pere, calling himself a Achild of nature, claimed ownership of the sandbar in the Fox River between East and West sides.
1836 Brown County was formed by the Territorial Government of Wisconsin and consisted of the eastern one-half of the State of Wisconsin. Old Fox River Bank built. (Present De Pere Museum, AWhite Pillars.) De Pere named County Seat (until 1854).
1837 First dam built by John P. Arndt, Charles Tollar, and
Wm. Dickinson.
1838 First Courthouse in Northwest built in De Pere.
1839 Towns of De Pere and Howard established.
1847 Town of Lawrence established.
1849 Charter for first De Pere bridge granted.
1850 Elezar Williams, the ALost Dauphin of France and Episcopalian minister, translated the Bible into Indian language.
First Irish in the area settled in what is now the Town of Rockland; James Hobbins, Maurice Ryan, and Stephen Joyce.
1851-55 Germans and Hollanders settled in the area.
1851 The first lock and toll bridge was built, the Fox River being a half mile wide and 18 feet deep.
1852 A stock company was formed by Jos. G. Lawton to improve navigation on the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers.
1856 The Brown County bank was founded by C. A. Lawton.
The first boat passes through the De Pere lock and canal.
1857 Village of De Pere founded.
1864 Town of Ashwaubenon founded.
1870 West De Pere established as a village.
1871 De Pere News established.
1872 Neighboring Ashwaubenon area families consist of Scandinavian, Dutch-Belgian, and French-Belgian immigrant settlers. Original offices of Smith, Smith & Roels, Attorneys, established.
1873 Allouez-De Pere area becomes stronghold of French-Canadian settlers: Ducharmes, Solomuns, Porliers, Briquelets, Dousmans. Hochgreve Brewery is a flourishing business in nearby Allouez.
1875 Rufus B. Kellogg is Allouez area's largest land owner, importing Percheron horses from France.
1879 C. A. Lawton Company founded.
1881-83 Second bridge built.
1881 Union Hotel built.
1883 West De Pere is changed to City of Nicollet.
1887 Nicollet is changed to City of West De Pere.
1890 City of De Pere and City of West De Pere united.
1891 Third bridge built.
1892 Nicolet Paper Company built near river.
Pope Leo XII established National Shrine of St. Joseph at
Des Peres.
1893 De Pere Electric Light and Power Company established.
1894 First Congregational Church operates Salmon Public Library of 1700 volumes to be operated as a free public library.
1895 Lee Bros. Store established.
1896 Library accepted by Board of Aldermen of De Pere.
1898 St. Norbert College founded by Abbot Bernard Pennings with four students; Frank Van Dyke, Anthony Vissers, Charles Savageau, and Wm. Merchang.
1900 Train wreck in West De Pere with six people killed.
First car (an Oldsmobile) owned by Dr. F. J. Lenfesty.
State Bank of De Pere begins business.
1901 First football team at St. Norbert College.
1903 First automobile franchise in city granted to Wm. Rupiper
Main Hall, SNC campus, built.
1904 East and west side waterworks purchased by city from private companies.
1910 Turning basin between Wells Dock and paper mill completed with 100,000 cubic yards of dirt removed.
1912 Gas service supplied to city.
1914 Tuberculosis sanatorium built.
1916 Police and Fire Departments commissioned.
1917 Boyle Hall, SNC campus, completed.
1919 Community Bank established.
De Pere Journal Democrat established.
1920 De Pere football team plays Green Bay Packers; De Pere lost 62-0.
1923 Gerald E. ADad Braisher is coach at De Pere High School.
1924 Present Van Straten Trucking Company founded.
1925 WHBY radio station opens, second in State of Wisconsin, with Rev. James A. Wagner as manager.
1926 Ryan Funeral Home established by Robert A. Ryan.
1930 Fred Dillon begins coaching career at SNC; stays until 1957.
Pepsi-Cola Company incorporated in De Pere.
1931 Van Dyk Gym, SNC campus, completed. Named for first SNC student.
Present firm of Morris Vanden Heuvel and Basten, Attorneys, established.
1932 Osen Milling Company founded by Cliff A. Osen, Sr. and Roy H. Osen.
Fourth bridge built; present Claude Allouez Bridge.
1934 WTAQ Radio B second serving De Pere area.
1935 U. S. Paper Mills founded by Harold Shilling.
De Pere Federal Savings & Loan Association established.
