Our History

For 100 years, the Door County Historical Society has worked to preserve the places, protect the artifacts, and share the stories that define Door County.

What began in 1926 as a gathering of 20 citizens concerned about preserving their community's heritage has grown into a countywide historical organization responsible for some of Door County's most treasured landmarks, collections, and educational experiences.

Over the decades, the Society has helped establish historical monuments, supported the development of the Door County Historical Museum, restored Eagle Bluff Light Station, created Heritage Village, and brought generations together through programs, publications, and community events.

The methods of preservation have changed over the past century, but the purpose has remained remarkably consistent: to ensure that Door County's history is not forgotten, and that the people who shaped this peninsula continue to have their stories told.

1926: A Historical Society Is Born

On October 1, 1926, 20 Door County residents gathered at the courthouse in Sturgeon Bay to consider establishing an organization dedicated to preserving the county's history.

Their proposal received enthusiastic support, and the Door County Historical Society was born.

The organization emerged during a period of tremendous change. Door County's agricultural, maritime, and commercial communities were evolving. New transportation systems, changing industries, and the growth of tourism were transforming the peninsula. The founding members recognized that the physical reminders and personal accounts of earlier generations could easily disappear unless someone made a deliberate effort to preserve them.

From the beginning, the Society was a membership-based, volunteer-driven organization. It was not created as a department of county government. Rather, it represented the commitment of local citizens who believed that the history of their communities deserved to be collected, documented, and shared.

Education became central to its activities almost immediately. Members gathered regularly at locations throughout Door County to conduct Society business and hear presentations about local history. Historians, researchers, and residents shared accounts of early settlements, important families, industries, historic events, and community life.

These gatherings established a tradition that continues today through the Society's Dine & Discover programs.

1927–1930s: Making History Visible

One of the Society's earliest priorities was identifying and commemorating historically significant places throughout Door County.

In 1927, just one year after its founding, the Society helped establish a 40-foot Memorial Pole in Peninsula State Park, dedicated to the Potawatomi Nation. This prominent landmark reflected an early effort to recognize the Indigenous history of the peninsula.

The Society's early preservation work extended well beyond that monument. Its efforts included commemorating Chief Simon Kahquados, establishing or supporting memorial sites associated with Door County's early settlers, and recognizing places connected to the region's exploration, settlement, and development.

Among these efforts were the monument at Chief Simon Kahquados's gravesite, Tornado Memorial Park, Robert La Salle Park, and the marking of the site associated with Increase Claflin's early cabin.

The Society also championed the development of Door County's park system, recognizing that preserving historically important landscapes could serve both educational and recreational purposes.

These early projects established a lasting philosophy: history should be visible and accessible throughout the community, not confined to a museum or an archive.

Over time, DCHS continued identifying and recognizing important sites through historical markers, research, and public interpretation. This countywide approach remains an important part of the Society's identity.

1927–Present: A Tradition of Research and Publishing

The Historical Society understood from its earliest years that preserving history required more than saving physical landmarks. Stories, memories, documents, and historical research also needed permanent records.

In 1927, the Society began publishing the Peninsula Historical Review, creating an avenue for research and writing about Door County's people, places, and events.

The publication provided opportunities for historians and community researchers to document subjects that might otherwise receive little attention. Its contributions helped preserve accounts of settlement, maritime activity, agriculture, community institutions, and everyday life.

The Society later expanded its communications through The Peninsula, a newsletter that continues to connect members with historical articles, preservation projects, educational opportunities, and organizational news.

Together with public presentations and educational programming, these publications have allowed the Society to share historical knowledge far beyond its physical sites.

This commitment to research and publication also reinforces an essential aspect of DCHS's work: preserving an artifact is important, but understanding and documenting its story gives that artifact meaning.

1938–1939: Helping Establish the Door County Historical Museum

As the Society grew, its members recognized the need for a permanent place to collect and exhibit Door County's historical artifacts.

In 1938, the Door County Historical Society spearheaded fundraising efforts to support construction of the Door County Historical Museum on Fourth Avenue in Sturgeon Bay.

The museum building was completed in 1939 and opened to the public on Memorial Day.

This represented a major accomplishment for the young organization. The Society had moved from identifying and marking historical locations to helping establish a permanent institution dedicated to safeguarding the physical evidence of Door County's past.

