Conservation Conversations: The Importance of Preserving Our Lighthouses
Published
Lighthouses stand as silent sentinels along the shores of Door County, their beams cutting through the darkness to guide ships to safety — a role they've played for over a century. These iconic structures built in the 1800s have witnessed countless tales of peril and rescue, serving as both navigational aids and symbols of hope.
In this series, we delve into the rich history and ongoing preservation efforts of Door County's lighthouses through the eyes of their keepers. Whether you're drawn to maritime history, captivated by architectural beauty, or simply seeking the perfect photo, these Q&As will offer a unique glimpse into the enduring legacy of these coastal beacons.
Kevin Osgood
Executive Director
Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc.
Since 2018, Kevin Osgood has been at the helm of the Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse Preservation Society. Not only does he keep the operation running, but he’s also responsible for sharing its history.
The federal government built Door County’s lighthouses to help protect shipping and commerce. According to Osgood, given the number of them, this area was pretty important in the years after the Civil War, with lighthouses and lifesaving stations built to make sure the county’s industries could get their goods to the rest of the region. He points out that Door County played a significant role in the growth of other Great Lake cities, and preserving that history allows the Door County story to continue to be told and live on for future generations.
Q. Why are lighthouses and lighthouse restoration important to Door County?
A. Why would the federal government build as many lighthouses as they did here in Door County? Why do we have more shoreline per mile than any other county in the country? It’s because of what was here. The stone trade, agriculture, logging: all that commerce required ships, and the waters around here are anything but friendly. We have “Death’s Door” after all!
Q. Why should someone visit a lighthouse in Door County?
A. There is something special about lighthouses. They are not controversial. The only reason they were built was to prevent accidents, to save lives, and to keep ships and their crews safe. They stand strong in the worst of storms and still shine bright on the darkest nights in the midst of the Gales of November and more. When you walk into one of these amazing lighthouses, you can feel the history and imagine what it must have been like to live in these once-remote locations. It was not the easiest life to be a lighthouse keeper or assistant keeper, but the keepers were popular in the communities—at least when they made it
to town.
Q. What is your favorite lighthouse, and why?
A. Cana Island stole my heart the very first time I walked on the island. I imagine in 1869 what it took to get there from Baileys Harbor or what it was like to be there without electricity in the fiercest of storms. To read the keeper’s logs about waves washing over the island and, in one case, through the keeper’s house, I just have nothing but respect for those people who volunteered to go out in the middle of nowhere and keep a light, powered by oil, burning all night, every night no matter the weather, or how often they had to haul the oil up the stairs. On Cana, I can almost feel all the effort and work that went into maintaining that light in the hardest of circumstances. It’s almost like that energy is still there. It’s such a unique place.
Q. Why should a visitor go to the annual Lighthouse Festival?
A. The Door County Lighthouse Festival is not your typical ‘festival,’ there are no festival grounds, live music, or food, but it is a unique opportunity to see some lighthouses that are harder to get to and even harder to get inside of, as well as learn something new. Just about every lighthouse has additional volunteers on duty for the festival, and you get to learn more about each of the light stations' individual histories and, of course, hear the best stories.
Q. What do you love most about Door County?
A. The sense of community here is what resonates the most with me. I’ve lived in big cities and small towns and never felt a community as close-knit as this one. People talk to each other, they help each other, and they care deeply about this community. One of my favorite things to do is to go Christmas shopping on Sturgeon Bay’s 3rd Avenue in the snow. I often feel like I get to live in a Normal Rockwell painting. I remember the first time I did that and asked myself why I ever shopped in a mall! Here, you talk with shopkeepers and friends and become a part of the fabric of the community. Again, we get to live in a really unique and special place.
