Door County’s Growing Shoreline?

Somehow, Door County’s shoreline is growing. Well, at least that’s what you can infer from trends in articles.

In the famous 1969 National Geographic article about Door County, writer William S. Ellis lauded the peninsula’s 250 miles of shoreline.

But in the years since, writers have expanded our shores, with the accepted mileage now generally estimated at 300 miles of shoreline, “more than any county in the United States.”

It sounds good, but is it correct?

Recently, I was reviewing an article by Pulse nature writer Roy Lukes, in which he referred to the county’s 250 miles of shoreline, which made me seek a definitive answer. So I checked in with the only person I know who might also spend time thinking about such a question – Door County Planning Department head Mariah Goode.

Goode, it turns out, had sought the answer a few years ago and it led her to a more complicated question. Turns out there are different ways to look at shoreline. Defined by Lake Michigan/ Green Bay shoreline, the mileage stands a bit over 298. But what about total shoreline, including inland lakes and streams? If those are included, the total shoreline jumps to 656 miles! Of course, that’s counting mileage as a zoning administrator would, including both sides of a stream or creek, since each side constitutes a different shoreline from a zoning regulation standpoint, even if both sides are part of the same property.

So for general reference, it appears “about 300 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline” works, or 298 if you want to be a tad more precise.