The Novitiate Alexian Brothers is a noble house located in Gresham, Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. Originally built in 1939 as a residence, it will be transformed into a novitiate for the Alexian Brothers order in 1950 after being donated to them. The building ceased to be used as a novitiate after 1968, after the Second Vatican Council and reforms from there. Since then it has been largely emptied and partially destroyed, leaving very little standing. The building is famous for being seized by the Menominee Warrior Society, part of the American Indian Movement, in 1975, with the claim that it would be submitted to nearby Menominee Indian Reserves. Despite its success, it was eventually returned to Gresham, where it would be greatly forgotten.
Video Alexian Brothers' Novitiate
Sejarah awal
The Novitiate was originally home to a New York widow and a disabled child in 1939. This structure was built with the intention that it was eventually donated to the Brothers, as her late husband had established a strong relationship with them in his youth in Chicago.
In 1948, the building was handed over to the Brothers, with the final acquisition that took place in 1950 and in 1951 would begin to receive beginners. This area covers about 232 acres. The building was expanded in 1954, to include a new monastery. More land was also purchased in 1955, to provide fields for feeding the students.
After the reform of the Second Vatican Council, the Brothers finally decided to move their operations to Chicago, putting the building noviciate for sale in 1969, with the last brothers moving out in 1972, with only a guard living behind. The attempt to sell the property was suspended for several years, until 1974, when the property was offered to a group of Indians from Green Bay for an unknown "nominal cost" with the intention of turning it into an alcohol rehab center. However, the seizure of Novitiate in 1975 put an end to this potential deal.
Maps Alexian Brothers' Novitiate
Novitiate Confiscation
On January 1, 1975, a group of armed Menominee Indians, called the Menominee Warrior Society, confiscated property and took care of his nanny and hostage. They demanded that Novitiate and property be submitted to Menominee Reservations, using a claim from the agreement that allows them to take unused land. The National Guard moved into the area and sealed it behind several checkpoints. Tension mounted because shots were sometimes exchanged and negotiations largely ceased. Negotiations did not happen everywhere in January, because the Brothers refused to hand over the deed except for a reasonable price and the Menominee Warrior Society demanded it be handed over for free, because they felt it was theirs. Complicatingly, some people in Menominee, Gresham and nearby towns of Shawano sympathize with United and others do not want the National Guard to be there. Vigilante activity is also common, making security a difficult task.
On February 2, 1975, the impasse ended in agreement between the Brother and the Society. Afraid that the incident would end like a similar situation in Kent State and Attica Prison, the Brothers instead chose to sell the property to Menominee Reservations for one dollar. The deadlock was over and 39 members of the Menominee Warrior were arrested.
Recent history
Since the deadlock, Novitiate has struggled to find a destination in the area. Menominee Reservations can not keep the building and submit their claims to the property within a few months. In October 1975, a fire damaged the building. In November, the Brothers converted the area into the Crossroads Academy, based in Milwaukee. The land was divided, with 56 acres given to Richmond City, to be converted into a park. Since then, the area has changed hands many times, although no substantive improvements have occurred.
Documentaries and Books
In 2001, former Alexian Brother novelist J. Patrick Rick made a short documentary called The Novitiate on property and a 1975 takeover, followed by a book called The Abbey & amp; Me in 2011.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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