Today’s photo is an aerial shot of the new City Stadium on September 29, 1957 — as the Green Bay season ticketholders got their first look at the facility. The Packers did not play any preseason games in the stadium, as all those games that year were played in Miami, FL (vs. the Chicago Cardinals), Austin, TX (vs. the Cardinals again), in Milwaukee (vs. Philadelphia), Boston, MA (vs. the New York Giants), Winston-Salem, NC (vs. the Washington Redskins), and in Minneapolis, MN (vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers). It was common in those days to play NFL preseason games in cities around the country which did not have an NFL team — providing wider exposure for the league, but making it inconvenient for the participating teams.
At the time, the stadium was located “way out” on the city’s West side, whereas the old City Stadium was located on the East side, closer to downtown. In due time, the area around what would later become “Lambeau Field” would spawn businesses and subdivisions which would eventually surround it.
On this day, the Packers handed a victory to coach Lisle Blackbourn by beating the visiting Chicago Bears 21-17 before 32,132 fans in the season opener.
