Day-long Celebration for Eagle Bluff Lighthouse

Julia and William Duclon

On September 1, 1963, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse opened its doors to the general public following a three-year restoration project. Thousands of donated volunteer hours and an initial investment of $3,000 brought the little yellow brick lighthouse on the bluff overlooking Green Bay back to life.

Fifty years later, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is celebrating with a day-long celebration. Sept. 1 activities include a visit with a Civil War family, represented by Joe Knaapen, his wife Laura, and their daughters. They will share stories of life during the conflict and Door County’s role in the war. Their presentation will also honor the keepers who served in the Civil War, including Eagle Bluff’s own William Duclon, a veteran of the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia.

Curator/manager Patti Podgers says, “Every day Eagle Bluff Lighthouse welcomes visitors from every state and countries worldwide, just as our keepers did for the first time in 1868. Our legacy is about real people who manned the light through many a dark and stormy night.”

The September 1 celebration will be held 10 am – 5 pm. Tours will be available every half hour through 4 pm; adult admission is $5. A vehicle sticker is required for park access. For more information, visit eagleblufflighthouse.org or find Eagle Bluff Lighthouse on Facebook.