(This story has been updated to add new information.)
The United States of America turns 250 years old this year, and celebrations are planned all around the country.
We’ve assembled a guide for our readers to learn more about Green Bay-area events, as well as some stories from Green Bay, Wisconsin and around the country.
Want to learn more about America’s 250th birthday?
What makes celebrating in Green Bay uniquely American?
Green Bay is well-known for being the smallest market in professional sports as it’s home to the Packers.
Beyond the Packers, though, Green Bay is well-known for its role in the papermaking industry. Most notably, Green Bay is known as the Toilet Paper Capital of the World. Northern Paper Mills, founded in 1901 in Green Bay, produced the first splinter-free TP in 1935, an invention we are all thankful for.
Green Bay is also known for having a long history. It was the first city in Wisconsin, incorporated in 1854. It was also the site of the first European settlement, when in 1634 White explorers settled on land already inhabited by Menominee, Ho-Chunk and other Indigenous people.
French explorer Jean Nicolet made contact with the Ho Chunk tribe at Red Banks, in what is now the Town of Scott. Nicolet soon was followed by a handful of French-Canadian fur traders, who called the area La Baye.
The Green Bay city flag from the 1970s illustrates the top industries in the Green Bay: paper, milk, cheese, shipping and the Packers.
Where to celebrate
Here is a list of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation on July 4, leading off the festival and fireworks in downtown Green Bay.
Other events scheduled for before and after the Fourth of July include:
(If you USA 250 event is not on our list, send it to metro@greenbaypressgazette.com. Put “USA 250” in the subject line.)
What do you call a 250th anniversary?
Here are some options that we found:
Read more about how Wisconsin influenced the nation
If you’re looking to get outside, here are destinations you can go see:
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Your complete guide to America’s 250th birthday in Green Bay area
Reporting by Peter Frank, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Peter Frank, Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
