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Door County is the easternmost
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the U.S. state of
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,066. Its
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
is Sturgeon Bay. It is named after the strait between the Door Peninsula and Washington Island. The dangerous passage, known as Death's Door, contains shipwrecks and was known to Native Americans and early French explorers. The county was created in 1851 and organized in 1861. Nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest,” Door County is a popular
Upper Midwest The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referring ...
vacation destination. It is also home to a small Walloon population.


History


Native Americans and French


Porte des Morts legend

Door County's name came from Porte des Morts ("Death's Door"), the passage between the tip of Door Peninsula and Washington Island. The name "Death's Door" came from Native American tales, heard by early French explorers and published in greatly embellished form by
Hjalmar Holand Hjalmar Rued Holand (October 20, 1872 – August 6, 1963) was a Norwegian-American historian and author. He was the author of a number of books and articles principally dealing with the history of Door County, Wisconsin, of the Upper Midwest and ...
, which described a failed raid by the
Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iow ...
(Winnebago) tribe to capture Washington Island from the rival
Pottawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a me ...
tribe in the early 1600s. It has become associated with shipwrecks within the passage. The earliest known written reference to the legend is from , who termed the peninsula "Cap a la Mort" in 1728.


Settlement and development


19th–20th century settlement

The 19th and 20th centuries saw the immigration and settlement of pioneers, mariners, fishermen, loggers, and farmers. The first white settler was Increase Claflin. In 1834, a federal quarry operation at the mouth of Sturgeon Bay shipped its first stone blocks; they were used for a harbor breakwater in
Michigan City, Indiana Michigan City is a city in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City- La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City Combined st ...
. In 1851, Door County was separated from what had been Brown County. In 1853, Moravians founded Ephraim after
Nils Otto Tank Nils Otto Tank (March 11, 1800 – May 4, 1864) was a Norwegian born, Moravian Church missionary and teacher. He was a pioneer settler in Wisconsin. Background Nils Otto Tank was born near Halden in Østfold, Norway. He was the son of a wealth ...
resisted attempts at land ownership reform at the old religious colony near Green Bay. An African-American community and congregation worshiping at West Harbor on Washington Island was described in 1854. Also in 1854 the first post office in the county opened, on Washington Island. In 1855, four Irishmen were accidentally left behind by their steamboat, leading to the settlement of what is now Forestville. In the 19th century, a fairly large-scale immigration of Belgian
Walloons Walloons (; french: Wallons ; wa, Walons) are a Gallo-Romance ethnic group living native to Wallonia and the immediate adjacent regions of France. Walloons primarily speak '' langues d'oïl'' such as Belgian French, Picard and Walloon. Wallo ...
populated a small region in the southern portion of the county, including the area designated as the
Namur Historic District The Namur Historic District, also known as the Namur Belgian-American District, is a historic district in southwestern Door County, Wisconsin.
. They built small roadside votive chapels, some still in use today, and brought other traditions over from Europe such as the Kermiss harvest festival. Shortly after the 1831 Treaty of Washington, the federal government surveyed what is now Door County to determine the value of the timber and to divide up parcels for eventual sale. Following the treaty, land in what is now the county was sold or granted to private citizens. Lots from were sold at 50 cents an acre. From 1841 to 1932, 1,661
land patent A land patent is a form of letters patent assigning official ownership of a particular tract of land that has gone through various legally-prescribed processes like surveying and documentation, followed by the letter's signing, sealing, and publi ...
s were issued to private citizens. Of these, 774 were bounty-land warrants to veterans authorized by the Scrip Warrant Acts of 1842, 1850, 1852, and 1855. The other patents concerned the sale of land: 711 patents were filed under the
Land Act of 1820 The Land Act of 1820 (ch. 51, ), enacted April 24, 1820, is the United States federal law that ended the ability to purchase the United States' public domain lands on a credit or installment system over four years, as previously established. The n ...
, 139 patents were filed under the Homestead Act of 1862, and 37 patents were filed under the
Morrill Act of 1862 The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally-owned land, often obtained from indigenous tribes through treaty, cession, or ...
. At the time the
Homestead Act of 1862 The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of ...
was passed, most of the county's nearly 2,000 farmers were squatters earning most of their revenue from lumber and wood products. The most common product was
cordwood Cordwood construction (also called cordwood masonry or cordwood building, alternatively stackwall or stovewood) is a term used for a natural building method in which short logs are piled crosswise to build a wall, using mortar or cob to perm ...
; a cord of maple sold for 37 and a half cents. The remaining portion of the population consisted of about 1,000 fishermen and their families. The fishing industry centered on Washington Island, which at 632 persons was the most populated area at the time. Sturgeon Bay had a population of 230 people. Fishermen caught lake trout and whitefish, which were sold for two cents per pound. Out of the total population of 2,948 people, 170 fought in the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
. Most enlisted in 1861 or 1862. The entire assessed valuation of the county that year was $395,000, with an average of $8.00 in tax assessed to each family. It was difficult to earn enough money to pay taxes, which were often delinquent. There were 25 school districts, but staffing was a challenge due to delinquent taxes. Highway 42 between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor had 27 chronic mudholes, some more than long and passage by wagons was at times unfeasible. When the 1871 Peshtigo fire burned the town of Williamsonville, fifty-nine people were killed. The area of this disaster is now Tornado Memorial County Park, named for a
fire whirl A fire whirl or fire devil (sometimes referred to as a fire tornado) is a whirlwind induced by a fire and often (at least partially) composed of flame or ash. These start with a whirl of wind, often made visible by smoke, and may occur when in ...
which occurred there. Altogether, 128 people in the county perished in the Peshtigo fire. and Following the fire, some residents decided to use brick instead of wood. In 1883, Harry Dankoler at the ''Door County Advocate'' set a world
typesetting Typesetting is the composition of text by means of arranging physical ''type'' (or ''sort'') in mechanical systems or '' glyphs'' in digital systems representing '' characters'' (letters and other symbols).Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random ...
record. In 1885 or 1886, what is now the Coast Guard Station was established at Sturgeon Bay. The small, seasonally open station on Washington Island was established in 1902. As the period of settlement continued, Native Americans lived in Door County as a minority. The 1890 census reported 22 Indians living in Door County. They were self-supporting, subject to taxation, and did not receive rations. By the 1910 census their numbers had declined to nine. In 1894 the Ahnapee and Western Railway was extended to Sturgeon Bay, with the first train arriving on August 9. In 1969, a train ran north of Algoma into the county for the last time, although trains continued to operate farther south until 1986.


Early tourism

From 1865 through 1870, three resort hotels were constructed in and near Sturgeon Bay along with another one in Fish Creek. One resort established in 1870 charged $7.50 per week (around $160 in 2021 dollars). Although the price included three daily meals, extra was charged for renting horses, which were also available with buggies and buggy-drivers. Besides staying in hotels, tourists also boarded in private homes. Tourists could visit the northern part of the county by Great Lakes passenger steamer, sometimes as part of a lake cruise featuring music and entertainment. Reaching the peninsula from Chicago took three days. The air surrounding the agricultural communities was relatively free of ragweed pollen because grain crops matured slowly in the cool climate and were harvested late in the year. This prevented late-season ragweed infestations in the stubble, which was especially attractive to those with
hay fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...
in the city. Even after the Ahnapee and Western extended service to Sturgeon Bay in 1894, many tourists continued taking the
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
to Menominee, Michigan to embark on steamships bound for communities in Door County. This route over Green Bay bypassed poor road conditions in the northern part of the county, which persisted until the early 1920s. Only after crushed stone highways were built did motor and horse-drawn coaches become popular for transportation between Sturgeon Bay and the northern part of the peninsula. By 1909 at least 1,000 tourists visited per year, a figure which grew to about 125,000 in 1920, 1 million in 1969, 1.25 million in 1978, and 1.9 million in 1995. In 1938 Jens Jensen cautioned about negative cultural impacts of tourism. He wrote, "Door County is slowly being ruined by the stupid money crazed fools. This tourist business is destroying the little bit of culture that was."


Orchard boosterism

In 1865, the first commercial fruit operation was established when grapes were cultivated on one of the Strawberry Islands. By 1895, a large fruit tree nursery was established and fruit horticulture was aggressively promoted. Not only farmers but even "city-bred" men were urged to consider fruit husbandry as a career. The first of multiple fruit marketing cooperatives began in 1897. In addition to corporate-run orchards, in 1910 the first corporation was established to plant and sell pre-established orchards. Although apple orchards predated cherry orchards, by 1913 it was reported that cherries had outpaced apples.


