Seminary Woods (St. Francis)

Seminary Woods
Location	St. Francis, Wisconsin
Coordinates	42.9823° N, 87.8711° W
Created	1855
Operated by	Saint Francis de Sales Seminary
Website	http://www.mkeconservancy.org/seminary-woods.html

Seminary Woods is a historic woodland located in St. Francis, Wisconsin on the Saint Francis de Sales Seminary property near Bayview, WI. It is one of the last surviving beech-maple mesic forests in Wisconsin. The forest was founded in 1855 when the seminary moved to St. Francis from Milwaukee and the land that was originally purchased by the Lake Drive Franciscan Sisters was included in the newly established seminary location. The forest consists of 68 acres and is located near Lake Michigan.

The forest attracts attention from explorers and naturalists alike for the forests beech-maple composition and rare wild flowers that bloom in the spring. Another striking feature that adds to the forest is the seminary's cemetery that lies hidden among the trees.

History

Although the woods lie on seminary property, the forest was first owned by the Sisters of St.Francis Asissi in 1833. The land was acquired by the sisters from the Potawatomi Indians living in the area at the time. It was not until 1855 that the Saint Francis de Sales Seminary was built and the forest became part of the land. ^[1] The forest has survived urbanization and colonization because the natural beauty was used as a place for reflection by the members of the seminary.

Natural History

Seminary woods is considered a hidden gem by many residents who live near the forest and frequently visit it. The forest obtained its distinct beech-maple forest from soil deposits made by glacial movement 11,000 years ago. Several different species of wildflowers, wildlife and trees are spotted in the forest. Mature trees found in the forest include, basswood, sugar maple, beech, red oak and paper birch. The forest also showcases a small stream that drains into Lake Michigan. Wildflowers that are often spotted include, trillium, white trout lily, yellow trout lily, bloodroot, the endangered blue stemmed goldenrod and hepatica. Aside from wildflowers, different wildlife can be found in the area as well such as, Great horned owls, white tailed deer, coyotes and different migratory birds.^[2]

Trees
Common Name	Scientific Name
American Beech	Fagus grandifolia
American Basswood	Tilia americana
Sugar Maple	Acer saccharum
Red Oak	Quercus rubra
Paper Birch	Betula papyrifera

Fauna
Common Name	Scientific Name
Great Horned Owl	Bubo virginianus
White Tailed Deer	Odocoileus virginianus

Plants
Common name	Scientific Name
Tri flower	Trillium
White Trout Lily	Erythronium albidum
Yellow Trout Lily	Erythronium americanum
N/A	Hepatica
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria
Blue Stemmed Goldenrod	Solidago caesia

Invasive Species

The Seminary Woods has been declared as an area in need of protection by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from invasive species due to its scenic beauty and historical significance.^[3] Although the forest does contain invasive species, they are at a low frequency.

Invasive Species
Common name	Scientific name
Common Buckthorn	Rhamnus cathartica
Garlic Mustard	Alliaria petiolata
Bell's honeysuckle	Lonicera x bella

Seminary Features of the Forest

In the forest you will find, multiple remains of previous structures, a grotto and the cemetery that is a final resting place for individuals who were part of the seminary, the Sisters of Saint Francis, and St. Amelian's orphanage.

Seminary Cemetery

The cemetery is located towards the middle of the forest. Multiple pathways within the forest lead to the cemetery. The cemetery contains burials of multiple sisters of St.Francis and various individuals who were part of the Saint Francis de Sales Seminary.

More information on Seminary Cemetery Burials