Plaster + Patina: Stories From Green Bay's Historic Homes

In this episode, we sit down with Chryssy Joski, owner of the historic Florentine Frisque House at 119 S. Jackson St. Built in the early 1890s, this home sits on the historic dividing line between Navarino and Astor and stands as the last known remaining Stick-Style house in Green Bay.Chryssy shares her love for the home. She speaks of admiring a nearby "replica" of her current house while driving past in her college years. It was the beginning of her dream to fix up a piece of history. She speaks on what it’s like living in a home filled with original craftsmanship—from a three-story hand-carved spiral staircase to a rare gasolier-electric chandelier. We also dive into the fascinating history of original owner Florentine Frisque and the generations of Green Bay families who have lived here.

In this episode of Plaster + Patina, we explore the historic Mitchell Joannes House:  a late 1800s home tied to one of Green Bay’s most influential business families.

Mitchell Joannes, born near Brussels, Belgium, became president of the Joannes Brothers Company, a wholesale grocery business that helped shape commerce across Wisconsin and northern Michigan and later evolved into what became part of Super Valu’s Green Bay division.

Joined by the current owner Al we discuss the craftsmanship of the house, what it takes to preserve a historic home, and the reality of living inside a piece of local history. This episode looks at what it means to pass a home like this on and why preserving places like it still matters.

The Neville Legacy: Power, Preservation, and a Story That Shaped Green Bay
In this episode of Plaster + Patina, we explore the Arthur C. Neville House and the lasting legacy of Arthur and Ella Neville: two figures whose impact on Green Bay extends far beyond their home.
Host Al is joined by co-host Skip and Karen from the Green Bay Art Colony to uncover the story behind the Nevilles’ role in civic leadership, historical preservation, and the founding of what would become the Neville Public Museum.
This conversation goes beyond architecture, diving into the power of community, the importance of art and storytelling, and what it means to preserve history for future generations.
At its core, this episode is about how one family’s vision helped shape the identity of Green Bay and why that legacy still matters today.

This week, Plaster + Patina flips the script.

Host Al steps into the guest seat to share the story of his own home and the remarkable coincidences and love stories tied to it. From a shared last name across past and present residents, to love in the time of war, handwritten letters from decades past, and a binder filled with treasured keepsakes, this Valentine’s episode takes listeners on location to 403 and 405 Lawe Street.

Guest host Maddy interviews Al about falling in love with a home, honoring the lives that shaped it, and what it means to cherish a place rooted in community and connection.

How Astor Neighborhood Historic District came to be, the second part of a two part interview with founding director Jim Gucwa.

In our season finale of Plaster + Patina, host Al sits down with longtime neighborhood steward Jim Gucwa, whose family has called the Astor area home for six decades. Together they explore the heart of what makes a place worth saving, from river memories and landmark stories like the community’s reflections on the Edmund Fitzgerald, to the everyday details that make Astor unique.

Jim shares how he and others worked with neighbors, the city, and the Brown County Library to gather the layers of neighborhood memory and turn them into a living record. They dig into how the Astor Historic District came to be, why preserving shared histories matters for future generations, and what it takes to protect architecture, stories, and community identity.

Tune in as we reflect on the power of place and what it means to build a historic district in the Season 1 finale of Plaster + Patina.

This episode takes us to a single home in Green Bay — 840 South Madison Street — and unravels how its walls reflect more than a century of community life. We begin in the 1890s, when the house was a gathering spot for society receptions and trace its transformation through maps, architecture, and the social customs of the day.

By the 1940s, the Minahan family brought new life to the property and a backyard pool. We’ll explore how postwar leisure shifted from the front porch to the backyard, reshaping how families connected.

From Victorian parlors to splash parties and gator sightings, to modern preservation within the Astor Historic District, this house tells the story of Green Bay itself — evolving with each era, yet always holding its place in the community.

In this special Halloween edition of Plaster + Patina, we lean into Green Bay’s spookier side. We sit down with Heather, founder of Windigo Paranormal, to talk about Haunted Astor. From the waters that shape our city’s energy, to first-hand stories from Hazlewood, one of Astor's Historic Neighborhood Landmarks, we take a deeper dive into some relished and little known stories.

Of course, no Halloween episode would be complete without some personal ghost stories — from doorbells that ring on their own to spectral figures in old houses. Join us for an episode that blends history, folklore, and a touch of the supernatural, all while celebrating the ways our city’s past still lingers in its walls.

Who new Green Bay once aspired to be a natural spring tourist mecca? Or that Monroe Street residents complained about speeders-before there were cars? We dig deep to bring you the little known fabulous story of Salvatore Springs.

Step inside 409 Lawe Street, a home built in 1911 and rich with local legacy. In this episode, we’re joined by author Lynda Drews whose nonfiction book The Maid and the Socialite features a real-life woman for whom this house was built. Together, we explore the personal histories, architecture, and deep community connections that make this home a living piece of Green Bay’s past. From historic truths to hidden stories, this episode brings the past vividly into the present.