Cherry crop labor sources

Women and children were typically employed to pick fruit crops, but the available work outstripped the labor supply. By 1918, it was difficult to find enough help to pick fruit crops, so workers were brought in by the YMCA and Boy Scouts of America. Cherry picking was marketed as a good summer camp activity for teenage boys in return for room, board, and recreation activities. One orchard hired players from the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
as camp counselors. Additionally, members of the
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin The Oneida Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Oneida people in Wisconsin. The tribe's reservation spans parts of two counties west of the Green Bay metropolitan area. The reservation was established by treaty in 1838, and was allotted to ...
and other native tribes were employed to pick fruit crops. In addition to their pay, Native American families were given fruit that was too ripe for marketing, which they preserved and stored for long term use. A
Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a ...
camp was established at Peninsula State Park during the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. In the summer of 1945, Fish Creek was the site of a POW camp under an affiliation with a base camp at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. The
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
prisoners engaged in construction projects, cut wood, and picked cherries in Peninsula State Park and the surrounding area. During a brief strike, the POWs refused to work. In response the guards established a "no work, no eat" policy and they returned to work, picking 11 pails per day and eventually totaling 508,020 pails. The Wisconsin State Employment Service established an office in Door County in 1949 to recruit
Tejano Tejanos (, ; singular: ''Tejano/a''; Spanish for "Texan", originally borrowed from the Caddo ''tayshas'') are the residents of the state of Texas who are culturally descended from the Mexican population of Tejas and Coahuila that lived in t ...
s to pick cherries. Work was unpredictable, as cherry harvests were poor during certain years and workers were paid by the amount they picked. In 1951, the Wisconsin Department of Public Welfare conducted a study documenting conflict between migrant workers and tourists, who resented the presence of migrant families in public vacation areas. A list of recommendations was prepared to improve race relations. The employment of migrants continues to the present day. In 2013, there were three migrant labor camps in the county, housing a total of 57 orchard laborers and food processors along with five non-workers.


20th–21st-century events

In the fall of 1901, passenger pigeons were seen in Forestville, "in quite large flocks". This is the last reported sighting in the county. Before the forests were cleared away, myriads of passenger pigeons nested in the woods of the Door Peninsula, and during periods of migration they would frequently and effectually cloud the sun in their flight. In 1905, the ''Lilly Amiot'' was in Ellison Bay with a load of freight, dynamite, and gasoline when it caught fire. After being cut loose, it drifted until exploding; the explosion was heard up to 15 miles away. In 1912, the barnstormer
Lincoln Beachey Lincoln Beachey (March 3, 1887 – March 14, 1915) was a pioneer American aviator and barnstormer. He became famous and wealthy from flying exhibitions, staging aerial stunts, helping invent aerobatics, and setting aviation records. He was k ...
demonstrated his biplane during the county fair; this is believed to be the first takeoff and landing in the county. In 1913, '' The Old Rugged Cross'' was first sung at the Friends Church in Sturgeon Bay as a duet by two traveling preachers. In 1919, the first Army-Navy hydrogen balloon race was won by an Army team whose balloon splashed down in the Death's Door passage. Two soldiers endured waves for an hour before their rescue by a fisherman. In 1925, a cow in Horseshoe Bay named Aurora Homestead Badger produced of milk, at the time a world record for dairy cattle. In June 1938 and again in October 1952,
aerial photos Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing air ...
were taken of the entire county; in 2011 the 1938 photos were made available online. On June 14, 1939, Ted Bellak flew his the German-made
glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of gliding ...
''Dove of Peace'' for from the newly opened Cherryland Airport to
Frankfort, Michigan Frankfort is a city in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,286 at the 2010 census. The elevation of Frankfort is above sea level. The city is situated with Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Betsie, formed by the Be ...
. He was towed into the air on a , rope prior to gliding independently. At the time, this was the farthest distance traveled in a glider over a body of water. The trip took one hour and six minutes, with 57 minutes spent over Lake Michigan. In 1941, the Sturgeon Bay Vocation School opened. It is now the Sturgeon Bay campus of
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) is a public technical college with multiple locations in Wisconsin. The college serves nine Wisconsin counties with three campuses in Green Bay, Marinette, and Sturgeon Bay and five regional learni ...
. In December 1959, the ''Bridgebuilder X'' disappeared after leaving a shipyard in Sturgeon Bay where it had been repaired. Its intended destinations were Northport and South Fox Island. Possible factors included lack of
ballast Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship ...
and a sudden development of waves. The body of one of the two crew members was found the following summer. In 2004, the county began a sister cities relationship with Jingdezhen in southeastern China. To encourage tourism, Ephraim residents passed referendums in 2016 to allow beer and wine to be sold for consumption on premises within the village and to allow beer and single, recorked bottles of opened wine to be sold off-premises. Until then, Ephraim had been the state's last dry municipality.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (80%) is water. It is the largest county in Wisconsin by total area. In general the shoreline is characterized by the
scarp Scarp may refer to: Landforms and geology * Cliff, a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure * Escarpment, a steep slope or long rock that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevatio ...
face on the west side. On the east side peat is followed by dunes and
beaches A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells ...
of sand or gravel along the lakeshore. During years with receding lake levels,
flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. ...
along the shore demonstrates plant
succession Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence. Governance and politics *Order of succession, in politics, the ascension to power by one ruler, official, or monarch after the death, resignation, or removal from office of ...
. The middle of the peninsula is mostly flat with some rolling. There are three distinct aquifers and two types of springs present in the county. The county covers the majority of the Door Peninsula. With the completion of the Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal in 1881, the northern half of the peninsula became an
artificial island An artificial island is an island that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means. Artificial islands may vary in size from small islets reclaimed solely to support a single pillar of a building or structure to those th ...
. This canal is believed to have somehow "caused a wonderful increase in the quantity of fish" in nearby waters and also caused a reduction in the sturgeon population in the bay due to changes in the aquatic habitat. The
45th parallel north The 45th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 45 degrees north of Earth's equator. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 45th parallel north is often called the halfway point between the ...
bisects the "island," and this is commemorated by Meridian County Park.


Features


Escarpment and dolomites

Dolomite outcroppings of the
Niagara Escarpment The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in Canada and the United States that runs predominantly east–west from New York through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, and into Illinois. The escarpment is most famous as the cliff ove ...
are visible on both shores of the peninsula, but cliffs along the cuesta ridge are especially prominent on the Green Bay side, including at Bayshore Blufflands. South of Sturgeon Bay the steep side of the escarpment separates into multiple lower ridges without as many larger exposed rock faces. The face of the escarpment varies in appearance. It may consist of a bare rock face of dolomite alone, or as a face with dolomite above and shale underneath. Sometimes the rock layers are covered with glacial till. Dolomites in the county have been separated by the different patterns marking the rocks. Each pattern is thought to represent a different general marine habitat from their formation. One layer has relatively straight and flat marks in the rocks, and is accompanied by fossils indicating a tidal flat, especially
ostracod Ostracods, or ostracodes, are a class of the Crustacea (class Ostracoda), sometimes known as seed shrimp. Some 70,000 species (only 13,000 of which are extant) have been identified, grouped into several orders. They are small crustaceans, typic ...
s. The second layer of rocks has ripple marks and wavy patterns. Since the corals and shells in this layer are broken, the layer is inferred to have formed farther down along the reef shelf, where the corals and shells were exposed to the pounding of the waves. The third layer has rocks full of fossil burrows from marine animals. This layer formed in a still-deeper part of the middle reef under mostly calm conditions. Here, calm waters protected an abundant number of burrowing animals. Along with the fossil burrows are corals,
brachiopod Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, w ...
s, and
echinoderm An echinoderm () is any member of the phylum Echinodermata (). The adults are recognisable by their (usually five-point) radial symmetry, and include starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers, as well as the ...
s. Yet the rocks in the third layer are interspersed with broken and disturbed material, indicating periodic storms. Each of these three layers is divided into smaller and more detailed sublayers. The bluffs are interrupted by a series of lowlands which stretch along a northwest to southeast direction; Sturgeon Bay and the Portes de Mortes passage are two of these lowlands. Beyond the peninsula's northern tip, the partially submerged ridge forms the Potawatomi Islands, which stretch to the Garden Peninsula in the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by ...
. The largest of these is Washington Island. The islands form the Town of Washington and also the southern part of Fairbanks Township in Delta County, Michigan. The lakebed along the scarp face on the Green Bay side has a sharp bottom gradient, while in many places the lakebed of the Lake Michigan side has a more gentle bottom gradient. Areas overlooking the scarp face are attractive locations for houses and communications towers, and the stone of the escarpment is quarried. A former stone quarry five miles northeast of Sturgeon Bay is now a county park. Many caves are found in the escarpment.


Shores

The county has of shoreline. In 2012, of the shoreline along
Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
and Green Bay was surveyed and characterized by type. of the shore was made of artificial materials, while the remaining was natural. Of the natural shorelines, consisted of bedrock and boulders, was sandy, were covered in smaller stones such as shingles, pebbles, and cobbles, and was silty or mucky. Out of the total area surveyed, consisted of a flat coast, consisted of bluffs, consisted of dunes, and consisted of high bluffs taller than .


