The past year at Eagle Bluff Light Station was both successful and rewarding. We welcomed more visitors than the previous year during every month of operation, a clear sign of continued interest in this special site. It was especially encouraging to see so many returning guests, along with new visitors discovering Eagle Bluff for the first time. We were also pleased to welcome many young children with their families, helping spark an appreciation for history at an early age.
This season also marked an important period of progress. After years of planning, our long-awaited restoration efforts surged forward. With the support of our members and the dedicated volunteers of the Lighthouse Committee, we achieved several major milestones and built strong momentum heading into next season. Most notably, construction was completed on two new buildings—the summer kitchen and barn—both carefully reconstructed to reflect the structures Capt William Duclon and his family would have used during their time as light keepers at Eagle Bluff.
The barn is now being prepared to serve as a new visitor center when we open next season. It will include an expanded gift shop and new interpretive exhibits to enhance the visitor experience. The summer kitchen was completed at the close of the season and features a large, period-appropriate cookstove. This space offers visitors a glimpse into daily life at the light station, where Mrs. Duclon cooked for her husband and their seven sons. It adds an important layer of interpretation and helps bring the keeper’s story to life in a tangible way.
As part of our ongoing commitment to historical accuracy, you may notice a shift in how we refer to this site. While the term “lighthouse” is commonly used, Eagle Bluff was historically known as a light station. A lighthouse typically refers only to the tower itself, whereas a light station includes the full complex of buildings that supported its operation— such as the keeper’s dwelling, barn, summer kitchen, and other outbuildings. Because Eagle Bluff has always been more than just a tower and because our restoration work focuses on the entire site, we are returning to its historically accurate name: Eagle Bluff Light Station.
The Door County Historical Society is honored to help guide Eagle Bluff Light Station into this next chapter. We look forward to welcoming visitors to experience the updated site in 2026. Plans are underway to open at the end of May, weather permitting, with a grand opening celebration planned for June. Thank you for your continued support and for helping us protect and share the history of Eagle Bluff Light Station. —Daulton Buckingham
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