Well we got back last night from our trip to the midwest.

Chris & I flew into Indianapolis and laid up for a few days until Suzie was able to join us. Then we headed up into Wisconsin -- Destination Door County. This was our first trip into the famed "Death's Door".

Our first stop was in Green Bay. Man talk about Packerland. This city is ALL green and yellow. We planned two nights based out of GB trying to get the lay of the land before settling into someplace more resorty. GB is about an hour from Sturgeon Bay which seems to be the unofficial "You've officially entered Door County" line (although the line is actually a few miles farther back.)

We did the Door County Maritime Museum's relatively new facility, then headed up 42 through Egg Harbor, Fish Creek and Ephraim (or was it Ephraim, then Fish Creek?).

Population back at Sturgeon Bay was about 9,000 or so, all the rest of the Door County towns seem to be about 250-1,250. But that population must triple during the summertime. Heck some towns seemed to have had as many gift shops as the town sign indicated they had people.

Mind you these are mostly charming places, designed to separate the tourist from their green and making them feel good about it.

Scenery was great. Lake Michigan and the inlets and bays were blue as could be.

We didn't see all 10 of the County's lighthouses, but did get to:

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Canal
Stugeon Bay Ship Canal North Pier
Eagle Bluff
Cana Island
Bailey's Harbor Lower & Upper Range Lights

Sorry JJ - we never crossed the waterway to Washington Island or your beloved Pottawatomi.

Traveling back to Indianapolis, we took the shoreline and stopped to view and photograph:

Algoma North Pierhead
Wind Point
Kenosha North Pier
Sheboygan Breakwater
Racine North Breakwater

Unfortunately, the lighting while visiting these lighthouses wasn't the kind you see in those "Lighthouses of..." books. We'll see what happens when the local one hour shop coughs them up in a few days.

I'm sure we'll go back and spend more time some day.

The photos are back from Kodak and considering the dull lighting I feared, the prints came out pretty good.

Our first stop in the Door County region was at the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay. There is also another museum operated by this group in Gills Rock also and they operate Cana Island Lighthouse.

The stairway area has some beautiful stained glass windows showing lighthouses and ships built in the area over the years:

The main windows shows Stugeon Bay Canal Lighthouse and several ships above it that were built in Door County:



And here's a closeup of the Sturgeon Bay Lighthouse in glass:




And another of Cana Island Lighthouse:



The museum has galleries on the Lighthouses of Door County, The ship-building industry in Door County and the fishing industry.

I was hoping I could get back to the museum on Saturday or Sunday in order to view the wooden boat show, but it was not to be.

Heading north out of Stugeon Bay on State Route 42/57 - watch for the sign for the US Coast Guard Station. Once at the station, park outside the fence and follow the walkway to the beach.

From there you'll be able to walk out on the pier (weather permitting) and get a fairly close view of the Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Light.



This lighthouse is actually on a second breakwater about 50' away. The upper level walkway has a bridge to it, but it is not accessible to the public.

As you walk the pier, you have some great views of both the pierhead lighthouse and back towards shore of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouse on the USCG Base. However, you may not leave the designated path to visit this lighthouse either - except on special events.



Here's a closer image of this lighthouse showing the unique outside supporting structure including the 'latticework' at the base.

Great photos, JC! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. The first thing that came to mind was HL making a two piece light out of Sturgeon Bay, that would link together for display. I wonder if HL would ever consider such a thing in the future even if it wasn't Sturgeon Bay?

Bob

Real nice photos John, thanks for showing us!

Bob - I've been bugging HL to make a 'nested pair' for years -- a keepers' house with tower or something like the Baileys Harbor Upper and Lower Range Lights:

This pair of lighthouses guided sailors safely in and out of Baileys Harbor WI for 100 years.

The rear (upper) lighthouse, which included the keepers quarters, featured a fixed white light and the front (lower) building had a fixed red light. Sailors simply lined up so that the upper white light was over the lower red light and sailed safely into harbor.

Here are two shots of the upper light:




And here are two shots of the lower light:



The pair of lights were built in 1869 and 6 other similar pairs of lights once existed on the Great Lakes. This is the only pair that remain in their original location.

From 1930 to 1956, the 'home' was rented by a local church as a parsonage. The government agreed, but said the parson would also have to act as lightkeeper.

Today the area around the lighthouses is "The Ridges Sanctuary" featuring a diverse plant community.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 08-19-2000).]

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is on the Green Bay side of the Door Peninsula. Now located in a state park, it sits high above the water in a great park-like setting.

Here's a view from the 'water side' of the bluff.



And another view from the land-side:



Here's a close up of the lantern room. Notice that the chimney and lantern room are 'rotated' 45 degrees from the centerline of the roof.



This home is open for touring daily, but we missed it by just a few minutes, arriving at 4:10 pm.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 08-19-2000).]

Great shots John! It is always so cool to see everyone's lighthouse photos. So many different styles, angles, lighting, ect. are used by everyone. I get many ideas by the photos posted here in the forums.

Thanks for sharing your Door County trip with us John.

-Todd