High points

Esker An esker, eskar, eschar, or os, sometimes called an ''asar'', ''osar'', or ''serpent kame'', is a long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, examples of which occur in glaciated and formerly glaciated regions of Europe and North Ame ...
s are only found in the far southwest corner of the county, but
drumlin A drumlin, from the Irish word ''droimnín'' ("littlest ridge"), first recorded in 1833, in the classical sense is an elongated hill in the shape of an inverted spoon or half-buried egg formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated ...
s and small
moraine A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris ( regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice sh ...
s also occur farther up the peninsula. The Door-Leelanau Ridge is an underwater moraine cutting across Lake Michigan between Door and Leelanau counties. A lacustrine terrace is located in Robert LaSalle Park. The Brussels Hill (, elevation ) is the highest point in the county. The nearby Red Hill Woods is the largest remaining maple–beech forest in the area. Old Baldy () is the state's tallest sand dune at 93 feet above the lake level.


Pollution

The combination of shallow soils and fractured bedrock makes well water contamination more likely. At any given time, at least one-third of private wells may contain bacteria. Mines, prior landfills, and former orchard sites are considered impaired lands and
marked In linguistics and social sciences, markedness is the state of standing out as nontypical or divergent as opposed to regular or common. In a marked–unmarked relation, one term of an opposition is the broader, dominant one. The dominant defau ...
on an electronic county map. A different electronic map shows the locations of private wells polluted with lead, arsenic, and other contaminants down to the
section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...
level. Most air pollution reaching the monitor in Newport State Park comes from outside the county. The stability of air over the Lake Michigan shore along with the lake breezes may increase the concentration of ozone along the shoreline. Additionally, pollution modeling predicts the presence of locally generated air pollution associated with vehicular traffic in the city of Sturgeon Bay.


Soils

The most common USDA soil association in the northern two-thirds of the county is the Summerville-Longrie-Omena. These associated soils typically are less than three feet deep. Altogether, thirty-nine percent of the county is mapped as having less than three feet (about a meter) to the
dolomite Dolomite may refer to: *Dolomite (mineral), a carbonate mineral *Dolomite (rock), also known as dolostone, a sedimentary carbonate rock *Dolomite, Alabama, United States, an unincorporated community *Dolomite, California, United States, an unincor ...
bedrock. Because there is relatively little soil over much of the peninsula and the bedrock is fractured, snowmelt quickly enters the aquifer. This causes seasonal basement flooding in some areas. Soils in the county are
classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...
as "frigid" because they usually have an average annual temperature of less than . The implication of this classification is that county soils are expected to be wetter and have less microbial activity than soils in warmer areas classified as " mesic." County soils are colder than those in inland areas of Wisconsin due to the climate-moderating effects of nearby bodies of water.


Climate

The county has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
(classified as Dfb in Köppen) with warm summers and cold snowy winters. Data from the Peninsular Agricultural Research Station north of the city of Sturgeon Bay gives average monthly temperatures ranging from in the summer down to in the winter. The moderating effects of nearby bodies of water reduce the likelihood of damaging late spring freezes. Late spring freezes are less likely to occur than in nearby areas, and when they do occur, they tend not to be as severe.


Attractions

In 1905, Theodore Roosevelt recommended that the Shivering Sands area be protected. Today this area includes Whitefish Dunes, Kellner's Fen, Shivering Sands wetland complex, and Cave Point County Park.
Hjalmar Holand Hjalmar Rued Holand (October 20, 1872 – August 6, 1963) was a Norwegian-American historian and author. He was the author of a number of books and articles principally dealing with the history of Door County, Wisconsin, of the Upper Midwest and ...
, an Ephraim resident, promoted Door County as a
tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...
destination in the first half of the 20th century. He served on a committee begun in 1927 to protect and promote historical sites, and as a result of this effort the county historical society purchased lands that are now county parks, including Tornado Park, Robert LaSalle Park, Murphy Park, Increase Claflin Park, and the Ridges Sanctuary. Today, most tourists and summer residents come from the metropolitan areas of
Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
,
Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, Green Bay, and the
Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in sta ...
, although Illinois residents are the dominant group both in Door County and farther south along the eastern edge of Wisconsin.


Recreational lands


Lands open to public use

Door County is home to six state parks. Four are on the peninsula: Newport State Park, northeast of Ellison Bay; Peninsula State Park, east of Fish Creek; Potawatomi State Park, along Sturgeon Bay; and Whitefish Dunes State Park along Lake Michigan. Two are located on islands: Rock Island State Park and Grand Traverse Island State Park. In addition to the nature centers located inside the state parks, there are three others outside the parks. There are four State Wildlife and Fishery Areas and also State Natural Areas that allow free public access. Additionally, Plum Island and the of Detroit Island within the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge are seasonally open for public recreation. Besides county, town, and community parks, there is a boy scout camp, a Christian camp, and a public site operated by
The Archaeological Conservancy The Archaeological Conservancy is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that acquires and preserves archaeological sites in the United States. Whereas nearly every other nation protects all archaeological sites within its borders as part of its natio ...
.Life During The End Of The Ice Age: The Cardy site could inform archaeologists about how humans dealt with a challenging environment.
, ''American Archaeology Vol. 14'', No. 3, Fall 2010
A land trust operates 14 privately owned parks open to the public, and of privately owned lands are open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing and cross-country skiing under the Managed Forest Program.


Beaches

Including both the Lake Michigan and Green Bay shores, there are 54 public beaches or boat launches and 39 kayak launch sites, leading to the area's promotion as "the Cape Cod of the Midwest." 35 beaches are routinely monitored for water quality advisories. Although Door County has fewer sunny days than most counties in Wisconsin and Illinois, it also has less rainfall and lower summer temperatures, making for an optimal beach-going climate.


Waters


Boating

In 2012, 8,341 registered boats were kept in the county. Most of the county boating accidents reported in 2012 occurred in Green Bay. A 1989–90 study of recreational boating in Wisconsin found that the county's Green Bay and Lake Michigan waters had a higher frequency of Great Lakes boating than any other county bordering Lake Michigan or Lake Superior. The typical motor used in the county's Green Bay and Lake Michigan waters had a
horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...
over 90, while the typical motor used for inland county waters had a horsepower under 50. Overall, boaters perceived county waters as uncrowded and boater satisfaction was average. An annual race is held for which participants build small plywood boats. The county's longest river canoe route is on the Ahnapee River from County H south to the county line.A Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat and Natural Areas Of Door County, Wisconsin
March 2003, by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Sturgeon Bay Service Center, p. 128, p. 52, p. 23, p. 127 and pp. 52, 83, 85, and 99 (note: pagination in the pdf is one page past the numerical pagination)
Some itineraries connecting the
Great Loop The Great Loop is a system of waterways that encompasses the eastern portion of the United States and part of Canada. It is made up of both natural and man-made waterways, including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, t ...
around the eastern U.S. and through the Mississippi include stops in Door County. A charity holds sailing classes each summer. 1972–1973 surveys of high school juniors and seniors in northeast Wisconsin found that students from Door County were more likely to use sailboats than students from other counties.


=Lakes and ponds

= Besides Lake Michigan and Green Bay, there are 26 lakes, ponds, or marshes and 37 rivers, creeks, streams, and springs in the county. The two deepest lakes, Mackaysee Lake at and Krause Lake at are on Chambers Island.Before They're Gone
by Roy Lukes, ''Wisconsin Natural Resources'', May–June 1986, Volume 10, Number 3, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, page 8
All streams in the county originate within the county; together they have a combined length of , with none more than long. The five trout streams have a combined length of suitable for trout fishing.


=Wetlands

= of wetlands cover 18% of the county's land area. of Door Peninsula Coastal Wetlands are listed under the
Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It ...
as wetlands of international importance. The listing includes three areas previously recognized as "Wetland Gems."


Recognized natural areas

There are 29 state-defined natural areas in the county.


Living plant collections

Living plant collections include the orchid project at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor and the U.S. Potato Genebank and a public garden in Sevastopol.


Animals


Vertebrate species lists

From 1971 through 1976, 11 species of small mammals were found at Toft Point, the Newport State Park Mammals Checklist has 34 species, and in 1972 44 mammals were listed for the entire county. In 1976, 8 amphibians and 7 reptiles were listed as occurring on the Grand Traverse Islands within Door County. In 1978, 8 non-rodent mammals and three squirrels were listed as occurring on the Grand Traverse Islands.
Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Acquisition, Development and Management of Grand Traverse Islands State Park, Door County Wisconsin
' by the Bureau of Environmental Impact, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, June 1978, page 95, (continued) Animals of the Grand Traverse Islands
From 1981 through 1995, 7 species of frogs and toads were recorded in the county. In 1992 six amphibians and eight reptiles were found in and around Potawatomi State Park. In 1981, nine species of reptiles and amphibians were listed for Chambers Island, and in the summer of 2019 six bat species were acoustically detected on the island.


Unique vertebrates

'' Tamias striatus doorsiensis'', a
subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...
of eastern chipmunk, is only found in Door,
Kewaunee Kewaunee is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2020 census. Located on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan, the city is the county seat of Kewaunee County. Its Menominee name is ''Kewāneh' ...
, Northeastern
Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model ...
, and possibly Manitowoc counties.''Tales of the wild: a year with nature'' by Roy Lukes,
entry on worldcat.org
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin: Nature-Wise, 2000, p. 73
In 1999, the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory listed 24 aquatic and 21 terrestrial animals in Door County as "rare."


