Birthplace Of The Packers
Packers Heritage Trail
The Green Bay Packers were organized on Aug. 11, 1919, in the old Green Bay Press-Gazette building that stood here at 315 Cherry Street. The meeting took place in the editorial department on the second floor.
Two days later, the paper briefly mentioned the meeting in a story headlined: "Indian Packing Plant Squad To Represent City." It was noted that the packing company would supply uniforms, and the team would play its games at Hagemeister Park. On Aug. 14, a second meeting was held here and Curly Lambeau was elected captain. The next days Press-Gazette referred to the team as the "Packers" for the first time.
Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun called the initial meeting. Lambeau, a former football star at Green Bay East High School, was 21 years old and working at the packing plant. Calhoun was 28 and a member of the paper's editorial staff.
The building in which the Packers were organized opened in 1871 as Crikelair's Opera House. When it was razed in 1948, it was owned by the YWCA and last occupied by Jones Signs. Along with being home to at least three different newspapers over its lifetime, it also served as a cigar factory, an ice cream parlor, a laundry and a flophouse.
The Press-Gazette was founded June 29, 1915.
Sponsored by:
Associated Bank
"The First Bank of the Packers"
Photo: Courtesy of Neville Public Museum of Brown County
Marker is on Cherry Street, on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
