By Press Times staff
ALLOUEZ – The Wisconsin Historical Society recently announced that the Sunset Circle Residential Historic District in the village of Allouez has been listed on the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places.
The district nomination was reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Review Board on Nov. 17 and the announcement was made on Dec. 13.
The Sunset Circle district is located between Riverside Drive and Sunset Park on the Fox River.
“The Sunset Circle Residential Historic District is important as a distinct concentration of houses that represent high-style interpretations of the Colonial Revival, Ranch, and Mansard styles that were popularized in the twentieth century. The district encompasses 16 houses constructed between 1940 and 1989. It is part of the Sunlight Park subdivision which opened in 1932,” a release from the Wisconsin Historical Society stated.
One of the most notable houses in the district is the Vincent and Marie Lombardi House, located at 667 Sunset Circle, which is already listed on the state register.
“The Lombardi House is individually significant as well for its association with Vince Lombardi, who served as head coach of the Green Bay Packers National Football League (NFL) team from 1959 to 1967. The Lombardi family commissioned the construction of their Sunset Circle residence and resided there throughout the coach’s years with the Packers,” the release added.
During his tenure as head coach, the Packers won five NFL championships, including Super Bowls I and II.
After his death, Lombardi was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Super Bowl trophy was named for him.
The Lombardi House was constructed in 1959 and is a one-story single-family ranch home.
“It is cross-gabled and irregular in plan with a side-facing attached garage and prominent front-facing gable on opposite ends of the house. The exterior is clad in red brick with wood siding in the gable ends. The eaves are narrow and only overhang along the principal (south) elevation. An internal brick chimney rises from the north slope of the living space roof. A square ornamental cupola has been removed from the garage roof since 2013. An at-grade, open-air porch is recessed into the center of the house and is accentuated by turned posts with shallow arched trim between,” the home’s state listing states.
The district application will also be reviewed by the National Parks Service in the hopes of joining 10 other existing national listings in Allouez, including the recently recognized Robinson Hill District.