The museum became a home for objects that illustrate the county's agricultural, maritime, commercial, domestic, and civic history. Families contributed artifacts and memorabilia that connected personal experiences to the larger story of Door County.

Although the museum is owned and operated by Door County government, the Historical Society's early fundraising and advocacy played an important role in its establishment.

That distinction remains significant. The Society and the county museum are separate entities, but their histories are closely connected through a shared commitment to preserving Door County's heritage.

1960–1963: Saving Eagle Bluff Light Station

The lighthouse, constructed in 1868 at a cost of approximately $12,000, had once played a vital role in Great Lakes navigation. Its light guided vessels through the Strawberry Channel along the eastern shore of Green Bay, helping protect the movement of people and goods between communities and commercial centers.

The development of safe shipping routes was essential to Door County's growth. Maritime transportation connected the peninsula's agricultural producers, lumber operations, merchants, and fishing communities to larger markets, including the growing city of Green Bay.

Eagle Bluff's story was also a family story.

From 1883 to 1918, keeper William Duclon, his wife Julia, and their seven sons made the light station their home. Their experiences offer an unusually personal view of the responsibilities, routines, and challenges of lighthouse life.

After the light was automated in 1926, the buildings no longer served as a keeper's family residence. Over the following decades, the station deteriorated.

Recognizing the historical importance of the property, the Door County Historical Society secured permission to restore the buildings in 1960.

What followed was an extraordinary volunteer undertaking.

Society members and supporters researched the station's history, repaired the structure, restored interior spaces, and assembled furnishings and interpretive materials intended to reflect its period of operation.

The project also benefited from a remarkable connection to the station's past: one of William and Julia Duclon's sons, who had grown up at Eagle Bluff, assisted with the restoration effort. His firsthand recollections helped connect the restoration to the lived experience of the family.

In 1963, Eagle Bluff reopened for public tours, becoming one of the early lighthouse museums on the Great Lakes.

The restoration marked a turning point for DCHS. The Society was no longer only supporting preservation projects and historical institutions. It had assumed direct responsibility for interpreting and caring for a major historic landmark.

In 1970, Eagle Bluff Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its historical and architectural significance.

For more than six decades, DCHS has continued managing, maintaining, and interpreting Eagle Bluff, welcoming generations of visitors to experience the history of the lighthouse and the family who called it home.

1991–1993: The Beginning of Heritage Village

In 1991, students from T.J. Walker Middle School presented a program about pioneer life at a Historical Society meeting.

Their presentation sparked a larger conversation: What if Door County had a place where visitors could experience the buildings, occupations, and everyday activities of earlier generations?

The idea developed into Heritage Village.

In 1993, the Society entered into an agreement with Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay, establishing a location for an open-air historical village.

The first structure, the donated Kohl Fish House, was relocated to the site, beginning a decades-long effort to assemble and preserve authentic buildings representing life in Door County during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Unlike a conventional museum, Heritage Village would allow visitors to walk into the spaces where people once worked, learned, traded, worshiped, and lived.

The concept was ambitious, requiring the acquisition and relocation of historic structures, restoration work, collections development, educational interpretation, and ongoing maintenance.

As with Eagle Bluff, volunteers and community supporters provided much of the labor and expertise necessary to bring the project to life.

1990s–2000s: Building a Village and Preserving Everyday Life

The Kohl Fish House interprets the county's commercial fishing heritage. The Vignes School represents the one-room schoolhouses that once served rural communities. The Blacksmith Shop illustrates the importance of skilled trades, while the Greene Store recalls the general stores that served as centers of commerce and community life.

The Heritage Chapel, added as a project commemorating the Society's 75th anniversary, reflects the role of faith and community institutions. The Warren House and Schopf House help interpret domestic life, while the Peterson Granary connects visitors to Door County's agricultural past.

Together, these buildings evoke a rural crossroads community of approximately 1880 to 1910.

But Heritage Village was never intended to be merely a collection of old buildings.

Each structure serves as a setting for education. Through furnishings, artifacts, guided tours, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences, visitors learn how families lived, how businesses operated, and how communities functioned before modern conveniences transformed daily life.

The Village has become a particularly valuable educational resource for school groups and families, offering opportunities to experience history in ways that books and photographs alone cannot provide.

