St. Norbert College Historic District 

Date of Construction: 1890-1963.

Architectural Style: Various styles, see below.

The history of St. Norbert College begins with the High Victorian Gothic Revival-style St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (1890) closed and stood empty in 1898 when Father Bernard Pennings and the Norbertine Order assumed ownership to educate future priests. As plans evolved, the institution would also offer higher education to the public; albeit, to male students only. Green Bay architect William E. Reynolds designed the Richardsonian Romanesque-style Main Hall (1903), the Neo-classical Francis H. Boyle Hall (1917), a heating plant (1917), St Joseph Priory (1925; 1963 addition), and the Tudor Revival-style I. F. Van Dyke Gymnasium (1930). Also contributing to the significance of the district is the Neo-classical Dennis M. Burke Hall (1942) designed by the firm of Feldhausen & Coughlan and the Contemporary style Frank J. Sensenbrenner Hall (1956) and Victor McCormick Hall (1963), both designed by architects Berners, Schober & Kilp. Pennings was appointed to the position of Abbot in 1925 and led St. Norbert College for fifty-seven years until retiring in 1955.

While most buildings continue to serve their original purpose, the Van Dyke gym and observatory was modified with additions in 2000 and repurposed into the Ray Van Den Heuvel Family Campus Center.

The St. Norbert College campus grounds are open to the public, however, before entering any buildings please obtain permission from college administration.

College enrollment was opened to women in 1952.

Located outside of the district boundary and at the north end of the campus is the individually National Register-listed (former) Nicolet High School. Built in 1923 in the Neoclassical style, it now serves the college as the Pennings Activity Center. Look closely and you can see education related plaques on the facades.