History of Green Bay's Parks

Wildcat Place

When the West High School Class of 1999 learned that the lot at the corner of 12th and Shawano Avenues was to become park land and be given a name and a sign, they wrote to request that it be named Wildcat Place. The location of the school and this landscaped area providing the justification for giving the school's nickname to the space. The students also asked permission to place a plaque on the sign dedicating it. 1

Title to the property at the time was held by the Redevelopment Authority, which agreed to the transfer at the start of 2001. 2

This lot had housed small businesses – probably a grocery store originally and later, in the 1960s, a paint store. In the mid 1800s, this was the northeast corner of the Moritz property which extended from 12th to Yale. At that time, 12th Avenue was a path on which Mr. Moritz, a railroad blacksmith, walked to the Green Bay & Western rail yards. 3 (Wildcat Place is located between the east property line and the original driveway.) 4

Notes

1 Copy of letter from Kaitlin Swanson, Treasurer Senior Class, West High School, to Bill Landvatter, Director of Parks and Recreation, undated. PRF file, Wildcat Place.
2 Copy of minutes, Redevelopment Authority of the City of Green Bay, January 9, 2001. PRF file, Wildcat Place.
3 Personal recollections of Alton Cardinal, http://pivotrock.net/Cardinal/CardinalFamily.html, 1979; downloaded March 1, 2011.
4 Copy of plat map showing this parcel, number 3-990, and the rest of the block; undated. PRF file, Wildcat Place. The 16 ft. lane is recognizable on the plat from Shawano Avenue to Christiana Street.
Only annotated statements have been verified. Any other historical statements are unverified and based on personal knowledge or informal notes kept by the Green Bay Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department.
Last update: March, 2011
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