Door Peninsula Shipwrecks


Book Description

Door County is the final resting place of many shipwrecks, from the first Euro American ship to sail the western Great Lakes, LaSalle's fabled Griffin that left Washington Island in 1679 never to be heard of again, to modern-day pleasure crafts that find the shallow inlets and bays hard to navigate. Door Peninsula Shipwrecks takes the reader on a photographic journey around the peninsula and back to a time of wooden ships and iron men. From Sturgeon Bay to the east coast of the peninsula to the northern islands and Green Bay, the journey encompasses early wooden sail craft to steel steamers, the brave sailors who sailed the treacherous waters, and the heroic lifesavers who rescued them.




Guarding Door County


Book Description

Jutting out of Wisconsin into the blue waters of Lake Michigan, the scenic peninsula of Door County is endowed with the longest coastline of any county in the nation. Since the mid-1800s, the region has boasted a strong maritime industry, dependent on the constant vigilance and efforts of U.S. Coast Guard units. The county has been home to as many as 12 historic light stations, as well as three life-saving stations. Beginning with Pottawatomie Light in 1837 and Sturgeon Bay Canal Life-Saving Station in 1886, keepers and surfmen survived both boredom and peril to ensure safe navigation and commerce, while rescuing those in distress. Through archival photographs, stories of shipwrecks, rescues, service, and pride spring to life. Rare rescue images of the Otter, a schooner which wrecked in 1895, are especially noteworthy.




Stories from the Wreckage


Book Description

Every shipwreck has a story that extends far beyond its tragic end. The dramatic tales of disaster, heroism, and folly become even more compelling when viewed as junction points in history—connecting to stories about the frontier, the environment, immigration, politics, technology, and industry. In Stories from the Wreckage, John Odin Jensen examines a selection of Great Lakes shipwrecks of the wooden age for a deeper dive into this transformative chapter of maritime history. He mines the archeological evidence and historic record to show how their tragic ends fit in with the larger narrative of Midwestern history. Featuring the underwater photography of maritime archeologist Tamara Thomsen, this vibrant volume is a must-have for shipping enthusiasts as well as anyone interested in the power of water to shape history.




History of Door County, Wisconsin


Book Description

Charles Martin's 1881 history of Door County, Wisconsin, provides a brief survey of the early history of the county, as well as descriptions of the towns of Washington, Otumba (Sturgeon Bay), Forestville, Gibralter, Chambers' Island, Brussels, Liberty Grove, Clay Banks, Nasewaupee, Sevastopol, Bailey's Harbor, Gardner, Union, and Jacksonport. Brief biographical sketches of county residents and a county business directory are included.




Sturgeon Bay


Book Description

Stretching midway across Wisconsin's famous Door County peninsula, Sturgeon Bay has developed into the county's business and industrial center. Divided by the waterway it's named after, this small city provided a home to a working waterfront that once housed sawmills and docks for shipping ice, quarried stone, and, later, cherries. A canal dug from Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan in 1880 enabled ships to avoid the long passage over the tip of the peninsula. Sturgeon Bay became a shipbuilding capital, housing three major yards. The lively downtown districts on each side of the bay sported the typical hotels, taverns, stores, and blacksmith shops. Residents took pride in their newly formed schools, churches, and public services such as the Pioneer Fire Department. Families, fortunate to live in a land of great natural beauty, enjoyed recreational pursuits in the woods and on the water, whether it was perch fishing early on a summer morning or skating over the ice on a crisp winter afternoon.




Door County Outdoors


Book Description

A picturesque peninsula with 298 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, state parks, forests, and cozy inns, Door County is one of the Midwest’s prime tourist attractions. Magill Weber explores the many recreational opportunities available to visitors, including secret spots known only to locals and longtime seasonal residents. Wisconsin native Janet Mrazek contributes 125 detailed and easy-to-follow maps. With suggestions of more than 150 scenic hikes, biking and paddling routes, end-of-the-road beaches, lighthouses, and wildlife-watching sites, and descriptions of the local flora and fauna, Door County Outdoors is the ultimate guide for active travelers and nature enthusiasts.




Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes


Book Description

Submerged stories from the inland seas The newest addition to Globe Pequot’s Shipwrecks series covers the sensational wrecks and maritime disasters from each of the five Great Lakes. It is estimated that over 30,000 sailors have lost their lives in Great Lakes wrecks. For many, these icy, inland seas have become their final resting place, but their last moments live on as a part of maritime history. The tales, all true and well-documented, feature some of the most notable tragedies on each of the lakes. Included in many of these tales are legends of ghost ship sighting, ghostly shipwreck victims still struggling to get to shore, and other chilling lore. Sailors are a superstitious group, and the stories are sprinkled with omens and maritime protocols that guide decisions made on the water.




Lainey of the Door Islands


Book Description

Walk with Lainey into the world of Door County and its islands in the late 1800s. A time of shipwrecks, lighthouses, and strong people that never give up. Lighthouse keepers risk their lives every day to save others and protect those on ships on the Great Lakes. But for Lainey, life on tiny Pilot Island is a hard place for summer vacation—Aunt Edith is always making her do chores and fussing at her. And Uncle Otis needs a lot of help to man the lighthouse. When disaster hits, Lainey must find the courage and strength of those who make their lives on these treacherous islands. With humor, faith, close friendships, and a young man who interferes with her ability to think, Lainey becomes a shining light of spunk and grace. Lainey of the Door Islands will touch your heart and show you that even in what feels like the worst circumstances, God has a plan to prosper and not to harm.







A Death in Door County


Book Description

A Wisconsin bookstore owner and cryptozoologist is asked to investigate a series of deaths that just might be proof of a fabled lake monster in this first installment of a new mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Annelise Ryan. Morgan Carter, owner of the Odds and Ends bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin, has a hobby. When she’s not tending the store, she’s hunting cryptids—creatures whose existence is rumored, but never proven to be real. It’s a hobby that cost her parents their lives, but one she’ll never give up on. So when a number of bodies turn up on the shores of Lake Michigan with injuries that look like bites from a giant unknown animal, police chief Jon Flanders turns to Morgan for help. A skeptic at heart, Morgan can’t turn down the opportunity to find proof of an entity whose existence she can’t definitively rule out. She and her beloved rescue dog, Newt, journey to the the strait known as Death’s Door to hunt for a homicidal monster in the lake—but if they’re not careful, she just might be its next victim.