WISCONSIN - When tracing the history of the Badger State, the timeline begins at the southern tip of the bay for which the city is named. Green Bay, established as a permanent settlement in 1765 (with European contact as early as 1634), holds the undisputed title of the oldest city in Wisconsin.
The Founding: 1634 & 1765
Green Bay’s history is split between its initial discovery and its permanent settlement, both driven by the French fur trade.
- Jean Nicolet (1634): The French explorer Jean Nicolet landed at Red Banks (northeast of the modern city) in 1634. Legend says he believed he was on the verge of finding a route to China, so he stepped ashore wearing elaborate Chinese damask robes and firing pistols to impress the "mandarins" he expected to meet.
- Charles de Langlade (1765): While traders passed through for a century, true permanent settlement began with Charles de Langlade. Often called the "Father of Wisconsin," he moved his family from Mackinac to Green Bay around 1765, establishing the first permanent European community. The French called the spot La Baie des Puants ("Bay of Stinking Waters," a misinterpretation of the indigenous name) before later renaming it La Baie Verte.
Indigenous Roots
Long before Nicolet arrived in his robes, the region was the stronghold of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) people. The name "Puants" was a French corruption of the Algonquian word for the Ho-Chunk, meaning "People of the Big Voice" or "People of the Great Water." The Ho-Chunk controlled the vital waterways connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. The Menominee people also have deep ancestral roots in the area, utilizing the bay's rich wild rice beds (manoomin) which gave them their name.
A Technical Distinction: The Rivalry with Prairie du Chien
While Green Bay is the oldest settlement, it has a historic rival on the other side of the state: Prairie du Chien.
- The Great River Hub: Located at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers, Prairie du Chien was a gathering place for tribes for millennia and visited by explorers Marquette and Joliet in 1673.
- The Verdict: Permanent French-Canadian settlers (like Michel Brisbois) began building homes in Prairie du Chien around 1781. While this makes it the second-oldest community in the state, Green Bay (1765) holds the seniority by about 15 years.
Settlement vs. Incorporation
Despite being the oldest settlement, Green Bay was not the first to legally incorporate as a city.
- Milwaukee (1846): The massive influx of German immigrants in the 1840s caused Milwaukee to explode in population. It was officially incorporated as a city on January 31, 1846.
- Green Bay (1854): Green Bay operated as a borough for years and did not officially incorporate as a city until 1854. Thus, Milwaukee is the oldest "city" in terms of legal charter, but Green Bay is the oldest community.
Green Bay is the oldest city in Wisconsin, founded as a permanent settlement by Charles de Langlade in 1765, though French contact began with Jean Nicolet in 1634. It served as the primary gateway for the fur trade in the region. The Ho-Chunk and Menominee nations inhabited the bay for centuries prior. While Prairie du Chien (1781) is a close second in age, and Milwaukee (1846) was the first to legally incorporate, Green Bay remains the state's historical patriarch.
Sources
- Wisconsin Historical Society. "Green Bay: Wisconsin's Oldest City."
- City of Green Bay. "History of Green Bay."
- Encyclopedia of Milwaukee. "Incorporation."
- Wisconsin Department of Tourism. "Heritage Falls: Prairie du Chien."
- The Ho-Chunk Nation. "Heritage and History."