Skip to main content

Manitowoc History

History

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus is located on the southeastern edge of Manitowoc surrounded by nature's beauty. The 40 acre campus is bound by Lake Michigan on the east and by Silver Creek Park, a 78 acre wooded park, on the south.

As one of thirteen freshman/sophomore campuses of the Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus offers the best of two worlds: students experience the small classes and personal attention of a private college at a low public university cost. Because UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus specializes in freshman/sophomore curriculum, transferring is at the heart of our mission; after completing general education classes, and/or earning an Associate's Degree, students can transfer in step to any other university or private college, or pursue a bachelor's degree through one of UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus' program

The Beginning

Since 1962, UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus has been a valuable resource for our area, serving not only the educational needs of students, but the needs of our community for continuing education, cultural events and expertise in areas ranging from anthropology to zoology.

The community is encouraged to participate in UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus Continuing Education Courses, youth programs, Art Exhibits, campus-community band, chorus and theater.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus is one of 26 campuses of the state-wide Universities of Wisconsin. It is owned by the county of Manitowoc and operated by the State of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin has had a presence in Manitowoc since 1933 when 26 students took a UW English course at the Vocational School on Clark Street. As the number of classes and students grew, overcrowding prompted the building of the UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus on 40 acres along the shore of Lake Michigan. When the doors opened on Viebahn Street in 1962, the new campus was home to 252 students.

In 1986 Hillside Hall (first named West Hall) was added to the campus, doubling its original size. Hillside Hall contains a lecture hall (originally a music rehearsal room), computer laboratory, classrooms, faculty offices, a geography/geology lab and a physical education facility.

In 2001, Lakeside hall was built, adding 22,000 square feet to the size of the campus. A new music rehearsal room, 350-seat theatre, cafeteria and commons area are some of the features of Lakeside Hall. Renovations to Hillside and Founders halls were made with improvements to distance education classrooms, administrative offices, the bookstore and the art gallery. A new lecture hall and computerized classroom were also part of the project.