Hagemeister Park was a sandlot field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that became the first home of the Green Bay Packers when the team was founded in 1919. Named for the Hagemeister Brewery that owned the land along the East River, the park had no seating or fences in its earliest days, and fans simply stood along the sidelines or watched from parked cars while admission stayed free.
As the Packers’ popularity grew, so did the park. A wooden fence went up in 1920 so the team could finally charge admission, and bleachers were added that expanded capacity toward 3,600 by 1921. The city of Green Bay bought the property from the brewery’s realty arm in 1921, but the park’s days were already numbered as the franchise outgrew its humble birthplace.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Green Bay Packers
- Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Opened: 1919
- Demolished: 1923
- Capacity: About 3,600 (by 1921)
- Notable fact: Site of the Packers’ first-ever game, a 53-0 win on September 14, 1919
From Free Sandlot to Paid Admission
In its first season, Hagemeister Park had no amenities at all. The Packers played eight games there in 1919 without charging fans a dime, relying on local sponsorship from the Indian Packing Company to cover costs. That changed in 1920 when the team enclosed the field with a fence, allowing it to sell tickets for the first time as the Packers joined a growing circuit of independent pro football clubs.
Making Way for a High School
By 1922, the Packers had outgrown the park, and in 1923 construction began on Green Bay East High School on the same grounds, forcing the team out for good. The Packers spent two seasons at nearby Bellevue Park before settling into City Stadium in 1925. Today, a historical marker on Baird Street is the only visible reminder that the park once hosted the earliest games of an NFL franchise.
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Hagemeister Park FAQs
Why was it called Hagemeister Park?
The field was owned by the Hagemeister Brewery (later the Hagemeister Realty Company), which gave the park its name.
How long did the Packers play at Hagemeister Park?
The Packers used Hagemeister Park as their home field from 1919 through the 1922 season, before moving to Bellevue Park in 1923.
What happened to Hagemeister Park?
The park was demolished starting in 1923 to make way for the construction of Green Bay East High School.
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Photo: Gonzo fan2007 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.