Overview

French explorer Jean Nicolet landed near Green Bay in 1634, claimed the area for France, and named it La Baye. Less than 20 years later, the French had established a trading post on the southernmost end of the bay, and it flourished despite regional conflicts and the War of 1812. The community prospered as western expansion brought in railroads, and in the mid- to late-19th century, processing and packing industries began springing up. In fact, the gridiron Packers got their name when a meatpacking company helped start the team in 1919. To be sure, football is Green Bay's hottest tourism commodity and the biggest deal in a town that, with just over 100,000 people, represents the smallest television market in the NFL. Every game at Lambeau Field (1957) has been sold out since 1960 � an unprecedented feat in the sporting world � because fans from all over have clamored to see the likes of Brett Favre and Vince Lombardi tread the legendary "frozen tundra." Many of the bigger attractions around town are also football-related, including the Packer Hall of Fame, Lambeau Field tours, and Lombardi Drive itself. Of course, Green Bay offers much more. Additional sights include the Oneida Nation Museum just east of downtown, where visitors can learn about the People of the Standing Stone and how they were forced out of their native New York; the National Railroad Museum, which features old diesel and steam locomotives; and Heritage Hill State Park, a 40-acre living history museum illustrating Wisconsin life in the 18th century. The town also offers a number of cultural pursuits, with performances by the Green Bay Symphony and theater productions at the Weidner Center.

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