Lighthouse Hop #3: Sturgeon Bay

Continuing my travels towards Door County, I finally reached the threshold – Sturgeon Bay! My exploration of Sturgeon Bay was focused on two structures: the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouse and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light. (Since I had already visited the Sherwood Point Lighthouse, the third lighthouse in Sturgeon Bay, I only visited these two in order to quicken my trip.) Next time I go back to Sturgeon Bay, I definitely want to do more sightseeing and shopping as well as visit the Door County Maritime Museum.

Interesting notes about these two lights are that they are a stone’s throw from each other and are both operated by the Coast Guard, which is very apparent when you arrive. In fact there is a specific sidewalk for visitors with a painted yellow stripe down the middle, stating “Public” on one side and “Private” on the other. If you cross the line onto the private side, you are trespassing.

Once you overcome the fear of walking on the wrong side of the yellow line, viewing the lighthouses is enjoyable and slightly adventurous. The first one you notice will be the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouse, a white steel tower standing a proud 98 feet. Outside of the white tower is steel lattice braces to support the tower. Inside the tower is a winding staircase complete with 115 interior steps. At the top sits a cast iron lantern room with a watchroom underneath it that has four porthole-style windows to pier out. The light inside the lantern room flashes white and red lights alternately, which is now automated. This lighthouse was built in 1898-1899, with a steel support structure added in 1903.

After viewing the Ship Canal Lighthouse, I took the walk down the Public/Private sidewalk and spied the red Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light with its forever-long black steel catwalk. Feeling adventurous yet hesitant, I walked out on the concrete breakwater under the catwalk towards the red 2.5 story lighthouse to get a better view. Before one walks out onto the breakwater, you feel that there is enough room for you to walk and not fall off or get wet. Then you start the walk, people are passing on the other side and suddenly the 20 feet wide breakwater feels like a tightrope and you are getting splashed. Recognizing that time was not on my side, I made it three-fourths of the way down the breakwater, snapped some pictures, and high-tailed it out of there!

This big red lighthouse was built in 1903, replacing one previously built in 1882. It stands strongly on a concrete island with the catwalk extending over to it. Facing out to the lake is a tower with an octagonal lantern that houses a sixth-order Fresnel light that displays a fixed red light. Surprisingly enough, at one time in its early history, the lighthouse was white instead of red. Personally I like the red structure, and it harmonizes nicely with the Ship Canal Lighthouse up on the hill.

Before I sign off on my trip about the Sturgeon Bay Lighthouses, here is a little history about the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. This canal connects Sturgeon Bay with Lake Michigan and was constructed in 1872 to support maritime traffic. Finally completed in 1881-1882, the 11-mile long passage cost approximately $300,000. The canal cut about 70 miles of travel off mariners’ trips to Milwaukee or Chicago, and allowed them to avoid Porte des Morts (Death’s Door or Door of Death) at the north point of Door County, in between Plum Island and the Peninsula.

Knocking off two lighthouses with one stop, I climbed back in the truck, made a pit stop, and followed Highway 57 to Bailey’s Harbor for more lighthouse viewing. So until next time, take care and talk to you soon!

Sherwood Point Lighthouse

Tomorrow Dad, Chris, Cassie and I are headed to Door County for a three day weekend of relaxation, sight-seeing and fun! We are headed to the west side of the Peninsula (Ephraim and Fish Creek) and staying at the Waterbury Inn. Couple weekends ago when I was home, Chris and Dad talked about all of the favorite places they would go with Mom. All of their stories made Cassie and I even more excited about our trip to Door County, and it may me miss all the times I was not able to go Door County with Mom, Dad and Chris.

While Mom, Dad and Chris had their fun in Door County all those years, I had a bit of my own adventure in Door County. Last year, over Memorial Day weekend, I joined my cousins Kris and Shannon and their camping crew up at Yogi Bear Jellystone Campground in Sturgeon Bay. After hanging with them, enjoying campfires and games, but before I headed home, I ventured over to one of the lighthouses in Sturgeon Bay, the Sherwood Point Lighthouse. Of the lighthouses I have seen to date, the Sherwood Point Lighthouse is my favorite structure. I really like the look of the building and how it overlooks Lake Michigan. While researching the Sherwood Point Lighthouse, I learned a couple things that reaffirmed this lighthouse is one of my favorites thus far.

The first thing I learned is that the reddish-brown brick building, built in 1883 on the western entry into Sturgeon Bay, was modeled after an old schoolhouse. Notice the rectangular-shaped building with numerous large windows. Can’t you envision having school in this building…how cool would that have been! For me, I also see a close resemblance to the former St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Franklin (Chris and Dad, use your imagination.) The Sherwood Point Lighthouse is the only red brick lighthouse in Door County, which is a 1 ½ -story building with a white tower that stands 35 feet tall. Since it is that tall plus built on the limestone bluff of Sturgeon Bay, the white light’s focal plane is 61 feet over the water.

The second interesting fact is the history of its keepers. The original lighthouse keeper was Henry Stanley who transferred from the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, also in Door County (the family and I will be visiting this one on Saturday…I’ll share more about that one soon). Stanley’s niece, Minnie Hesh from New York, came for a visit and ended up staying permanently. By 1889, she married William Cochems, who was a prominent businessman and assistant keeper. When Stanley, Cochems became the main lighthouse keeper and Minnie became the assistant keeper in 1898. For 30 years, Minnie (Hesh) Cochems served as the assistant lighthouse keeper. Her husband placed a marker on the northeast corner of the lighthouse to honor her service and commitment. (I wish I would have known about this marker at the time I took pictures – all the more reason to go back and visit my favorite lighthouse.)

Minnie Cochems was one of many female lighthouse keepers. Since lighthouse keeping was a family role, wives would serve as assistant keepers or main keepers when their husbands would die. According to Wisconsin Lighthouses, women learned how the lights worked, tended to the lights and the house, raised families, and rescued sailors. (Impressive!) While Minnie Cochems served at Sherwood Point Lighthouse, other women served at lighthouses in the Apostle Islands, Kenosha (Southport) Light, and the Old Port Washington Light Station.

Other fun notes about the Sherwood Point Lighthouse include: 1) it was electrified in the 1930s, 2) it was the last manned lighthouse on the United States side of the Great Lakes, 1983, 3) the white building in front of the lighthouse is the fog signal built in 1892, 4) it is said to be haunted by the spirit of Minnie Cochems – visitors may see a shadow of a lady in a nightgown. For more on Door County's haunted lighthouses go to: http://dcmm.org/.

Well I better go and continue mapping out my trip to Ephraim and Fish Creek…maybe I’ll stop at a lighthouse or two or more. I hope when you visit Sturgeon Bay, Door County, WI, you stop and see the Sherwood Point Lighthouse, and if you’re lucky the spirit of Minnie Cochems. If you do see the lighthouse or her, you totally have to tell me! Until next time, enjoy life and take care!