Seminary Woods is a historic woodland in St. Francis, Wisconsin, United States, on the grounds of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. 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 became part of the newly established seminary. The forest consists of and is located near Lake Michigan. It attracts attention from naturalists for the forest's beech-maple composition and wild flowers that bloom in the spring. A striking feature of the forest is the seminary's cemetery that lies hidden among the trees at the center.
In 1833, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi acquired the forest from members of the Indigenous Potawatomi tribe who were living in the area at the time. The woods would later become part of a seminary.
Two decades later, in 1855, the Saint Francis de Sales Seminary was built, and the forest owned by the Sisters became part of its property.
The forest has survived colonization and urbanization because its natural beauty led it to be used as a place for reflection by members of the seminary.
The forest obtained its distinct beech-maple forest from soil deposits made by glacial movement 11,000 years ago. Several 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 has a small stream that flows into nearby Lake Michigan. Wildflowers include trillium, white trout lily, yellow trout lily, bloodroot, the endangered blue stemmed goldenrod, and hepatica. Wildlife found in the area include great horned owls, white tailed deer, coyotes, and migratory birds.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has declared Seminary Woods an area in need of protection from invasive species because of its natural environment and historical significance.
Although the forest does contain invasive species, they are low in number.
The forest has the remains of previous structures, a grotto, and a cemetery that is the final resting place for individuals who were affiliated with the seminary.
The cemetery is located towards the middle of the forest. Multiple pathways within the forest lead to the cemetery. The cemetery contains burials of sisters of St. Francis, archbishops, and children from St. Aemilian's orphanage.
The 10-foot (3 m) grotto found in the forest near the cemetery honors Our Lady of Lourdes and was built in 1894 by Paul Dobberstein.