The Hanson Norwegian Homestead

The Society's preservation efforts also expanded to include the historic Hans Hanson House, a Norwegian homestead located near Heritage Village.

In 2009, DCHS undertook stewardship and restoration work associated with the property through its relationship with Crossroads at Big Creek.

The homestead provides an important opportunity to explore the experience of Norwegian immigrants and the cultural traditions they brought to Door County.

Preserving this site broadened the Society's ability to tell the story of immigration, settlement, architecture, and family life, while recognizing the lasting influence of Norwegian heritage on the peninsula.

2018: The Madden Tool Museum

Another significant achievement came in August 2018 with the opening of the Madden Tool Museum at Heritage Village.

The project was completed after approximately four years of dedicated volunteer effort.

The museum expanded the Society's ability to interpret historic tools, craftsmanship, and skilled trades. Its exhibits help visitors understand the ingenuity, labor, and technical knowledge required to build and sustain Door County's communities.

The Madden Tool Museum represents a continuation of the Society's tradition of turning volunteer commitment into permanent educational resources.

It also reflects an important dimension of preservation: documenting not only the objects people used, but the skills and knowledge that gave those objects purpose.

2022–2026: Telling a Fuller History of Door County

As the Society approached its centennial, it placed renewed emphasis on expanding the range of stories represented in its educational programming and exhibits.

In 2022, DCHS received a $25,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Telling the Full History Preservation Fund.

The grant supported research and the development of an exhibit focused on the Indigenous peoples of the region, recognizing that Door County's history began long before European settlement.

The First People's exhibit represents an important step toward more complete and inclusive historical interpretation.

The project also resulted in a publication that extended the research beyond the exhibit itself.

This work reflects an evolution in the Society's approach to historical storytelling. Rather than focusing exclusively on prominent landmarks, early settlers, and well-known individuals, DCHS continues working to document the experiences of the many communities whose lives have shaped Door County.

The Society's history is one of preservation, but also of learning. New research, new perspectives, and stronger community relationships help deepen our understanding of the past.

2019–2026: A New Era for Eagle Bluff Light Station

A Historic Structure Report completed in 2019 provided a detailed foundation for evaluating the site's condition and planning its long-term preservation.

In 2021, the Society secured a 15-year extension of its lease, continuing its stewardship of Eagle Bluff through 2036.

With that commitment in place, DCHS undertook a major capital campaign to fund a comprehensive, multiphase restoration and reconstruction project totaling approximately $2 million.

In 2024, work focused on restoring and stabilizing the existing historic buildings, including the keeper's residence, oil house, and privy.

In 2025, the project expanded to reconstruct the barn and summer kitchen, two important outbuildings that had disappeared from the site over time.

Their return was significant. For decades, visitors had experienced Eagle Bluff primarily through the lighthouse and keeper's residence. Reconstructing these buildings restored important elements of the station's historic setting and created new opportunities to interpret the domestic and agricultural activities that supported the keeper's family.

The project transformed the visitor experience from a tour of a historic lighthouse into a more complete understanding of life at an operating light station.

In 2026, the Wisconsin Historical Society recognized the project with its Rehabilitation Award, honoring the Society's commitment to responsible preservation and the successful restoration of this important Great Lakes landmark.

The achievement represents one of the largest and most ambitious preservation initiatives in DCHS history, demonstrating what sustained community support, careful planning, and professional expertise can accomplish.

A Century of Education, Programs, and Community Connections

Throughout its history, the Door County Historical Society has understood that preservation is only part of its mission. History must also be shared.

From the earliest meetings in the 1920s to today's public programs, education has remained a defining feature of the organization.

The Society's Dine & Discover series continues the founding tradition of gathering members and guests for presentations on local history. These programs combine community meals with historical research, storytelling, and discussion at venues throughout Door County.

At Heritage Village, visitors experience demonstrations of traditional skills, historical crafts, educational programs, and seasonal celebrations. The Root Beer Festival, school field trips, and family programs introduce new generations to the people and practices of the past.

At Eagle Bluff Light Station, guided tours, special events, and programs such as Twilight Tours offer opportunities to explore the lighthouse's history from different perspectives.

Through its quarterly newsletter, historical publications, collections, and educational partnerships, the Society extends its reach beyond the walls of its museums.