1936 ROTC program established, SNC campus.
Locktender's house erected.
1937 Leland Wells is first president of De Pere Chamber of Commerce organization.
1938 Minahan Stadium opens in the fall.
1940 James Collins first volunteer for the draft from 3rd District.
1944 Navy Mothers organization formed and named after
Fred. W. Bakken, the first navy man of De Pere to give his life for his country.
1945 Lee Bros. Store on North Broadway burns.
Algoma Hammock Co. opened plant in De Pere.
1946 Clem Albers Plumbing established.
1948 First utility commission created here.
1952 St. Norbert College becomes co-educational.
City establishes a 99.71% voting record and named ANo. 1 U. S. Small City by Congress.
1953 WBAY-TV B second television station in Wisconsin services our area. Hillcrest Lumber Co. established.
1955 Rev. D. M. Burke becomes first full-time president of St. Norbert College.
1956 Thomson Meat Packing established.
1960 First city-wide Consolidated Charities Fund Drive started by C. of C.
1965 Renovation and widening of George Street completed.
Safety Building on South Broadway dedicated.
First parking mall in city (Marquette Mall) began construction.
1967 ShopKo Stores began in De Pere.
1970 St. Francis Church destroyed by a tornado.
1971 United States Paper Mill purchased by Walter R. Cloud, Jr.
TEC Systems comes to De Pere.
Present City Hall dedicated.
1972 De Pere's Terry Anne Meeuwsen is named Miss America 1973 at Atlantic City, New Jersey.
ALes Voyageurs re-enact journey of Marquette-Joliet through De Pere.
AWhite Pillars Museum dedicated.
Entered into agreement with the Brown County Solid Waste Authority for disposal of refuse.
Construction of West Side Fire Station.
1973 Purchase of the Wells Dock property. Preparation of plan for development of the area for park and open space use.
1974 Construction of De Pere Ice Recreation Center (indoor ice facility).
1975 Reconstruction of swimming pools - VFW & Legion Parks.
November 15 - Allouez-Ashwaubenon Bridge is opened.
1978 Creation of TID #1 - East Side Central Business District.
1980 Termination of TID #1 and creation of TIDs #2, #3, and #4.
1980 Employers Insurance development.
1981 Construction of Municipal Service Center.
Closure of the Ashwaubenon-De Pere Incinerator.
1985 Purchase of property for industrial development purposes - West Business/Industrial Park (180+ acres).
1994 North Broadway Street reconstruction.
A HISTORY OF DE PERE CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS
Date Church Location First Pastor
1849 Presbyterian East De Pere Rev. John Stewart
1864 St. Francis Xavier East De Pere Father Verboort
1866 Congregational West De Pere Rev. E. T. Salmon
1869 St. Mary's East De Pere Father Verboort
1869 St. John's Lutheran West De Pere Rev. Bock
1870 St. Joseph's West De Pere Father Vemare
1884 St. Boniface West De Pere Father Smitz
1926 St. Anne's Episcopal East De Pere
(Not an active congregation until 1936)
1955 Hope Lutheran East De Pere
SCHOOLS
East De Pere
1847 First grade school held in courthouse.
1857 Stone School at James and Wisconsin Streets.
(Converted to High School, 1870-1898)
1870 Old Grade School at George and Michigan Streets.
(One story building later destroyed by fire.)
1881 Two story building at George and Michigan Streets was completed.
1899 High School founded (Castle on the Hill).
1927 Irwin Grade School began.
1933 First section of present high school built.
1959 Dickinson Grade School built.
West De Pere
1864 First school established.
1870 First school building.
1880 School building converted to first high school.
1901 Lincoln School founded.
1923 Nicolet High School founded.
1960 Present West High School built.
1971 Westwood Elementary School built.
1971 Syble Hoppe School built.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
1870 St. Francis Grade School begun.
1882 St. Mary's Grade School begun.
1887 St. Joseph's Grade School begun.
1892 St. Boniface Grade School begun.
1898 St. Norbert College founded.
1958 Abbot Pennings High School moved into Nicolet High School building.
1962 New St. Joseph's School built.
1971 St. Mary's and St. Francis Xavier Schools consolidated; re-named Notre Dame School.
Contact the City
- Phone: (920) 339-4050
- Fax:
(920) 330-9491 - Staff Directory