AshwaubenonSchools history

Cormier School has a long and rich history beginning in 1872 when Louis and Sophia Poquette donated the land for the first public school in Ashwaubenon. "East School" opened May 4, 1872.

Prior to the establishment of the department, fire services to the community were provided by a volunteer fire company organized in 1942 with 10 charter members and a 500 gallon pumper.

In 1955 the department found a permanent home on the corner of Cormier and Ashland Avenue with 18 members and an annual budget of $1,369.03 with just $5.25 spent on fuel and oil.

In February 1967 Ashwaubenon and Brown County entered into a contact for one year of protection.

The Ashwaubenon Historical Society began as a private non-profit organization in 1971.

In 1973 five Ashwaubenon citizens concerned for the lack of adequate emergency medical services decided to incorporate a unit that would service the Town of Ashwaubenon exclusively.

By 1974 the rescue squad was made up of 14 members.

On September 16, 1976, it became incorporated and was named the Ashwaubenon Historical Society, Inc.

In 1977, the Town of Ashwaubenon became the Village of Ashwaubenon.

In 1978 the Village of Ashwaubenon granted permission for six members of the Rescue Squad to attend paramedics training forming the first State of Wisconsin certified paramedics.

In 1979 the now "Village of Ashwaubenon", seeing similarities of both their fire and rescue departments voted to merge the two agencies into one Fire/Rescue Department.

On August 4, 1980 the first 24 hour tour of duty began for the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety.

Brown County Sheriff continued to provide support for Ashwaubenon under their contract until August of 1981 when the Public Safety Department could stand "On Our Own" complete with dispatch center, equipment, and 22 full time Public Safety Officers.

Also displayed were ten framed pictures of former Town Chairmen and Village Presidents, which had been presented by the Society to the Village in 1990.

In September of 1994, the Society presented, “Country School Memories,” a slide presentation of old school buildings in Wisconsin with folk music selections and memories of former Cormier School teachers.

Unfortunately the call for more room by the school district meant that the society needed to move out of the Cormier School building in 1995.

In 1997, in partnership with the Village, the Society organized and participated in a parade celebrating Ashwaubenon’s 125th anniversary.

During 1998 the Society sponsored a two-week wagon train journey during the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial celebration.

In 1999 it was decided to bring a proposal to the Village Board utilizing TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) funding from the Village to gain the money to refurbish some of the interior and add on a foyer way.

In 2000, the architect began to develop plans for the new Historical Society building, which included over 10,000 square feet of space.

A small four-wheel-drive compressed foam fire truck was purchased in 2001, which patrols before and after each Packer game.

The department was fortunate to have received a $531,000 federal COPS homeland security grant to fund three of these positions in 2003.