Birds

, 166 species of birds have been confirmed to live in Door County, excluding birds seen which lack the habitat to nest and must only be passing through. In 2019, 21 bald eagle and three osprey nests were found to be occupied in the county. In 2013 figures, bald eagles occupied 12 nests and ospreys occupied seven nests. In 2008 during the spring migration, 13 species of raptors, 19 species of landbirds, and 9 species of waterfowl were seen crossing between the Door and Garden peninsulas. Reverse migration is occasionally observed in the county. When birds traveling north reach the tip of the peninsula and the islands beyond, the long stretches of water sometimes unnerves them. Instead of crossing over to the Garden Peninsula, they turn around and fly back down the peninsula. During the 20th century, thousands of
herring gulls Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus ''Larus'', all formerly treated as a single species. Three species are still combined in some taxonomies: * American herring gull (''Larus smithsonianus'') - North America * European he ...
were banded on Hat Island to determine their migratory patterns. Banded birds were found as far north as
Hudson Bay Hudson Bay ( crj, text=ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, translit=Wînipekw; crl, text=ᐐᓂᐹᒄ, translit=Wînipâkw; iu, text=ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᓗᐊ, translit=Kangiqsualuk ilua or iu, text=ᑕᓯᐅᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ, translit=Tasiujarjuaq; french: b ...
and as far south as
Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
. Brood parasitism by red-breasted mergansers has been observed on Gravel and Spider islands and on another island known informally as "The Reef." They laid eggs into the nests of
mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argen ...
s,
gadwall The gadwall (''Mareca strepera'') is a common and widespread dabbling duck in the family Anatidae. Taxonomy The gadwall was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. DNA studies have shown that ...
s, and lesser scaups.


Rare bees

The sweat bee ''
Lasioglossum The sweat bee genus ''Lasioglossum'' is the largest of all bee genera, containing over 1700 species in numerous subgenera worldwide.Gibbs, J., et al. (2012)Phylogeny of halictine bees supports a shared origin of eusociality for ''Halictus'' and ...
sagax'' was collected on Ridges Road in 2006. Aside from a single collection from Manitowoc County in 2005, it had previously been found only in Colorado. The
kleptoparasitic Kleptoparasitism (etymologically, parasitism by theft) is a form of feeding in which one animal deliberately takes food from another. The strategy is evolutionarily stable when stealing is less costly than direct feeding, which can mean when f ...
bee ''
Stelis ''Stelis'', or leach orchids, is a large genus of orchids, with perhaps 500 species. The generic name ''Stelis'' is the Greek word for 'mistletoe', referring to the epiphytic habit of these species. These mainly epiphytic (rarely lithophytic) p ...
labiata'' is considered very rare. It was collected at Toft point in 2006. This was only the second time the species had been found in Wisconsin; the earlier collection's county of origin is unknown.


Horseshoe Bay Cave invertebrates

In 2014 an invertebrate survey of Horseshoe Bay Cave found an apparently groundwater-dwelling amphipod of the genus '' Crangonyx''. Groundwater-dwelling ''Crangonyx'' species had never been documented in Wisconsin before. A springtail of the genus ''Pygmarrhopalites'' (a genus name synonymous with ''
Arrhopalites ''Arrhopalites'' is a genus of springtails in the family Sminthuridae Sminthuridae is a family of springtails of the order Symphypleona. Sminthurids are commonly referred to as globular springtails. Description Like other Symphypleona, Smi ...
'') was "found on the surface of drip pools." It appeared to be adapted to cave life and the study concluded that it "could represent an undescribed cave species."


Toft Point invertebrates

In 2004, an invertebrate species list for Toft Point was published listing five isopods, four millipedes, six daddy longlegs, and 113 spiders. Of these, two of the
millipede Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a resu ...
s and 14 of the spiders had never been documented in Wisconsin before.


Spiders

The climate may allow for the better survival of the
northern black widow ''Latrodectus variolus'', the northern black widow spider or northern widow, is a venomous species of spider in the genus '' Latrodectus'' of the family Theridiidae. The population is closely related to the southern black widow, '' Latrodectus m ...
spider. Additionally, the county is home to the fishing spider '' Dolomedes tenebrosus'', which can grow to about , half the size of a tarantula.


Other invertebrates

Kangaroo Lake State Natural Area has the largest breeding population of the endangered Hine's Emerald Dragonfly in the world. Motor vehicles kill an estimated 3,300 of them in the county each year. In 2019, it was reported that out of 14 Hine's Emerald Dragonflies taken from nine locations within the county, all had the same
haplotype A haplotype ( haploid genotype) is a group of alleles in an organism that are inherited together from a single parent. Many organisms contain genetic material ( DNA) which is inherited from two parents. Normally these organisms have their DNA o ...
, indicating a lower degree of
genetic diversity Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, it ranges widely from the number of species to differences within species and can be attributed to the span of survival for a species. It is dis ...
. The dragonflies had been caught in the 1990s for other research. The Lake Huron locust lives on dunes in the county and is not found anywhere else in the state. From 1996 to 2001, researchers identified 69 species of snails in the county, including rare species. Research on apple maggots infesting cherries in Door County contributed to the study of
sympatric speciation Sympatric speciation is the evolution of a new species from a surviving ancestral species while both continue to inhabit the same geographic region. In evolutionary biology and biogeography, sympatric and sympatry are terms referring to organi ...
in the 1970s. In the 20th century, seven fish parasites were found in Hibbards Creek and 13 in Sturgeon Bay. During an experiment an estimated several thousand Mayflies hatched in Sawyer Harbor in 2016. They had previously been extirpated. From April to September 2016, 43 species of insects were found to pollinate 26 species of plants near the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. Bryozoans have been noticed clinging to piers.


By season


Springtime

Maple syrup production was 983 gallons in 2017 from seven operations. This was similar to figures from 2012, but down from 2007 when 15 operations produced 2,365 gallons. The sucker
run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
, which was a popular fishing event in the 19th century, occurs in March and April. Suckers may be taken by frame dip nets, and the sucker run is also sought out as viewing opportunity. Another permitted method of fishing for suckers is by speargun. In April 2018, the state speargun record for longnose sucker was taken by out of Door County waters on the Lake Michigan side. It weighed and was long. In April 2020, the all-methods state record for longnose sucker was caught out of Shivering Sands Creek. It weighed and was long.Wisconsin Record Fish List
January 2021, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources'' (The records are current as of January 2021.)
Another attraction is mushroom hunting on public land. Additionally, there are two commercial mushroom operations.


Summer

In 2017, there were ten operations growing of strawberries. In 2017, there were eight operations harvesting of fresh cut herbs, up from in 2012. Two of these operations grow lavender on Washington Island. In Baileys Harbor,
religious tourism Religious tourism, spiritual tourism, sacred tourism, or faith tourism, is a type of tourism with two main subtypes: pilgrimage, meaning travel for religious or spiritual purposes, and the viewing of religious monuments and artefacts, a branch of ...
includes the Blessing of the Fleet. Door County has a history of strawberry, apple,
cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The n ...
, and plum growing that dates back to the 19th century. Farmers were encouraged to grow fruit on the basis of the relatively mild climate on the peninsula. This is due to the moderating effects of the lake and bay on nearby land temperatures. U-pick orchards and fruit stands can be found along country roads when in season, and there are two cherry processors. However, the cherry and apple businesses have declined since peaking in 1941 and 1964 respectively due to concerns about pesticides, lack of migrant labor and a difficulty in finding local help, the closure of processing plants, unpredictable harvests, the introduction of '' Drosophila suzukii'', land-use competition with tourism and residential development, better growing conditions to the east in the fruit belt, such as the nearby Traverse City area, and intentional destruction of a portion of the crop ordered by the processor in order to drive up prices. In 2017, there were only of tart cherry orchards, down from 2012 when there were . Lightning bugs become common by the end of June.


Fall

Additionally, there were of apple orchards in 2017, down from in 2012. In 2017, there were of pear orchards, spread among 11 operations. In 2017, there was only of plum orchards, spread among four operations. In 2007, there were of apricot orchards, spread among six operations. Research on the development of cold-hardy peaches has continued since the 1980s. In 2012, there were two acres of peach orchards, spread among seven operations. In 2017, there were of vineyards, down from in 2012. The county was recognized as part of a larger federally designated wine grape-growing region in 2012. In 2021, a county total of 3,940 deer were killed as a total of all deer hunting seasons, up from the total harvest of 4,166 deer in 2020. In 2020, the county had the 6th highest deer density in the state with 56 deer per square mile of habitat. Another autumn activity is
leaf peeping __NOTOC__ Leaf peeping is an informal term in the United States and Canada for the activity in which people travel to view and photograph the fall foliage in areas where leaves change colors in autumn, particularly in northern New England, Appalac ...
.


Winter

Winter attractions include ice fishing, sledding, cross-country skiing, camping, broomball, pond hockey, snowmobiling, watching lake freighters in Sturgeon Bay, and Christmas tree farms. In 2017, 860 Christmas trees were cut, down from 1,929 in 2012. The county has a white Christmas nearly 60% of the time.


