Future Development of White Pillars
We are excited to announce that plans for expansion at our current site are in the final phase, and will include the preservation of the original 1838 structure. If you would like to make a donation to this campaign please click the button below:
DONOR LEVELS:
PILLARS $250,000 & up
CAPSTONES $150,000 - $249,999
ARCHES $100,000 - $149,999
HEARTHSTONE $50,000 - $99,999
BANNISTERS $25,000 - $49,999
CORNICES $10,000 - $24,999
FOUNDATIONS $2,500 - $9,999
BEDROCK $100 - $2,499
*Donation can be made as a one-time payment or as a pledge paid up to 3 years.
Thank you for your support!
PILLARS $250,000 & up
CAPSTONES $150,000 - $249,999
ARCHES $100,000 - $149,999
HEARTHSTONE $50,000 - $99,999
BANNISTERS $25,000 - $49,999
CORNICES $10,000 - $24,999
FOUNDATIONS $2,500 - $9,999
BEDROCK $100 - $2,499
*Donation can be made as a one-time payment or as a pledge paid up to 3 years.
Thank you for your support!
*The community is welcome to join us for our groundbreaking on
Wednesday, June 18th at 11:00am!
Wednesday, June 18th at 11:00am!
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Frequently Asked Questions:
What’s the building-within-a-building concept?
This plan was chosen to preserve the original White Pillars structure while giving us the modern necessities to serve our growing community. With our land constraints in the beautiful Broadway Historic District, an addition wasn’t feasible to accommodate our growth needs. Our team at C. Renier Architects, who have a heart dedicated to De Pere history, reimagined our lot to instead build vertically - providing the education and archival spaces needed, while preserving the history of this unique property from the outdoor elements.
Why is the preservation of White Pillars important?
The White Pillars building from 1838 consisted of the front third of the current structure, minus the beautiful bump-out windows on either side, its famous columns out front, the fireplace, and built-in cabinet cases. The additions came in waves following its relocation in 1867 from its original spot on the 100 block of North Broadway to serve the many businesses and tenants of 403 North Broadway over the years. Preservation work is costly, detail-intense, and time consuming - over many iterations, we elected this as the best way to ensure the preservation of the original structure.
What are the steps to moving and preserving a building?
The new development allows us to preserve the original portion, as well as some of the additions including: the windows, columns, and wood built-ins. The original structure will need remediation for lead paint, mold, and asbestos; the deteriorated materials will be replicated before being placed back into the new building’s display space. We’re very fortunate to also have the counsel of some of the area’s leading preservation and restoration experts helping us.
What will you do with all the space?
We currently have seven different storage locations for our archive materials due to lack of space at White Pillars. Our new archival storage room will be state-of-the-art at over 700 sq. ft. with 12ft ceilings, and expandable storage shelving. The main level will offer an open concept space that allows for more transformative and interactive display options. We will also offer an upper mezzanine that overlooks Voyageur Park and the Fox River that can accommodate small events.
The outside looks so ‘modern’... why?
Commercial building design has drastically changed in the past 100 years, providing gains in energy efficiency, ease of maintenance, lower maintenance costs, and more. The front of the new building is meant to showcase the original White Pillars structure, complete with evening up lighting. The glass will have special coating to ensure the artifacts on display are protected from direct sunlight.
This has been a long journey for the Historical Society - are you excited for groundbreaking?
Yes we are extremely excited for the groundbreaking! The Historical Society was officially organized in January 1970 and moved into 336 Main Avenue in September of that year. White Pillars was acquired in April 1973 and for the last 52 years we were always aware of needing to expand in the future. The first building campaign was introduced over a decade ago; it has seen many revisions, challenges of site constraints, and the Covid pandemic. Because of this, the plan has adapted and evolved. It has been a constant battle to find space for our collections, and we have run out of creative ways to accommodate these challenges.
This plan was chosen to preserve the original White Pillars structure while giving us the modern necessities to serve our growing community. With our land constraints in the beautiful Broadway Historic District, an addition wasn’t feasible to accommodate our growth needs. Our team at C. Renier Architects, who have a heart dedicated to De Pere history, reimagined our lot to instead build vertically - providing the education and archival spaces needed, while preserving the history of this unique property from the outdoor elements.
Why is the preservation of White Pillars important?
The White Pillars building from 1838 consisted of the front third of the current structure, minus the beautiful bump-out windows on either side, its famous columns out front, the fireplace, and built-in cabinet cases. The additions came in waves following its relocation in 1867 from its original spot on the 100 block of North Broadway to serve the many businesses and tenants of 403 North Broadway over the years. Preservation work is costly, detail-intense, and time consuming - over many iterations, we elected this as the best way to ensure the preservation of the original structure.
What are the steps to moving and preserving a building?
The new development allows us to preserve the original portion, as well as some of the additions including: the windows, columns, and wood built-ins. The original structure will need remediation for lead paint, mold, and asbestos; the deteriorated materials will be replicated before being placed back into the new building’s display space. We’re very fortunate to also have the counsel of some of the area’s leading preservation and restoration experts helping us.
What will you do with all the space?
We currently have seven different storage locations for our archive materials due to lack of space at White Pillars. Our new archival storage room will be state-of-the-art at over 700 sq. ft. with 12ft ceilings, and expandable storage shelving. The main level will offer an open concept space that allows for more transformative and interactive display options. We will also offer an upper mezzanine that overlooks Voyageur Park and the Fox River that can accommodate small events.
The outside looks so ‘modern’... why?
Commercial building design has drastically changed in the past 100 years, providing gains in energy efficiency, ease of maintenance, lower maintenance costs, and more. The front of the new building is meant to showcase the original White Pillars structure, complete with evening up lighting. The glass will have special coating to ensure the artifacts on display are protected from direct sunlight.
This has been a long journey for the Historical Society - are you excited for groundbreaking?
Yes we are extremely excited for the groundbreaking! The Historical Society was officially organized in January 1970 and moved into 336 Main Avenue in September of that year. White Pillars was acquired in April 1973 and for the last 52 years we were always aware of needing to expand in the future. The first building campaign was introduced over a decade ago; it has seen many revisions, challenges of site constraints, and the Covid pandemic. Because of this, the plan has adapted and evolved. It has been a constant battle to find space for our collections, and we have run out of creative ways to accommodate these challenges.