The Story of the Town of Scott
The Town of Scott traces its roots back to 1634, when Jean Nicolet, a French explorer, landed at what is now Red Banks. Nicolet was the first European to explore the Great Lakes region west of Quebec, venturing here to expand the fur trade, spread Christianity among Native Americans, and seek a route to the Far East.
For decades, fur trading remained the primary European activity in the region. In 1670, Father Claude Allouez founded the St. Francis Xavier Mission. Just a year later, due to unrest, he relocated the mission to De Pere.
Between 1763 and 1816, the area was under British control until the arrival of the first American explorers in 1816. By the 1830s, permanent settlements began to take root in what is now known as Bay Settlement, led by pioneers such as John Campbell and Robert Gibson.
Soon after, Bavarian immigrants settled in New Franken, forming a close-knit farming community. Many of their family names—Gibson, Jacobs, Schauer, Burkart, Lang, Sohler, Schoerger, Schott, Schmitt, Van Lanen, and VanLieshout—remain part of the local landscape today. In 1853, Belgian farmers, fleeing political and religious strife, also arrived and settled in the area.
Originally a part of the Town of Green Bay, the Town of Scott was officially established in November 1859, when the Brown County Board of Supervisors divided the township. The name "Scott" was suggested by Robert Gibson in honor of his Scottish heritage. The first town officials were elected on April 1, 1860, marking the beginning of Scott as its own township.