Culture


Lighthouses and historical sites

Including both Lake Michigan and Green Bay shorelines, there are 50 total lights and lighthouses, besides lighted buoys. Out of these, there are 10 historically significant lighthouse structures and sets of lights still serving as navigational lights. Most of them were built during the 19th century and are listed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
: Baileys Harbor Range Lights, Cana Island Lighthouse, Chambers Island Lighthouse,
Eagle Bluff Light The Eagle Bluff Light, also known as Eagle Bluff lighthouse, or simply Eagle Bluff, is a lighthouse located near Ephraim in Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin. Construction was authorized in 1866, but the lighthouse was not actually ...
house, Pilot Island Lighthouse, Plum Island Range Lights, Pottawatomie Lighthouse, and Sturgeon Bay Canal Lighthouse. Other functioning historic lighthouses in the county include the
Sherwood Point Light The Sherwood Point lighthouse is a lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at ...
house and the Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Light.More Door County Lighthouses
. Door County Maritime Museum an
Wisconsin Coastal Lighthouses Tour
electronic map, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program
The Boyer Bluff Light is mounted on an 80-foot skeletal tower.Boyer Bluff (Wisconsin)
''United States Lighthouse Society''
In addition, the Baileys Harbor Light is a non-functioning 19th century lighthouse. Thirteen historical sites are marked in the state maritime trail for the area in addition to nine roadside
historical markers A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
. In Sturgeon Bay, the tugboat '' John Purves'' is operated as a museum ship. Including lighthouses, the county has 72 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are 214 known confirmed and unconfirmed shipwrecks listed for the county, including the SS ''Australasia'', ''
Christina Nilsson Christina Nilsson, Countess de Casa Miranda, also called Christine Nilsson (20 August 1843 – 22 November 1921) was a Swedish dramatic coloratura soprano. Possessed of a pure and brilliant voice of first three then two and a half octaves tra ...
'', '' Fleetwing'', SS ''Frank O'Connor'', '' Grape Shot'', '' Green Bay'', ''
Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
'', '' Iris'', SS ''Joys'', SS ''Lakeland'', '' Meridian'', ''
Ocean Wave In fluid dynamics, a wind wave, water wave, or wind-generated water wave, is a surface wave that occurs on the free surface of bodies of water as a result from the wind blowing over the water surface. The contact distance in the direction of t ...
'', and ''
Success Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of expectations. It may be viewed as the opposite of failure. The criteria for success depend on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One person migh ...
''. The SS ''Louisiana'' sank during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Some shipwrecks are used for wreck diving. Buildings made from cordwood construction survive in the county, especially in the Bailey's Harbor area. Some, such as the Blacksmith Inn, are covered with clapboards on the outside. It has been speculated that the use of stovewood in the county was associated with German immigrants and was also due to the lack of manpower needed to haul heavy logs.


Food

Agritourism Agritourism or agrotourism involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. Types A 2018 article published in the ''Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development'' classified a ...
and culinary tourism supports food production. Cooking classes are offered to tourists. Distinctive foods in the area include: * cherry pie * Belgian pie * rhubarb pie * cherry
kuchen Kuchen (), the German word for cake, is used in other languages as the name for several different types of savory or sweet desserts, pastries, and gateaux. Most Kuchen have eggs, flour and sugar as common ingredients while also, but not always ...
* apple kuchen * rødgrød * rhubarb salad * rhubarb cake * rhubarb torte * cherry torte * raspberry marmalade Linzer torte * chicken caps–broiled mushroom caps coated in chicken spread and nuts * chocolate
kraut ''Kraut'' is a German word recorded in English from 1918 onwards as an ethnic slur for a German, particularly a German soldier during World War I and World War II. Its earlier meaning in English was as a synonym for sauerkraut, a traditional Cen ...
cookiesImmanuel Cookbook: from members and friends of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin. Compiled by Immanuel Luther League, Printed by On Time Publishing, Sister Bay, Wisconsin, 1996, pp. 174, 193, 199, 41, 161, 187, 183, 7, and 125 * cooked rhubarb juice diluted with water and sweetened with sugar * apricot pockets * cherry tartsThe Gift to Be Simple bread book : --a Door County journey with recipes
(worldcat entry) by Carol Hoehn and Bill Hoehn, Fish Creek, Wisconsin: Dancing Bears' Press, 1995, pp. 33 and 35
* chopped cherry jam * cherry soup * Norwegian frugt suppe * cherry bread pudding * dried cherries * limpa bread * skorpaDoor County's Quiet Side (#811)
''YouTube'', Around the Corner with John McGivern, March 21, 2019, ''Milwaukee PBS'' (Archived April 30, 2019), also on
Vimeo
'
*
æbleskiver ''Æbleskiver'' (, ingular: ''æbleskive'' are Danish snacks that are spherical in shape. The name literally means "apple slices" in Danish, although apples are not usually an ingredient in present-day versions. The crust is similar in texture to ...
–Icelandic pancakes * Norwegian and Swedish pancakes * green
tomato jam Tomato jam (also referred to as tomato jelly) is a type of fruit preserve prepared with tomatoes and sugar. Overview Green tomatoes are used in some preparations. Some preparations may use honey, and some include bacon. It has been described a ...
* plum pudding with flaming brandy sauce * baked pears with cheese * cheese curds * fried perch * smoked chubs * fish boil–fuel oil flare up originated in the county to entertain tourists * booyah–did not originate in Europe * Belgian trippe–
sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...
made with stomach lining * lapskaus–Norwegian potato stew * hash brown sandwichBrussels Countryside Diner entry
travelwisconsin.com, accessed December 10, 2019


Scandinavian heritage

Scandinavian heritage-related attractions include
The Clearing Folk School The Clearing Folk School, usually called just The Clearing, is a continuing education institution located near Ellison Bay, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded by Jens Jensen in 1935. A successful landscape architect, Jensen began acquiri ...
, two
stave church A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the building's structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts ar ...
es, structures in Rock Island State Park furnished with
rune Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, and for specialised ...
-inscribed furniture, and Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, which features goats on its grassy roof. In Ephraim, the Ephraim Village Hall, Village Hall, the Ephraim Moravian Church, Moravian and Bethany Lutheran Church, Ephraim, Lutheran churches, and the Peter Peterson House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as is the L. A. Larson & Co. Store building in Sturgeon Bay. Although fish boils have been attributed to Scandinavian tradition, several ethnicities present on the peninsula have traditions of boiling fish. The method common in the county is similar to that of Native Americans.


Industry

In Sturgeon Bay, industrial tourism includes tours of the Bay Shipbuilding Company, List of yachts built by Palmer Johnson, CenterPointe Yacht Services and other manufacturers. In particular, Bay Ship owns a blue gantry crane that dominates the skyline. A cheese factory in Clay Banks conducts public tours.


Arts

Tourism supports an arts community, including weavers, painters, decorative artists, blacksmiths, actors, songwriters, musicians, and hymn-singers. A quilt trail along roadside barns was organized in 2010. The interesting landscape makes it an attractive target for photography. Several photographs have been used for commemorative stamps. A Town of Sturgeon Bay farm was featured on a stamp commemorating the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial in 2004, and a cherry orchard near Brussels was featured on 2012 Earthscapes series stamp.


Sports

Sports tourism includes an underwater hockey team, a motor racetrack in Sturgeon Bay, and a semi-pro football team in Baileys Harbor. A county-wide men's baseball league has eight teams. High school sports teams play in the Packerland Conference, except for girls' swimming and golf, which compete in the Bay Conference. In 2014, Door County ranked 264th out of all 3,141 U.S. counties by number of golf courses and country clubs. The county has nine courses, tying with 42 other counties. Door County had the 87th highest number of courses per resident of all U.S. counties.Social Capital Variables Spreadsheet for 2014
PennState College of Agricultural Sciences, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development


Motorcycling

In 2020, 3,545 motorcycles were registered in the county, up from 1,806 in 2008. A motorcycle club hosts a List of regional Burning Man events#Wisconsin, regional burning man event involving a large wooden cow and maintains the adjacent Wisconsin Motorcycle Memorial.


Flying

In 2021, 49 aircraft were registered in the county, up from 46 aircraft in 2019. During the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, a fish boil is held as a $100 hamburger event at the Washington Island Airport to entice AirVenture conventiongoers to land on the island.


Radio stations


Economy

Door County's economy is considered a "forestry-related tourism"-based economy. In 2020, the total gross domestic product (GDP) of the county was $1.39 billion, with the $274 million manufacturing industry overtaking real estate and rental and leasing that year to become the leading industry in the county at 19.7% of the overall GDP.


