Posted in Wisconsin April 29, 2020 by

A Charming Chapel Hiding In The Woods, The Shrine Of St. Anthony Of Padua Is One Of Wisconsin’s Best Kept Secrets

If you were ever to compile a list of Wisconsin’s most enchanted chapels, Chapel Ridge Heights Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua would definitely be on it. Tucked away in the woods and as charming as they come, the chapel is like something straight from a fairy tale. Read on to learn more about this little church, which may very well be one of Wisconsin’s best-kept secrets.

Chapel Ridge Heights Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua may look like something from a dream, but it actually exists — and you’ll find it at the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum, which is on the University of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus.
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Today, the chapel is open to the public; however, it wasn’t always that way.
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When built in 1925, it served as the Le Mieux family’s private chapel. It was Odile Le Mieux, the family matriarch, who commissioned the construction of the chapel in the woods near her home. Odile had the chapel built for her son, Father Ed Le Mieux, so he would have a proper place to pray and say mass when visiting her.
Joseph Le Mieux, Odile’s husband, and his brother-in-law, Fabian LaPlant, worked together to build the chapel during the summer of 1925.
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Though neither of the men had ever constructed a chapel before, they were completely qualified to do so.
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Joseph Le Mieux worked as a stonemason, building lighthouses on the Great Lakes. A carpenter by trade, Fabian LaPlant designed and built most of the chapel’s interior, including the altar, kneelers, pedestals, and table.
Even though the chapel is surrounded by woods, it’s pretty easy to access since there’s a trail leading straight to it.
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In addition to Chapel Ridge Heights Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua, the trail features ponds, greenery, wildlife, bridges, and more.

Check out the video below for detailed directions to the chapel.

For more information, visit the University of Wisconsin Green Bay website. You can also call the University Advancement Office (920) 465-2074.

This isn’t the only historic chapel with a campus locale. Click here to read about another.

Address: 2420 Nicolet Dr, Green Bay, WI 54311, USA

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