Together, these activities fulfill a purpose that has remained constant since 1926: connecting people with the history of the place they call home, visit, or hold dear.

Volunteers: The Heart of the Historical Society

No history of DCHS would be complete without recognizing the generations of volunteers who have made its accomplishments possible.

From the 20 citizens who established the Society to the volunteers who restored Eagle Bluff, relocated buildings to Heritage Village, and developed the Madden Tool Museum, community involvement has been the foundation of the organization.

Volunteers have served as board members, researchers, craftspeople, docents, educators, preservation workers, gardeners, event organizers, and advocates.

They have repaired buildings, cataloged artifacts, developed exhibits, conducted tours, prepared programs, and raised funds.

Their contributions have often required years of sustained effort.

The Society's growth has also depended on the generosity of families who donated artifacts, individuals who shared historical knowledge, and community members who provided financial support.

As DCHS has developed a more professional organizational structure, volunteers have remained essential partners in fulfilling its mission.

The Society's history is, in many respects, a history of people who recognized something worth saving and committed themselves to making sure it survived.

2026: Celebrating 100 Years

On October 1, 2026, the Door County Historical Society celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The centennial offered an opportunity to recognize a century of preservation accomplishments while bringing renewed attention to the Society's role in the community.

Throughout the year, DCHS celebrated with special events, educational programs, exhibits, and opportunities for public participation.

At Eagle Bluff Light Station, the completion of the restoration and reconstruction project provided a particularly meaningful way to mark the milestone. A grand opening celebration invited the community to experience the restored historic site.

Heritage Village welcomed visitors with expanded programming and opportunities to experience traditional skills and local history.

The Society also invited community members to contribute to a Centennial Quilt, with squares sewn during public events and throughout the season. Using Civil War-era reproduction fabrics, participants helped create a collective keepsake that reflects the connections between generations. Terry Myra completed the quilt, bringing together the individual contributions into a lasting reminder of the centennial.

Another initiative, the Centennial Multigenerational History Project, began collecting the memories and experiences of Door County residents through recorded interviews. The project reflects the Society's recognition that today's personal stories will become tomorrow's historical record.

On its actual 100th birthday, DCHS celebrated with A Roaring Good Time: Cheers to 100 Years, a festive gathering inspired by the era in which the Society was founded.

The celebration honored the contributions of generations of members, volunteers, supporters, and community partners who made the first century possible.

Yet the centennial was more than a celebration of accomplishments. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Looking Ahead: Our Second Century

In conjunction with its centennial, the Door County Historical Society completed a comprehensive strategic planning process to guide the organization's future.

The process brought together board members, staff, historical organizations, preservation professionals, educators, tourism leaders, and community partners to consider how DCHS could best serve Door County in the decades ahead.

The resulting plan established a renewed mission:

Keepers of Door County's heritage—past and present, the everyday and the extraordinary—a legacy for all to share, for all time.

This mission reflects the Society's commitment to preserving historic sites and collections while broadening its role as a countywide resource for historical education, collaboration, and community engagement.

The organization enters its second century with an emphasis on expanding audiences, strengthening preservation practices, supporting volunteers, developing partnerships, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its historic properties and educational programs.

DCHS also recognizes that the work of preservation is never finished.

Buildings require care. Artifacts need protection. Historical research continues to reveal new information. Communities change, and the experiences of today's residents become part of the historical record.

The Society's responsibility is not simply to safeguard what previous generations left behind, but to help future generations understand the Door County they inherit.

One Hundred Years. Countless Stories. One Shared Heritage.

In 1926, 20 individuals gathered in Sturgeon Bay because they believed Door County's history deserved to be remembered.

They could not have imagined every landmark that would be preserved, every building that would be restored, or every visitor who would learn something meaningful because of their decision.

A century later, their vision continues through Eagle Bluff Light Station, Heritage Village, historical collections, educational programs, publications, and the dedication of a community that understands the importance of its past.

The Door County Historical Society's first century demonstrates what can happen when people work together to preserve the places and stories that connect them.

As we begin our second century, we remain committed to that same purpose: preserving Door County's heritage, sharing its stories, and ensuring that its history belongs to everyone.

The story of Door County is still being written. And the Door County Historical Society will continue helping preserve it for generations to come.

Historical milestones at a glance

For the website, I would accompany the narrative with an interactive timeline.