Transportation


Land

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), in 2021 Door County had of roadways. In county figures for 2007 there were 1,455 named roads in the county. In 2013 there were of county trunk highways, of local roads, and of state highways. In WisDOT figures for 2018, there were of state highways, of county highways, and of local roads. Altogether, the county's roadways account for 1.10% of Wisconsin's 115,751 miles of public roadway. The county's roadways saw 501 million miles of vehicle travel in 2019, which was 0.43% of the 115.7 billion miles driven statewide that year. The highest volumes of traffic in the county occur on Wisconsin Highway 42, WIS 42/Wisconsin Highway 57, WIS 57 from the junction of the separated highways in Nasewaupee to the bridge over the bay. From 2014 through 2017, fatalities and serious injuries especially occurred on the western side of the peninsula between the bay of Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor. From 2018 through 2020, crashes involving injuries or fatalities peaked in the month of July, on Saturdays, and between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM. The combined WIS 42/WIS 57 separates again at a junction in Sevastapol. Following this separation, WIS 42 continues along the western side of the peninsula and sees more traffic than WIS 57, which continues along the eastern side. The two highways combine again at a junction in Liberty Grove. * Wisconsin Highway 42 (WIS 42) * Wisconsin Highway 57 (WIS 57) * List of Wisconsin Scenic Byways#Door County Coastal Byway, Door County Coastal Byway (WIS 42 and WIS 57) north of Sturgeon Bay to Northport is classified as a Wisconsin Scenic Byway and National Scenic Byway. There are five Rustic Road (Wisconsin), rustic roads in the county. In addition to state-recognized rustic roads, Liberty Grove manages a heritage roads program. there were 12 heritage roads in the town. There are of snowmobile trails, which are opened as trails are groomed.


Non-motorized

* The Ahnapee State Trail connects Sturgeon Bay to Kewaunee, Wisconsin, Kewaunee, winter snowmobile access is dependent on weather and trail grooming. Although the Ice Age Trail coincides with most of the Ahnapee State Trail, the Ice Age Trail forks away in the City of Sturgeon Bay and reaches its northern terminus at Potawatomi State Park. Mountain bike trails are located in three of the state parks. * WIS 42 and WIS 57 are part of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. * Egg Harbor operates a free public bicycle-sharing system, limited to daylight hours within the village during the tourist season.


Bridges across Sturgeon Bay

* Sturgeon Bay Bridge, (also called Michigan Street Bridge), truss structure, William Donald Scherzer#Career, Scherzer-type, double-leaf, rolling-lift bascule with overhead counter-weights * Oregon Street Bridge (reinforced concrete slab, rolling lift bascule girder with mechanical driven center locks) * Bayview Bridge (monolithic concrete placed on structural deck with steel girder superstructure, open grating on deck, bascule bridge, bascule)


Ground transportation

A daily private shuttle service operates between Green Bay–Austin Straubel International Airport and Sturgeon Bay. The nearest List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin, intercity bus stop with regular service is in Green Bay. There are multiple private and public ground transportation services within the county, but none with regularly scheduled stops for the general public.


Air

There are eleven airports in the county, including private or semi-public airports. *Door County Cherryland Airport (KSUE), medium general aviation, public use, west of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin *Ephraim–Gibraltar Airport (3D2), small general aviation, public use, southwest of Ephraim, Wisconsin *Washington Island Airport (2P2), small general aviation, public use *Crispy Cedars Airport, Brussels (7WI8), private, but open to visitors with advance notice *Door County Memorial Hospital Heliport, allows for air ambulance service to the hospital from remote areas of the county and for flying patients to Green Bay. *Chambers Island Airport, private *Five other small airports


Water


Ferries

* Washington Island is served by two ferry routes operating between the Door Peninsula and Detroit Harbor, Wisconsin, Detroit Harbor. One route is a 30-minute ride on a freight, automobile, and passenger ferry that departs from the Northport, Door County, Wisconsin, Northport Pier at the northern terminus of Wisconsin Highway 42, WIS 42. This ferry makes approximately 225,000 trips per year. Another route is a 20- minute ride on a Ferry#Foot ferry, passenger-only ferry which departs from the unincorporated community of Gills Rock, Wisconsin, Gills Rock. * Rock Island State Park is reachable by the passenger ferry ''Karfi'' from Washington Island. During winter Rock Island is potentially accessible via snowmobile and foot traffic. * Although Chambers Island has no regularly scheduled ferry, there are boat operators which transport people to the island on call from Fish Creek.


Boat ramps and marinas

* There are 30 public Slipway, boat access sites in the county. The Lake Michigan State Water Trail follows most county shorelines.


Population and its health


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, census of 2020, the population was 30,066. The population density was . There were 23,738 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White (U.S. Census), White, 0.5% Black (U.S. Census), Black or African American (U.S. Census), African American, 0.5% Native American (U.S. Census), Native American, 0.5% Asian (U.S. Census), Asian, 1.6% from Race and ethnicity in the United States census, other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.8% Hispanic (U.S. Census), Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census), Latino of any race.


2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census, 2000 census, there were 27,961 people, 11,828 households, and 7,995 families residing in the county. The population density was 58 people per square mile (22/km2). There were 19,587 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.84% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.4% were of German people, German and 10.3% belgian people, Belgian ancestry. A small pocket of Wisconsin Walloon, Walloon speakers forms the only Walloon-language region outside of Wallonia and its immediate neighbors. Out of a total of 11,828 households, 58.10% were Marriage in the United States#Marital status in the U.S. in the year 2000, married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.84. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males. 22.10% of the population was under the age of 18,Wisconsin: 2000 Summary Population and Housing Characteristics
2000 Census of Population and Housing, November 2002, ''US Census Bureau'', pages 10–11 (pages 23–24 of the pdf)
a decrease from 25.9% being under the age of 18 in the 1990 United States census, 1990 census.) Additionally, 6.10% were aged from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, and 27.70% from 45 to 64.


Births, deaths, and migration

In 2020, there were 192 births, giving a general fertility rate of 51.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 15th lowest rate out of 72 Wisconsin counties. Between April 2010 and January 2021, there were an estimated 2,257 births and 3,606 deaths in the county. Although the greater number of deaths served to decrease the population by an estimated 1,349 people, this was more than offset by a net gain of 2,654 people who moved in from outside the county. Altogether, the population increased by an estimated 1,305 persons during this period. Based on 5-year ACS estimates, Door County is thought to have had a net loss of residents to other counties from 2009 to 2015 and also in 2018, but a net gain from other counties in 2016-2017 and 2019.


Most elderly and youthful communities

From ACS data from 2014 to 2018, the most elderly community in the county was the village of Ephraim with a median age of 65.4, the seventh most elderly out of all 1965 cities, Administrative divisions of Wisconsin#Town, towns, and Administrative divisions of Wisconsin#Village, villages having available data. Following Ephraim was Egg Harbor with a median age of 64.0, the 14th most elderly in the state, Sister Bay with a median age of 63.4, tied with Sherman, Iron County, Wisconsin, Sherman in Iron County as the 18th most elderly, Washington Island with a median age of 62.9, tied with Union, Burnett County, Wisconsin, Union in Burnett County as the 22nd most elderly, Liberty Grove, Wisconsin, Liberty Grove with a median age of 62.4, tied with Lakewood, Wisconsin, Lakewood in Oconto County as the 26th most elderly, Egg Harbor with a median age of 59.8, tied with three other towns as the 55th most elderly, Gibraltar with a median age of 59.4, tied with the Radisson (town), Wisconsin, town of Raddison in Sawyer county as the 64th most elderly, and Bailey's Harbor with a median age of 58.5, tied with Big Bend, Rusk County, Wisconsin, Big Bend in Rusk County as the 83rd most elderly. The youngest community in Door County was the Forestville, Wisconsin, village of Forestville with a median age of 39.0. It tied with 12 other communities as the 429th youngest community in the state. Following the village of Forestville was the city of Sturgeon Bay with a median age of 42.8, tied with 9 other communities as the 742nd youngest in the state, Brussels with a median age of 46.9, tied with 8 other communities as the 1163rd youngest in the state, the Forestville (town), Wisconsin, town of Forestville with a median age of 47.4, tied with 9 other communities as the 1222nd youngest in the state, and Gardner, Wisconsin, Gardner with a median age of 49.4, tied with 15 other communities as the 1434th youngest in the state.p01213b
spreadsheet by Eric Grosso, Office on Aging, Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Based on ACS data from 2013 to 2017, the county had a median age of 52.4 years old, tied with Florence County, Wisconsin, Florence as the fifth most elderly of all Wisconsin counties.Profiles of Persons Ages 65 and Older
Wisconsin Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources, Eric Grosso
This was an increase from the 2000 census, which reported a county median age of 43 years. In the 2000 census, 18.70% of the county population was 65 years of age or older. By 2015, the percentage of elderly climbed, with 25.8% of the population being 65 or older, the third highest in the state.The Green Book: A book of county facts
Forward Analytics, Wisconsin Counties Association, 2019, p. 13, (p. 19 of the pdf)
From 2013 to 2017, 36.8% of the 9,358 households in the county included children, based on the ACS 5-year estimate, compared to 44.2% for Wisconsin in 2017, based on the ACS one-year estimate.


