Architectural Features
Over the years a number of architectural structures have been added to the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum to provide research, observational and resting accommodations for users. However, some features like the Chapel predate the construction of the arboretum. See below for a brief overview of each of these features.
Arboretum Chapel (Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua)
In 1925, Odile Le Mieux had a small chapel built near her home in some woods that later became part of the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum. Le Mieux’s descendents, the Jadin family, still maintains the chapel in the woods in cooperation with the maintenance crew at the university. It is favorite spot for family to visit during the summer months after Saturday evening Mass at Holy Cross.
Lenfestey Courtyard
The Lenfestey Family Courtyard in the center of Mary Ann Cofrin Hall was dedicated in June of 2002 and made possible by a generous gift from the Lenfestey Family Foundation. The courtyard includes a large water feature, vine covered arbors and tables and benches. Seven garden plots in the courtyard represent suites of ecologically related native plants and cultivars found in the Great Lakes Region. The Lenfestey Family Courtyard is popular with students and visitors looking for a quiet place to read, study, or to just view the gardens. It is also available for rental for weddings and other events.
Mahon Creek Water Monitoring Station
A permanent water monitoring station was installed in December of 2010 with the help of staff, students, and several generous donors. The data is used to help us manage water quality on the UW--Green Bay campus, in the bay of Green Bay and provides an important educational resource for students.
Peter Cofrin Overlook
The Cofrin Arboretum Overlook includes a deck and sitting area that provides views of the large open field to the south. This resting and viewing spot along a bark trail just uphill from Upahki Pond and south of the soccer field and Bay Settlement entrance drive. In 2008 the overlook was dedicated to the memory of Peter Cofrin, who, in the 1970s, took a leadership role in establishing the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum.