St. Norbert College and The Packers
Packers Heritage Trail
St. Norbert College became the training camp of the Packers in 1958 in an agreement that would become the longest such partnership in NFL history. Father Dennis M. Burke, then president of the college, suggested the arrangement to the team that year and solidified the relationship by forming a close bond with coaching legend Vince Lombardi.
Lombardi was hired by the Packers in 1959, and it was here during the summer months that he molded his great teams of the 1960s.
Renowned for his temper and hard-line coaching style, Lombardi struck fear in his players as he crossed paths with them on campus and lectured to them in meetings. But he displayed a much softer side in the company of the Norbertine fathers, who lived and worked on campus and had daily contact with him.
The Packers stayed in Sensenbrenner Hall during Lombardi's nine seasons. Sensenbrenner was where Lombardi hosted his famous 5 o'clock social hour and where he attended Mass daily. Scenes for the award-winning documentary Run to Daylight, which featured Lombardi, were filmed here in 1964. The Packers later moved to Victor McCormick Hall, providing an even quicker walk to the feasts prepared by St. Norbert chefs.
St. Norbert is a private liberal arts college founded in 1898 by the Norbertine Order.
Sponsored by:
K.C. and Georgia Stock
Marker is on 505 3rd Street north of Marsh Street, on the right.
Courtesy hmdb.org