Religious statistics

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Door County was the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Catholics, with 9,325 adherents worshipping at six parishes, followed by 2,982 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA Lutherans with seven congregations, 2,646 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, WELS Lutherans with seven congregations, 872 Moravian Church in North America, Moravians with three congregations, 834 United Methodist Church, United Methodists with four congregations, 533 Nondenominational Christianity, non-denominational Christians with six congregations, 503 Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, LCMS Lutherans with two congregations, 283 Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, LCMC Lutherans with one congregation, 270 Converge (Baptist denomination), Converge Baptists with three congregations, 213 Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopalians with one congregation, 207 United Church of Christ, UCC Christians with one congregation, and 593 other adherents. Altogether, 69.3% of the population was counted as adherents of a religious congregation. In 2014, Door County had the 719th-most religious organizations per resident out of all 3,141 U.S. counties, with 34 religious organizations in the county.


Marriages

Five-year American Community Survey, ACS data from 2012 to 2016 show that an estimated 24.6% of women aged 45–54 in the county had never been married, the 69th highest percentage of never-married women in this age bracket out of 3,130 U.S. counties reporting data. The ACS estimate also found that 75.9% of women aged 35–44 were married, the 389th highest number of married women in this age bracket out of 3,136 counties reporting data. 13.4% of births were to unmarried women; the county was tied with three other counties in having the 180th lowest percentage of births to unmarried women out of 3,021 counties reporting data.Social Capital Project: Social Capital Index Data
accompanying the U.S. Congress, Joint Economic Committee, Social Capital Project. “The Geography of Social Capital in America.” Report prepared by the Vice Chairman's staff, 115th Cong., 2nd Sess. (April 2018)
In 2017, the county had the 25th-most marriages and 44th-most divorces out of all Wisconsin counties. September had the most marriages, with 68. In 2016 the county was the 45th-most populous in the state.


Public health

In most measures of public health for 2019, the county has figures as healthy as or healthier than those of the entire state. In 2017–2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System figures, adults in Door County have the highest incidence of arthritis, high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol, kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke when compared to adults in Wisconsin counties to the south along the Lake Michigan shore. Among the same counties, Door County has the second lowest incidence of asthma and the loss of all teeth, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes rates are the second highest. When compared to counties directly to the north in the Upper Peninsula, health outcomes in Door County tend to be about the same or better, with mixed results when comparing Door County with Wisconsin counties directly to the west across Green Bay. According to calculations based on 2010–2014 data, children born in Door County have a life expectancy of 80.9 years, the ninth highest of Wisconsin's 72 counties. From 2000 to 2010, the county's premature death rate for people under 75 fell 35.0%, the second-greatest reduction in Wisconsin. Much of the county is thought to be far enough away from a maternity ward to cause some babies to be born outside of a maternity ward unintentionally, and the very northern part of the peninsula and Washington Island together account for one of only three populated areas in the state which are at least 30 miles away from a maternity ward. In December 2018, Door County residents aged 18–64 were less likely to be receiving Supplemental Security Income, government payments for disability than the averages for Wisconsin and the United States as a whole. Five-year ACS estimates for 2012–2016 found that Door County tied with 24 other counties in having the 573rd lowest percentage of disabled residents under 65 out of all 3,145 U.S. counties. 9.3% were disabled. According to 2015-2019 ACS estimates, 8.66% of Door County's population are veterans. 20.36% of the county's veterans have a disability, compared to 9.07% for the county as a whole. In 2019 there were 422 veterans in the county receiving compensation for a service-connected disability. 64 were aged 17–44, 84 were aged 45–64, and 274 were 65 or older. 391 were male and 31 were female. Disability ratings varied with 146 rating up to 20% disabled, 68 rating from 20%–60%, 84 rating from 70%–90% disabled, and 59 who were rated as 100% disabled. From 2009 to 2013 the county had the highest skin cancer rate in the state. A CDC survey of people reporting frequent mental distress (14–30 mentally unhealthy days in the last 30 days, data aggregated over 2003–2009) found that people in Door County were more likely to be distressed than those in most List of counties in Wisconsin, Wisconsin counties, but less likely to be distressed than those in the heavily urbanized southeast portion of the state. In 2018 figures for Medicare recipients, the county had the second-lowest prevalence of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders in the state at 1.03%, although data was only available for 71 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Nationally the county had the 87th lowest prevalence of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The county also ranked 51st lowest in the state for depression at 16.13% of Medicare recipients. With a rate of 9.53 county-medicated children per 1000 children, Door County had the fourth highest rate in the state out of all 27 counties and multi-county social services agencies reporting statistics on the psychiatric medication of minors in 2019. Out of the 51 medicated minors in 2021, 27 were female and 24 were male, 39 were white, 9 were of an unknown race, and 3 belonged to another race or was multiracial. Out of all races, 7 were ethnically Hispanic/Latino In 2019, the county Behavioral Health Unit had 185 clients, up from 142 in 2018. In 2017–2019 figures, 15.0% of the county's adult population smoked, the fourth lowest in the state and 275th lowest nationally. In 2017, three people died from drug abuse, up from two in 2016.For 2016 statistics, se
Wisconsin Public Health Profile for Door County
2016, Office of health informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services For 2017 statistics, se
Wisconsin Public Health Profile for Door County
2017, Office of health informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
In 2021 figures from a national health statistics program, Door County ranked 27th highest out of all counties nationally for adults either binge drinking or drinking heavy amounts of alcohol. 27.5% of adults surveyed in the county reported either binge or heavy drinking within the last thirty days, with an error margin between 26%–29%. In 2018, Door County ranked 88th nationally for the lowest percentage of Medicare recipients who abused drugs or substances. It also had state's lowest prevalence of drug and substance abuse with 1.17% of Medicare recipients abusing drugs or substances. It also had the second lowest prevalence of alcohol abuse among Medicare recipients out of all Wisconsin counties. 1.36% of the 6,403 Medicare recipients in the county were known to abuse alcohol, which was less than the national average of 2.08%. It also ranked the lowest in the state for chronic kidney disease at 17.68% of Medicare recipients. In 2018, 3.65% of all Medicare Part D prescriptions were for opioids, less than the state average of 4.67% and the national average of 4.68%. 4,376 Medicare claims in the county were for opioids and involved 66 different prescribers. Of the 4,376 claims, 624 of them (14.26%) involved long-acting opioids, which contain more drug, have a larger Opioid use disorder, potential for misuse and addiction, and are of significant concern in the opioid epidemic in the United States. Although 14.26% was less than the state average of 14.47%, it was greater than the national average of 11.79%. Both the overall Medicare Part D opioid prescription rate and the rate for long-acting opioids decreased between 2013 and 2018. In 2020, 15 deaths from opioid related overdoses were reported in the county. The prevalence of arthritis in the county was the highest in the state at 38.03% of Medicare recipients, respectively. Nationally, Door County ranked 92nd highest for the most cancer among Medicare recipients, and it was also the top ranking county in the state with 9.98% of Medicare recipients having cancer.Medicare Chronic Conditions Dashboard
County Level, ''U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services''
Out of all Wisconsin counties and for all ages, Door County had the ninth lowest age-adjusted death rate for cancer in 2015–2019 figures.


COVID-19

On March 25, 2020, non-essential businesses were closed under the statewide COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin#Stay at home, Safer at Home order, with the first case in the county reported on March 30. After a Wisconsin Supreme Court#Stay at home order, ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the statewide order, the county board extended the quarantine until May 19, 2020. Some businesses were impacted by the coronavirus-related suspension of the J-1 visa program; no Economy of Door County, Wisconsin#Reliance on immigrant and foreign student labor, foreign students received visas to work in Door County in 2020. Meal sites for the elderly remained closed and did not reopen until June 7, 2021. Additionally, the county Adult Protective Services experienced a 70.7% drop in referrals in 2020 with only 115 new referrals submitted. This was due to elderly not leaving their homes as often and not having contact with people who typically file allegations with the Adult Protective Services.Amended Agenda, Monday, June 8, 2020
Door County Health and Human Services Board, "Section II, Noteworthy Data Trends", page 3 (page 9 of the pdf)
Previously the volume of allegations of self-neglect, abuse, and financial exploitation had increased from 61 referrals in 2007 to 392 referrals in 2019. Reports of child abuse and neglect decreased from 433 in 2019 to 396 in 2020; this was due to children not seeing teachers, medical professionals, or other Mandatory reporting in the United States, mandated reporters. In 2021, both counts increased, with 121 APS referrals and 517 CPS reports for the year. Coronavirus statistics are updated weekly by the Door County Public Health Office, and vaccination figures are published by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Crime

In 2020, there were 208 felony cases prosecuted by the county, up from 195 cases in 2019 and 171 in 2018. No trials were held concerning any of the felony cases in 2020. In 2019, 3 cases went to trial, down from 6 in 2018. The county has been a focus of sex-trafficking enforcement efforts. From 2015 to 2020 there were no reports of sex-trafficking in the county. In 2014, the voluntary intoxication defense in Wisconsin was repealed due to outcry following its use during a trial in Door County. Initially the trial ended with a hung jury but a retrial resulted in a conviction.


