Church inspires Kadow

BLUEPRINT Building: First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Green Bay Completed: 1956 Builder: The Foeller Co., Green Bay Architect: Foeller, Schober, Berners, Safford and Jahn, Green Bay Biggest Fan: Michael Kadow, Somerville Architects/Engineers, Green Bay

There’s a story behind the construction of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Green Bay.

Back in the 1950s, Otto Kaap, a German immigrant who founded one of the most famous candy stores in Green Bay, essentially decided to invest his entire fortune into the construction of the church. He spared no expense, commissioning a 47-bell carillon from the Petit and Fritsen Bell Foundry of Holland and hiring a European master stone carver to work on site for months.

Kaap brought in Italian marble for the altar, imported European stained glass for the windows and gave his fellow German immigrants a new home to celebrate their Protestant beliefs.

He poured his heart and money into the church, and that, along with the design and religious inspiration of the structure, makes it Michael Kadow's favorite building in Wisconsin.

"The building is a priceless treasure," said Kadow, an architect and senior vice president for Somerville Architects/ Engineers in Green Bay. "When you walk in, you immediately become aware that this is something we'll never see again."

Photo by Michael Kadow

At least not if modern church architecture follows its current path, he said. Churches today shy away from the grandeur of the old European cathedrals, Kadow said, and that often leaves observers wondering if they're even looking at a place of worship.

"I think from an architectural standpoint, what we see today is newer churches almost look like community centers," he said. "There is no visual effect, other than maybe a spire, to tell passersby that this is a place of worship. It's almost disposable architecture."

But the commitment to the design of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church was anything but disposable.

"It has several important architectural features," Kadow said. "It's all ashlar stone, and it has one of the largest carillons in the Midwest. The largest bell weighs 2,200 pounds, and they're all engraved with the names of Otto's ancestors. It's unbelievable. The bells are virtually irreplaceable. You couldn't put a price on them.

"This building is not a well-known architectural piece in the state. It's a little unknown treasure right here in Green Bay."

- Chris Thompson