Lighthouses of Door County

With so much shoreline around Door County, a great selection of lighthouses are present. Everyone who realizes I am here for a while encourage me to go to the lighthouses. So, I have. What is not to love about a beacon that offers safety and guidance?

My initial excursion was on a trolley tour that took the passengers to 4 lighthouses, pointed out two more and showed us a pair of range lights. It was a fascinating history. 

Eagle Bluff was established in 1868. The waters below the bluff were completely unpredictable and the depth of the water at points deceiving. Many a vessel succumbed to a misread shallow passing. Pat, the lighthouse docent, displayed a passion for her task. The weather, being cloudy and windy, brought out her joy for the purpose of her treasured venue. Pat has spent hours renovating the interior, acquiring and refinishing original furniture, researching keepers and their families, contacting relatives of the keepers and interviewing them for stories. The one family she continually mentioned had 7 boys who played in the water of Green Bay, did labor intensive chores and warned Pa when the inspector's boat was seen in the distance approaching for a surprise visit. In fact, when news got out about the renovation of Eagle Bluff, Walter, the youngest boy of the seven sons, showed up to help restore his old home to its original state.  The piano, guitar, rope beds, quilts and Fresnel lens are all original. In the summers, the stove was moved outside to reduce the heat in the abode.   There were even four fireplaces that all vented through one chimney. So, one of the summer chores was to scrub and repaint the interior. When renovating, at least 22 coats of paint were counted. 

Cana Island Lighthouse
The lighthouse is accessible by a stone causeway.  When the water is at its normal level, the flooded causeway is crossed by rolling up pants and wading across in old tennis shoes.  Built in 1869 using Milwaukee "Cream City" Brick, it was first lit in 1870. The lighthouse tower was constructed of the same stone and suffered significant deterioration due to severe weather. In 1901, the tower was encased with iron sheets to prevent the demise of the tower.  Like Eagle Bluff, the interior was set up with period pieces. Unlike Eagle Bluff, the tower was open to visitors. The narrow, iron, spiral stairway was a 95 stepped climb culminating in crawling through a hatch. This was where I got my close up of the Fresnel lens and a breathtaking view of the Door County shoreline, often the chosen site of destination weddings. 

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light & Lighthouse
Around Sturgeon Bay there was a marshy area that forced shippers of old to travel all the way around the peninsula to get from Green Bay to Lake Michigan. A 7 mile canal was created, part dug and another part was dredged. The red Pierhead Light went into service in 1882 to guide ships to the canal. Realizing a taller light was needed, the new age looking lighthouse went into service in 1899. Though neither light was open for visitors, I was able to walk along the lengthy pier to get a closer look at the cute, stumpy, red light. The wind forcing the water to crash along the rock base of the pier was refreshing and exciting. The land on which the taller light was located is an active Coast Guard post. The servicemen and women are responsible for maintaining all of the lighthouses in the county and breaking the ice on the bay and Lake Michigan. Pat, the Eagle Bluff lighthouse docent, really looks forward to light inspection visits because the young men are so easy on the eyes. 

Sherwood Point Lighthouse
This lighthouse, still a residence, was closed to the public. Retired and active military can rent it for a week for a vacation at a song. Of course, the Coast Guard gets first preference. I did get to see this beauty from the water when I took the Harbor Lady yacht tour. It was picturesque. A setting of a storybook, it was disappointing to cruise away. 

Door County is full of charm, history and postcard perfect images around every corner. The lighthouses are the shiny ribbon that ties up the whole package.