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Category: History

Door County is rich in history, from its most prominent founding citizens to the business leaders who embraced tourism to make it the destination it is today. It’s a history of orchards, farming, and fishermen, but also of potters, artists, and writers. But more than anything, it’s a history told in the lives of the remarkable people who’ve called it home for a spell or a lifetime. Door County Pulse tells them all.

  • Jacksonport Historical Society Honors War Veterans, Lifelong Friends

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    Fred Erskine and Charles Butler, both born in Jacksonport in 1890, became lifelong friends. That friendship included participation on teams as young adults and frequent visits of their children in later life. Both went to Europe to fight in the Great War. The Jacksonport Historical Society (JHS) will honor these two men June 27, 7 […]

  • Egg Harbor and Jacksonport Historical Societies Share Local History

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    The Egg Harbor Historical Society will start its summer series of free programs June 17, 3 pm, at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. The society’s Giz Herbst will present the programs each Monday through Aug. 19. The June 17 program, “Early Settlements Along Door County’s Shoreline: Before the 1900s,” will explore 36 settlements. The […]

  • News from This Week’s Past: Two Drown, Sturgeon Bay’s Most Popular Man

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor June 12, 1874 The contract for the work on the county line road, between door and Kewaunee Counties has been let to Swarty & Roberts, of […]

  • Ephraim Historical Foundation Celebrates 70 Years

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    This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Ephraim Historical Foundation (EHF). First organized to preserve Ephraim’s Pioneer Schoolhouse, EHF now includes five additional historical buildings, extensive archives and collections, and an active membership. The anniversary season will begin June 14 with free walking tours on Ephraim Heritage Day – at 10:30 am from the […]

  • Baileys Harbor Women’s Club Reaches 100

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    The Baileys Harbor Historical Society (baileysharborhistoricalsociety.org) will present “The Baileys Harbor Women’s Club: A Century of Contribution” on June 19, 7 pm, at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall. Refreshments will be served. Kriss Schorer, granddaughter of one of the club’s founders, will share history, anecdotes and artifacts of the Baileys Harbor Women’s Club, which began […]

  • News from This Week’s Past: Man Killed by Lightning, Late Snow Storm

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor June 5, 1874 AUGUSTE PIETTE of Brussels was killed by lightning during the thunder shower last Thursday afternoon. The electrical current, deprived him of his young […]

  • Spring Lighthouse Festival

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    Baileys Harbor Range Lights’ 150th Anniversary The Ridges Sanctuary will celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights on June 7, 3-6 pm, with a range of tours, tales, tunes and a tent full of treats. Festivities kick off at 3 pm with live music by Last Man Standing and hors d’oeuvres by Thyme […]

  • News from This Week’s Past: End of Saw Mill Business, Soldier Boys Return Home

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor May 29, 1874 Our boys beat the Modocs at Ahnapee last Saturday in the match game at base-ball pretty badly. The Peninsulars scored 136 to the […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 20-25

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor May 22, 1874 LIQUOR SUIT The first case under the new liquor law came off last Saturday. H. Hahn was arrested and tried for selling Beer […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 17

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    News from this week’s past. All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. Expositor Independent May 18, 1877 About half past 2 o’clock yesterday morning the little schooner Eva, laying on the west shore, belonging to […]

  • Brown County History Treasure Tour

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    The Brown County Federation of History Organizations will again host its History Treasure Tour May 15, 4-8 pm. Sixteen Brown County historical locations will open their doors for free, revealing many of the community’s “hidden” treasures and encouraging the public to explore the county’s rich past while enjoying fun, hands-on activities, special behind-the-scenes tours and […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 10

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor May 9, 1884 As spring opens, and business men, pleasure seekers, bummers, and all men in general, move towards Sturgeon Bay, it should not be forgotten […]

  • Belgian Settlement Area Preservation

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    The Peninsula Belgian American Club will host Joseph DeRose on May 16, 7 pm, at the Belgian Heritage Center, 1255 County DK. DeRose, the survey and registration historian for the State Historic Preservation Office of the Wisconsin State Historical Society, will speak about historical preservation, grants and tax credits. This event aims to promote the […]

  • Doors Are Open at Door County Historical Museum

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    The Door County Historical Museum opened May 1 for its 80th season.  It was chosen by the Chicago Tribune as the Best Small Museum in the Midwest and continues to attract visitors from around the country and world. Each of the four main viewing areas highlights a different aspect of Door County history. The front […]

  • News From This Week’s Past: Sturgeon Bay Booms, Freak Calf

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor April 30, 1875 The County Board ordered the committee on buildings to advertise for proposals to construct a fire proof building for county offices, to be […]

  • John Purves: Celebrating a Century-Old Tugboat

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    The Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay invites the community to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the historic tug John Purves on May 1, 11 am, at the museum. Built in 1919 as the Butterfield, the John Purves has been painstakingly restored by a dedicated crew of volunteers and donors. The event will include […]

  • News From This Week’s Past: April Snowstorms and Libel

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor April 24, 1874 THE great need of this section about now is a man with brains enough to construct an Almanac with Spring placed where it […]

  • News From This Week’s Past: Temperance, Blue Laws, Housing Shortage

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor April 17, 1874 There is a considerable excitement over the temperance question in this town. The temperance folks having a majority on the town board is […]

  • News From This Week’s Past: Attention, Sons of Boys in Blue!

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor April 10, 1874 FORTY dollars will pay the passage of an emigrant from Hamburg to Sturgeon Bay, via Milwaukee and Goodrich’s Steamers, Deck Passage. That is […]

  • News From This Week’s Past: Fire Destroys Jens Jensen Home

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    All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors. The Expositor April 2, 1875 THE FLOOD has at last come. The weather has been very warm during all the present week, Tuesday and Wednesday considerable rain fell, […]