MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – A large patch of asphalt in downtown Manitowoc will soon be transformed into a vibrant new public green space thanks to a state grant and a shared vision between the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the City of Manitowoc.
The two partners were awarded a $40,000 Vibrant Spaces Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to create the Captain Carus Maritime Garden, a 20,000-square-foot outdoor exhibit space and perennial garden at the southwest corner of Franklin and 12th Street.
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The site once housed the home of Captain Edward Carus, a Great Lakes ship captain for the Goddard Shipping Company.
Born in Manitowoc shortly after the Civil War, Carus lived and died on the same property in 1947.
He was also a maritime photographer and chronicler, with more than 3,000 of his images preserved in the museum’s collection.
“This grant allows us to break ground on this park for Captain Carus,” said Kevin Cullen, executive director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. “He was a Great Lakes ship captain, born here in the 1860s and he lived and died on the property in 1947.”
The garden will feature maritime artifacts, native landscaping, seating areas, an outdoor classroom and improved accessibility. It will also include updated signage, lighting and building enhancements in the surrounding area.
Cullen says the museum plans to excavate the site and hopes to uncover part of the historic foundation of Carus’ former home as part of a public archaeology component.
The Captain Carus Maritime Garden will be located adjacent to the museum’s collection storage facility, which is also undergoing renovation and will be reintroduced as the Wisconsin Maritime Heritage Center.
The future center aims to provide more public access to thousands of artifacts currently stored behind the scenes.
“This is the first step in a public access space for seeing what other things happen behind the scenes in the museum,” Cullen said. “We want this to be a multi-use event space for programming and a place for respite in an otherwise concrete jungle.”
The City of Manitowoc sees the project as part of a broader revitalization effort for the Franklin Street corridor, with the garden expected to boost foot traffic and community engagement in the downtown area.
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Additional funding for the garden comes from the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West Foundation and the Fund for Lake Michigan. Community fundraising and volunteer efforts will also support the project through its construction phase.
Groundbreaking is expected later this summer, with the garden opening to the public in 2026.
