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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.

  • Traditional Fish Boil at Jacksonport Historical Society’s Annual Meeting

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    The Jacksonport Historical Society’s Annual Dinner Meeting is scheduled for July 19 at Lakeside Park, Hwy. 57, Jacksonport. The meeting is open to the public. The dinner, a traditional Door County fish boil, will celebrate Jacksonport’s storied fishing history. Live music starts at 5 pm provided by Dale Graf. The Jacksonport Historical Society (JHS) will […]

  • A New Glimpse of the Past at Alexander Noble House

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    It will be Christmas all summer long in Fish Creek this year, at least at the Alexander Noble House. Now open for the season, the Greek revival house built by one of Fish Creek’s founding fathers is now home to this year’s A Glimpse of the Past exhibit, portraying domestic life in Fish Creek at […]

  • This Week in Door County History: June 23 – 30

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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 18, 1875 Telegraph Line to Bailey’s Harbor. Mr. Moses Kilgore, with his well-known spirit and energy has secured enough subscription to put in operation […]

  • Sevastopol Historical Society Presents ‘The History of Lily Bay’ June 26

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    The Sevastopol Historical Society will present “The History of Lily Bay” on June 26, 7 pm, at Sevastopol Town Hall. Come learn about the saw mill, shipping operations, fishing and the box factory production that took place at this busy port and hamlet. Hap Smith will be the featured speaker along with a few others […]

  • Ephraim’s Civil War Soldiers Remembered

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    Some wars stand out amongst the sea of conflicts mankind has suffered through. The American Civil War is one of them. On June 16, the Ephraim Historical Foundation will open its summer exhibit detailing the stories of eight Ephraim residents who volunteered to enter one of the bloodiest times in U.S. history. This is the […]

  • This Week in Door County History: June 16 – 23

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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 FOUND DEAD. An unknown man was found dead, in the bushes about eighty rods North-east of the village last Friday. He had […]

  • Mike Peters Recounts Tall Ship Adventures at Next Jacksonport Historical Society Program

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    Join the Jacksonport Historical Society on June 21 at 7pm at the Jacksonport Town Hall, Cty. V, for a wonderful presentation by Mike Peters as he recounts his fascination with sailing ships of all types, and in particular, the Pride of Baltimore II. Peters is a life-long sailor and ship’s captain, holding a US Coast […]

  • VIDEO: Freddie K. Tractor Ride

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    The annual Freddie K. Tractor Ride took place Tuesday, June 13 in Baileys Harbor. Jacob Dannhausen-Brun and Jackson Parr caught up with the parade to raise a glass and find out what it’s all about. Watch the video to see for yourself.

  • Belgian Heritage Center Holds Waffle Breakfast June 25

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    The Belgian Heritage Center will have a Belgian waffle breakfast on June 25, 9 am – 1 pm, at 1255 County Road DK, Brussels (the former St. Mary of the Snows Church in Namur). The breakfast will include waffles, eggs, potatoes, beverage and Marchant’s Belgian trippe (a traditional sausage from the Belgian community). This year, […]

  • This Week in Door County History: Flight Across Lake Michigan, Bass Fishing, Institute School

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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 9, 1876 Serious accident. Mr. John Gorge, of Sevastopol while at work building fence at his place last Tuesday accidentally hit his son, a […]

  • New Ridges Exhibit Illuminates Area’s Rich Natural History

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    When the first ridge was being formed in what would eventually be the town of Baileys Harbor, Arthur, King of the Britons, was still swinging his sword. Fifteen hundred years later, with the 30th ridge growing every day, the Ridges Sanctuary took a major step in growing their offerings to the public by completing a […]

  • Fishing Gear

    Gills Rock Maritime Museum Now Open

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    The Door County Maritime Museum at Gills Rock is now open for the season. The museum will be open daily through Oct. 15. After taking the scenic trip to the tip of Door County, visitors will find a wealth of maritime history awaiting them at the Door County Maritime Museum at Gills Rock. The museum […]

  • A Barn and A Vision: Birch Creek’s Fledgling Early Days

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    James Dutton was at a loss. It was 1978 and the Birch Creek Farm Academy for the Performing Arts that he founded just a couple years earlier was short on cash, as young arts organizations tend to be, and he and his wife Fran didn’t know how they were going to cover costs for next […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 26 – June 2

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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 Independent, May 25, 1877 A singular death occurred at Ahnapee last Monday. It seems that a Mrs. Mary Hronek, wife of a worthy farmer in […]

  • Oddities and Authenticity at the Door County Historical Museum

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    The Door County Historical Museum was once named “the best small museum in the Midwest” by the Chicago Tribune, and as expected, it is host to a trove of local history and artifacts. But it’s also home to a variety of oddities that seem to have no connection to the region. The presence of this […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: Old News May 19 – 26

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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 21, 1875 People from the other side of the bay tell exciting stories about a ghost in Nasewaupee. The Republican, May 21, 1891 The bear […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 12, 2017

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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 8, 1874 W.W. Baker & R.B. Parker, lightening rod men, of the Baker firm which so smoothly soaped our people last fall, were locked up […]

  • A Raucous Bunch of Marines: Son Uncovers Story of His Father’s 40 Thieves

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    You only have to look at Sturgeon Bay newspaper archives of the 1960s to learn that Frank Tachovsky was a mover and shaker in the city. He was on his second term as mayor when appointed to serve as the city’s postmaster in 1966, which forced him to give up his mayorship and his day […]

  • Sister Bay Historical Society Presents Women’s Work During Prohibition

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    The Sister Bay Historical Society and Wisconsin Humanities Council highlight women’s work during Prohibition and its influence on female involvement in the political sphere with a special presentation May 11. The talk, “Women’s Work During Prohibition,” will open with an Al Capone-meets-Great Gatsby style soup kitchen and a display of artifacts and photographs of Sister […]

  • Once Upon Our Peninsula: May 5, 2017

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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 1, 1874 The Temperance Movement in Sturgeon Bay. The excitement in the temperance cause in Sturgeon Bay is become more and more intense….A meeting of […]