Green Bay in Brown County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Hazelwood
Hazelwood was the home...
— Fox River Trail —
of the Morgan L. Martin family for 100 years (1837-1937). Martin was a prominent Green Bay attorney, civic leader, Indian agent and entrepreneur, originally from upstate New York, who helped lay the foundation for Wisconsin's statehood. In 1848, Martin was elected president of the state convention, which drafted Wisconsin's constitution. President Polk signed the Act of Admission on May 29, 1848, making Wisconsin the 30th state to enter the union.
Martin risked his considerable fortune in an ill-fated attempt to construct a system of locks on the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers in the 1850s that would make it possible for ships to navigate from the Fox through the Wisconsin to the Mississippi. This project eventually became a reality in the 1870s, but not before the railroad arrived in Green Bay, making the necessity of the water route less urgent. Martin lost nearly his entire investment in the project.
Deborah Beaumont Martin was the youngest child of Morgan and his wife Elizabeth. She was the head librarian of the Kellogg Public Library for 30 years. With her sister Sarah Greene Martin and Ella Hoes Neville, Deborah authored Historic Green Bay, one of the first written accounts of the settlement of the area formerly called "La Baye Verte" (The Green Bay).
Deborah Martin was a civic leader and an ardent preservationist. When she died in 1931 the entire community mourned.
Caption for photo at far lower left on marker: Morgan L. Martin
Caption for photo at near lower left on marker: Sarah and Deborah Martin at Hazelwood
Caption for photo at right on marker: Hazelwood Exterior
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #11 James K. Polk series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 29, 1848.
Location. 44° 30.049′ N, 88° 1.235′ W. Marker is in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in Brown County. Marker can be reached from South Monroe Avenue (State Highway 57) 0.1 miles north of Emilie Street, on the left when traveling north. The marker is on the Fox River side of the house, which is home to the Brown County Historical Society, near the river. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1008 South Monroe Avenue, Green Bay WI 54301, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Port of Green Bay's Economic Impact (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Hazelwood
(within shouting distance of this marker); The Little House with a Big History (within shouting distance of this marker); First Catholic Church In Green Bay (approx. half a mile away); La Baye Burial Place (approx. half a mile away); Bank Of Wisconsin (approx. 0.6 miles away); Elks Club (approx. 0.7 miles away); Milwaukee Road Passenger Depot (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Green Bay.
More about this marker. The marker is part of the Fox River Trail, Pathway of Progress, and is supported by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Grant # NA06NOS4190183; Brown County Facility and Park Management; Amerhart; and Leadership Green Bay.
Also see . . .
1. Portrait of Morgan L. Martin. From the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Submitted on October 26, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
2. Fox River Trail. (Submitted on June 27, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 24, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 968 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 24, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 5. submitted on October 25, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 6. submitted on June 10, 2011, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 7. submitted on June 26, 2011, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.