Greek Revival mansion where Morgan L. Martin's children died, now site of documented cold spots and paranormal walks
1008 S. Monroe Ave., Green Bay, WI 54301
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Admission fees apply for guided tours; check Brown County Historical Society for current pricing
Access
Limited Access
1837 Greek Revival mansion with original interior stairways and period rooms; uneven historic floors
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1837 · Wisconsin Territorial History · National Register of Historic Places (1970) · Morgan L. Martin — Wisconsin Constitutional Convention delegate and first Green Bay mayor
Morgan L. Martin broke ground on Hazelwood in 1837, during Wisconsin's territorial period, when Green Bay was still a fur-trading outpost transitioning into a settled American town. Martin was among the most consequential figures in early Wisconsin: he served in the territorial legislature, helped draft the Wisconsin Constitution, served as Green Bay's first mayor, and was later appointed a federal district court judge. The mansion he built — a formal Greek Revival structure on Monroe Avenue — reflected his ambitions and his connections to the eastern legal and political establishment.
The Martin family suffered significant loss within those walls. Two of Morgan's children died at Hazelwood as toddlers, their brief lives marked by the high infant mortality rates of mid-19th-century America. More dramatically, Morgan's eldest son Stephen Leonard Martin survived the Civil War but never recovered from the experience. He died in an asylum, a fate that cast a long shadow over the family's public legacy.
The Brown County Historical Society now operates Hazelwood as a house museum, maintaining the original period rooms and furnishings. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The society offers guided tours year-round and, seasonally, paranormal history walks that focus on the building's documented activity and the Martin family's tragedies.
Sources
The paranormal reputation at Hazelwood centers on the top of the main staircase, where investigators and casual visitors alike have documented persistent cold spots that appear regardless of season or ambient temperature. WBAY television filmed a detailed investigation at the property; the segment documented the staircase phenomena and included a psychic medium reading that identified a child presence — consistent with the two Martin toddlers who died in the house.
Local paranormal researcher Meghan Hock, who surveyed Green Bay's active sites for a 2020 article in Green Bay Magazine, rated Hazelwood tied for first on her list of most active locations in the city. Her assessment drew on field investigation and comparison across multiple properties.
The Brown County Historical Society acknowledges the paranormal history in its programming and offers seasonal evening walks through the mansion. The combination of confirmed child deaths, a family member who died institutionalized, and a century-plus of occupation give investigators a layered history to work with.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Seasonal evening paranormal walks through Hazelwood's period rooms, led by Brown County Historical Society guides. Visitors explore the rooms where Martin family members died and the staircase where cold spots are most frequently reported.
Guided tours of the 1837 Greek Revival mansion, covering the Martin family history, period furnishings, and the NRHP-listed architecture.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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