Communities


Incorporated communities


City

* Sturgeon Bay (county seat)


Villages

* Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, Egg Harbor * Ephraim, Wisconsin, Ephraim * Forestville, Wisconsin, Forestville * Sister Bay, Wisconsin, Sister Bay


Towns

* Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, Baileys Harbor (Cana Island is in the Town of Baileys Harbor) * Brussels, Wisconsin, Brussels * Clay Banks, Wisconsin, Clay Banks * Egg Harbor (town), Wisconsin, Egg Harbor * Forestville (town), Wisconsin, Forestville * Gardner, Wisconsin, Gardner * Gibraltar, Wisconsin, Gibraltar (the Strawberry Islands, Hat Island (Wisconsin), Hat, Horseshoe Island (Wisconsin), Horseshoe, and Chambers Island are in the Town of Gibraltar) * Jacksonport, Wisconsin, Jacksonport * Liberty Grove, Wisconsin, Liberty Grove (Gravel Island (Wisconsin), Gravel Island, Spider Island (Wisconsin), Spider Island, and the Sister Islands (Wisconsin), Sister Islands are in the Town of Liberty Grove) * Nasewaupee, Wisconsin, Nasewaupee * Sevastopol, Wisconsin, Sevastopol * Sturgeon Bay (town), Wisconsin, Sturgeon Bay * Union, Door County, Wisconsin, Union * Washington Island, Door County, Wisconsin, Washington Island


Unincorporated communities

* Brussels (community), Wisconsin, Brussels * Carlsville, Wisconsin, Carlsville * Carnot, Wisconsin, Carnot * Detroit Harbor, Wisconsin, Detroit Harbor * Fish Creek * Gills Rock, Wisconsin, Gills Rock * Idlewild, Wisconsin, Idlewild * Institute, Wisconsin, Institute * Jacksonport (community), Wisconsin, Jacksonport * Juddville, Wisconsin, Juddville * Kolberg, Wisconsin, Kolberg * Maplewood, Wisconsin, Maplewood * Namur, Wisconsin, Namur * North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, North Bay * Northport * Peninsula Center, Wisconsin, Peninsula Center * Rosiere, Wisconsin, Rosiere (partially in Kewaunee County) * Rowleys Bay, Wisconsin, Rowleys Bay * Salona, Wisconsin, Salona * Shoemaker Point, Wisconsin, Shoemaker Point * Valmy, Wisconsin, Valmy * Vignes, Wisconsin, Vignes * Washington (community), Wisconsin, Washington * West Jacksonport, Wisconsin, West Jacksonport * Whitefish Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, Whitefish Bay * Baileys Harbor (CDP), Wisconsin, Baileys Harbor * Ellison Bay * Little Sturgeon, Wisconsin, Little Sturgeon


Former communities


Absorbed into Sturgeon Bay

* Sawyer, Wisconsin, Sawyer * Stevens Hill, Wisconsin, Stevens Hill


Sites used as parks

* Rock Island, Wisconsin, Rock Island (settlement on island), now Rock Island State Park * Newport (community), now Newport State Park * Williamsonville, now Tornado Memorial County Park


Adjacent counties


By land

* Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, Kewaunee County - south


In Green Bay

* Brown County, Wisconsin, Brown County - southwest * Oconto County, Wisconsin, Oconto County - west * Marinette County, Wisconsin, Marinette County - northwest * Menominee County, Michigan - northwest


Along the Rock Island Passage

* Delta County, Michigan - north; Eastern Time Zone


In Lake Michigan

* Leelanau County, Michigan - northeast and east; Eastern Time Zone * Benzie County, Michigan - southeast; Eastern Time Zone


Notable people

* Robert C. Bassett (1911–2000), U.S. presidential advisor * Jule Berndt (1924–1997), pastor * Norbert Blei (1935–2013), writer * Gene Brabender (1941–1996), baseball player * Hans Christian (musician), Hans Christian (born 1960), musician * Jessie Kalmbach Chase (1879–1970), painter * Eddie Cochems (1877–1953), "Father of the Forward Pass" * Erik Cordier (born 1986), baseball player * Katherine Whitney Curtis (1897–1980), originator of synchronized swimming * A. J. Dillon (born 1998), Green Bay Packers running back, has the Freedom of the City#Key to the City, key to the county * Mary Maples Dunn (1931–2017), historian * John Fetzer (politician), John Fetzer (1840–1900), mill owner, Wisconsin State Senator * Jim Flanigan (born 1971), football player * Lou Goss (born 1987), racecar driver * Chris Greisen (born 1976), Milwaukee Iron quarterback (Arena Football League (2010–), AFL) * Nick Greisen (born 1979), Denver Broncos linebacker (NFL) * Stuart Hagmann (born 1942), film and television director * Bernard Hahn (1860–1931), Wisconsin State Representative, hotel and opera house owner, arsonist * Arthur G. Hansen (1925–2010), engineer, university president and chancellor. *
Hjalmar Holand Hjalmar Rued Holand (October 20, 1872 – August 6, 1963) was a Norwegian-American historian and author. He was the author of a number of books and articles principally dealing with the history of Door County, Wisconsin, of the Upper Midwest and ...
(1872–1963), historian * Jens Jensen (1860–1951), landscape architect * Jischke's Meat Market, M. J. Jischke (born 1885), butcher, postmaster * Al Johnson (guard), Al Johnson, (born 1979), football player * Ben Johnson (offensive tackle), Ben Johnson (born 1980), football player * Bill Jorgenson (1930 – 2007), bluegrass musician * Al C. Kalmbach (1910–1981), publisher * Henry Killilea (1863–1929), helped found American League * Curly Lambeau (1898–1965), football player and coach * Doug Larson (1926–2017), newspaper writer * James Larsin (b. 1855), saved seven people from drowning * Lester Leitl (1899–1980), football player and coach * Pat MacDonald (musician), Pat MacDonald (born 1952), once part of Timbuk 3, runs Steel Bridge Songfest * Amy McKenzie (born 1959), producer/director * Thomas J. Minar (born 1963), sex offender * Edward S. Minor (1840–1924), U.S. Representative * Alex Meunier (1897–1983), teacher, orchardist, Wisconsin State Senator * Conrad P. Olson (1882–1952), Oregon Supreme Court justice * Sigurd F. Olson (1899–1982), wilderness guide * Alexander Noble House, Alexander Noble (1829–1905), town official in Fish Creek * Charles L. Peterson, (1927–2022), painter * Casey Rabach (born 1977), Washington Redskins center (NFL) * David M. Raup (1933–2015), paleontologist * Hugh M. Raup (1901–1995), ecologist * Dennis A. Reed (born 1822), Wisconsin State Representative, Civil War lieutenant * Charles Reynolds (legislator), Charles Reynolds (1839–1914), Wisconsin State Representative, Civil War captain * Thomas Reynolds (Assemblyman), Thomas Reynolds (1840–1919), Wisconsin State Representative, patriarch of Wisconsin political dynasty * Jack Ritchie (1922–1983), writer of detective fiction * Hallie H. Rowe (1896–1992), sheriff, Wisconsin State Assemblyman * Paul J. Schlise (born 1966), U.S. Navy admiral * John Shinners (born 1947), football player * Paul Sills (1927–2008), director, improvisation teacher * Allen Thiele (1940–2017), Coast Guard officer * Chester Thordarson (1867–1945), inventor, erected buildings on Rock Island * Emma Toft (1891–1982), resort owner * Madeline Tourtelot (1915–2002), artist, founder of the Peninsula School of Art * James Valcq (born 1963), writer of musicals * Thorstein Veblen (1857–1929), economist * Richard Warch (1939–2013), president of Lawrence University * Lloyd Wasserbach (1921–1949), football player * Charles Mitchell Whiteside (1854–1924), helped merge Sawyer and Sturgeon Bay * Randy Wright (born 1961), Green Bay Packers quarterback (NFL) * Albert Zahn (1894–1953), folk artist known as the birdman


Politics

From May through August 2019, a randomized study asked 313 beachgoers visiting 27 Door County beaches and 85 beachgoers visiting three beaches in Algoma, Kewaunee, and Manitowoc which political party they belonged to. Out of the total 398 people surveyed, 38.4% were Democratic, 26% Republican, 19.6% Independent, 1% Green, 1% Libertarian, 2.2% Other, and 11.8% gave no response. The county has voted more moderately Republican than nearby Brown, Kewaunee and Manitowoc Counties ever since 1940, only voting for a Democrat in 1964 United States presidential election in Wisconsin, 1964 and 1996 United States presidential election in Wisconsin, 1996. In addition, the county voted for the winning candidate in every presidential election since 1996. Bill Clinton, President Clinton was the last candidate to win the state without carrying Door County in 1992 United States presidential election, the 1992 presidential election. Up until the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Door County had voted Republican since the 2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2010 gubernatorial election, although this did not have any significant effect on the results.


Gallery


Explanatory notes


References


Further reading

*


External links

*
Door County map
from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Door County Historical Society
* Map of Door Count
articles on Wikipedia
{{authority control Door County, Wisconsin, Populated places established in 1851 1851 establishments in Wisconsin