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.
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Bookmobile Fundraiser, Celebration Aug. 19 at Sawyer Farms
LISTEN: John Sawyer discusses the Bookmobile project with Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the Door County Pulse Podcast at doorcountypulse.com/podcasts. The Door County Bookmobile will be back in action Saturday at Sawyer Farms in Egg Harbor during a celebration and fundraiser for its restoration. The partially restored vehicle, which once made books accessible to kids in […]
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Walk Down Memory Lane at Vignes School
The Door County Historical Society will host a Vignes School reunion Sept. 16 at Heritage Village at Big Creek, where former students and teachers can relive their school days. The reunion is open to the public, and guests are welcome to stop by anytime between 11 am and 4 pm. Located in Clay Banks in […]
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Tour a Historical Ephraim Property
The Ephraim Historical Foundation will be offering tours of the historical Binkhaven property in Ephraim on Aug. 18, 10 am and 1 pm. Built in the 1960s, the buildings of Binkhaven have been featured in major publications because the estate combines Nordic architecture with objects from traditional Norwegian folk craft. Purchase tickets ($20) at ephraim.org/binkhaven-tour. […]
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History of the Door County Fair
Beginning in 1869, the Door County Fair has persevered through world wars, economic depressions and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Door County Historical Society (DCHS) will delve into this history during its dinner program Aug. 28, 6 pm, at Birmingham’s, 4709 Bay Shore Dr. in Sturgeon Bay. Door County Historical Museum curator Matt Adelman will examine […]
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Horseshoe Bay Farms Reunion Aug. 13
Horseshoe Bay Farms was once the largest employer in Door County and one of the most innovative dairy breeding operations in Wisconsin. Its sprawling complex of barns, buildings, gardens and orchards at 7212 Horseshoe Bay Road south of Egg Harbor was awe inspiring in the 1920s, and its remnants remain so today. The people who […]
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Bill Bertschinger’s Egg Harbor History
Egg Harbor native Bill Bertschinger has assembled a video with his narration of growing up and experiencing Egg Harbor that will be shown Aug. 8, 2 pm, at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor. Bertschinger has spent 90-plus years growing, working and watching Egg Harbor develop into what it is today. He […]
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Gibraltar Talks Event Highlights Cornils Stables
The Gibraltar Historical Association’s next Gibraltar Talks event will feature a presentation by Herb Hardt titled “Cornils Riding Stables” on Aug. 7, 7 pm, at the Old Gibraltar Town Hall, 4176 Maple St. From the 1920s until the 1970s, the Cornils Riding Stables were part of Fish Creek, and Hardt will share his memories of […]
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The Liberty Grove Historical Society is closer to completing a new pedestal to honor Sister Bay/Liberty Grove first responders after John Wilz of Hi Tec Fabrication in Sturgeon Bay partnered with Linda Wilkinson of the historical society in her design of the structure that will display a medallion recognizing this particular section of the walkway. […]
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The Egg Harbor Historical Society’s next program, “Charles Cady’s Egg Harbor,” will take place July 25, 2 pm, at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor. In 1907, Charles Cady purchased Levi Thorp’s 1871 Cupola House and 100-acre Egg Harbor orchard, which he named Hillcrest Orchards. Cady also owned much of the village […]
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Saturdays at the Village at Heritage Village
The Door County Historical Society is continuing its Saturdays at the Village series at Heritage Village at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay. Each week, there’s a new program with a different theme, including a hands-on activity, to immerse families and people of all ages in history education. Experience crafts, historical games, informative […]
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Hickey to Discuss Commercial-Fishing History
The Door County Historical Society will hold its next dinner program July 24 at The Log Den, 6626 Hwy 42 in Egg Harbor. The doors will open at 5:30 pm, and dinner will begin at 6 pm. The menu features pork loin with cherry sauce over rice, veggies, rolls, ice cream, coffee, milk and iced […]
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Wedding Bells Are Ringing at the Noble House
The Alexander Noble House museum is celebrating love with the return of its rotating Victorian Weddings exhibit. Last year’s exhibit theme was A House in Mourning, so this year, visitors can see the Noble House dressed up for a more joyful occasion. Alexander Noble built the house in 1875, and it remains the oldest wood-frame […]
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Living History, Tours in Fish Creek
The Gibraltar Historical Association will host accordion player Roger Boll on July 19, 2 pm, when he presents a living-history event, shares his knowledge of the accordion and shows some of his instrument collection. Boll has been performing in the greater Milwaukee area for more than 50 years, and he serves as president of the […]
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The Egg Harbor Historical Society is hosting a fundraiser for the Door County Bookmobile on Aug. 19, 2-8 pm, at Sawyer Farms in Egg Harbor. The event includes food and beverages, live music by The Cherry Tones and Ben Larsen, a silent auction and raffle, and the public unveiling of the newly renovated Bookmobile. Learn […]
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LGHS Explores Local, Indigenous History
Carol Ash of Kick Ash Products will interview local resident Lee Telfer on July 12, 11 am – 12 pm, during the third installment of the “Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?” series – a joint effort between the Liberty Grove Historical Society (LGHS) and Kick Ash Products to bring living oral histories to the […]
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If you missed “John Buechner: Egg Harbor’s Man of Stone” the first time it was presented or want to see it again, be at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor, on July 11, 2-3:30 pm, when the Egg Harbor Historical Society offers the program again. Buechner was a master stonemason who spent […]
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Did pirates plunder Baileys Harbor? Find out by joining the Baileys Harbor Historical Society on July 12, 7 pm, at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall auditorium, 2392 Cty F. That’s where Bruce Fenner will present a free, public program titled “Roaring Dan Seavey: Pirate of Lake Michigan.” Fenner first shared his stories of Seavey while […]
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Bookmobile Project Gaining Traction
The Door County Bookmobile initiative continues to gain traction as it gets closer to the public unveiling during an Aug. 19 community celebration at Sawyer Farms in Egg Harbor. The full restoration of the vehicle’s exterior began in April at Reese’s Body Shop in Sturgeon Bay. To date, the committee led by Egg Harbor Historical […]
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A longtime Door County visitor honors three major anniversaries Lisa Schab’s roots in Door County go back generations, and the Chicago-based writer is commemorating three major anniversaries: This year marks 100 years since her grandparents honeymooned here; 70 years since her parents met here; and 30 years since Schab and her husband were married here. […]
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Unveiling Victorian Weddings, Customs and Courtship
The Gibraltar Historical Association created its initial Victorian wedding exhibit at the Alexander Noble House Museum using borrowed gowns from a sister historical group, but since then, more items have been added and donated to the collection, including five new gowns that have never been displayed before. They date prior to 1920, and most are […]