Preble was a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Brown County, Wisconsin Brown County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 268,740, making it the fourth-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Green Bay ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

from 1859 to 1964. It ceased to exist as a jurisdiction in 1964, when by referendum it consolidated with the city of Green Bay. Monolith by Preble Park

Origin of town name

The town's name may originate from Commodore

Edward Preble Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – August 25, 1807) was an American naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the First Barbary War, leading attacks on Tripoli and forming the officer corps that would go on to command ...

, who served in the Tripolitan War of 1803. It is also possible that Peter Faenger, who migrated from Preble, Germany, named the town, or that Chauncey N. Aldrich named it after his birthplace of Preble, New York.

History

Peter Faenger and a group of German settlers first occupied the area in 1836. One of the first buildings erected by the early settlers was a church served by a priest from Green Bay. According to the few extant memoirs from the time, "the farm houses were made of hewn logs, chinked with mud, roofed with hand split shingles, floored with rough planks, and gathered in small groups, along the highway." In 1859, a petition "good and sufficient" was presented to the Brown County Board asking that a town be set off from the town of Green Bay, and that the town be called the Town of Preble. Thus, on the morning of July 13, 1859, the County Board ordered that the new town be established. The 1860 census indicates a population of 520 people in the town. 40% of the 113 families were of German descent; however, Preble also had immigrant Irish, Canadians, Hollanders, and Belgians. The first town elections occurred in 1859 at the house of Ed Rothe. Chauncey N. Aldrich was elected town chairman, a position he held for 26 years. On November 21, 1861, a post office was established, with Ed Rothe appointed postmaster. Because of the costs of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, the post office discontinued operations on August 1, 1864. The Preble School District was organized in 1866 with the building of Finger School. Town meetings were held in various homes until a town hall was built in 1895. Farming and dairy were the first occupations of the town, with industry coming later.

Consolidation with Green Bay

In the 1920s, the town began to experience problems resulting from increasing urbanization. It had to deal with sewage disposal, water quality, and schools for the growing number of children in the area. There was also friction with the neighboring City of Green Bay. Although many citizens felt a change in government was necessary, heated debate arose about what steps to take. The town had three possibilities: remain as a town and be annexed piece-by-piece by the City of Green Bay, incorporate as a village or city that would give Preble definite boundaries, or consolidate with the city. While few supported remaining as a town, two large groups formed in support of the other two options. One group argued that Preble was a logical part of the city and could benefit overall by consolidating with Green Bay, while the other group saw Preble as a self-sufficient community that could thrive on its own. Preble tried to incorporate as a city in the 1950s, but the Wisconsin Circuit Court and the State Planning Commission barred the town from doing so. Ultimately, on November 3, 1964, the consolidation with Green Bay was approved by referendum. At the time of consolidation, Preble's boundaries extended east of the East River, west of the towns of Humboldt and Eaton, north of Bellevue, and south of the town of Scott. Its population was 12,000, making it one of the largest towns in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. The consolidation of nearly doubled the City of Green Bay, allowing for the easterly development of the city.

Centennial celebration

The Town of Preble held its centennial celebration at Preble Park in September 1959. The two-day event included a community picnic, dance contests, and a parade that started at Danz School and ended at Preble Park. A large granite monument was erected to celebrate 100 years of growth.

Education

Green Bay Preble High School is a legacy of the former town.

Notes

External links

Preble
at the U.S.

Geographic Names Information System The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and location information about more than two million physical and cultural features, encompassing the United States and its territories; the Compact of Free Association, asso ...

{{authority control Geography of Brown County, Wisconsin Green Bay, Wisconsin Former populated places in Wisconsin 1859 establishments in Wisconsin Neighborhoods in Wisconsin