Q. What is your favorite Door County outdoor location or activity?
A. I almost have too many to mention. My wife and I did the Polar Bear Plunge at Jacksonport. We have a favorite spot to watch the northern lights or listen to the slushy waves crash against the ice. I guess I’d have to say that Washington and Rock Islands are my favorite spots. My youngest son and I had a tradition of camping on Rock Island and have some fantastic memories of that. Schoolhouse Beach is a favorite spot, as is Cave Point and Whitefish Dunes. We miss having a boat, as being out on the water around Door County is the absolute best experience. Sunsets from Egg Harbor and Sister Bay are pretty special as well. So there you have it. There is no ‘one thing’ that fits as a favorite. But all of these amazing experiences are here; sometimes, the biggest challenge is simply trying to decide which one to do.
Mary Beth Volmer
President
Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands, Washington Island
Mary Beth Volmer plays a vital role in preserving Door County's maritime heritage, serving as a liaison to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She represents the board of directors and members dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the historic lighthouses on Plum and Pilot Islands, working closely with volunteers to ensure that visitors to Plum Island and guests aboard our charter boat, The Shoreline, have a memorable and educational experience. Her efforts are crucial in maintaining these iconic structures, which continue to serve as active aids to navigation and as symbols of the region's rich maritime history.
Q. Why are lighthouses and lighthouse restoration important to Door County?
A. The lights on Plum and Pilot Islands continue to be active aids to navigation, guiding mariners through the Death’s Door passage and surrounding waters. Even though ships and boats are guided by electronic equipment, such as GPS, these devices can fail. Lighthouses help to confirm your position. Restoration is important to keep our maritime history and culture alive for future generations.
Q. Why should someone visit a lighthouse in Door County?
A. There are many reasons: to learn more about the Door County maritime history, to climb the lights and view the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan, to appreciate the architectural wonders of the past, and to imagine what life was like for the lighthouse families. Each of the 11 lights in Door County has a unique story to tell.
Q. What is your favorite lighthouse, and why?
A. Plum Island, of course! The rear range light on Plum Island is a skeletal lighthouse structure, unlike the other lights in Door County. She stands 65 feet and overlooks Death’s Door. On clear days, you can see as far as Marquette, Michigan, and see turkey vultures, osprey, and eagles eye-to-eye.
Q. Why should a visitor go to the annual Lighthouse Festival?
A. The Lighthouse Festival is a rare opportunity to learn about the different lights and their history.
Q. What do you love most about Door County?
A. Many things … the history, culture, food, nature, sunsets.
Q. What is your favorite Door County outdoor location or activity?
A. Other than spending time on Plum Island, I enjoy camping and spending time with the wonderful people I have met in Door County.
Ed Miller
Volunteer and Project Coordinator
Restoration at Baileys Harbor Range Lights and Eagle Bluff Light Station
Sandy Miller
Volunteer
Door County Historical Society at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and The Ridges Sanctuary at the Baileys Harbor Range Lights
Ed and Sandy Miller have dedicated countless hours to ensuring that the rich history and significance of Door County's lighthouses are preserved for future generations. The pair play a significant role in preserving Door County's historic lighthouses through restoration projects, researching the history of the lighthouses, giving tours, and documenting and sharing these important preservation activities.
Q. Why are lighthouses and lighthouse restoration important to Door County?
A. Lighthouses are an important part of Door County's heritage and history. We need to restore and preserve them so they are there not only now but for future generations to experience and appreciate.
Q. Why should someone visit a lighthouse in Door County?
A. To experience the history of lighthouses firsthand. Visiting the Range Lights and Eagle Bluff Light Station is like taking a step back in time. If you want to connect with the place you are visiting, you need to know something about its history. Because maritime history is such a part of Door County, you need to visit a lighthouse. Each lighthouse has its own story and history. Don’t just visit one; visit all four open to the public.
Q. What is your favorite lighthouse, and why?
A. It is hard to have a favorite lighthouse because every lighthouse in Door County is unique. Because of our extensive involvement in the restoration work at the Baileys Harbor Range Lights and Eagle Bluff lighthouse, I have a personal connection to those two lighthouses.
Q. Why should a visitor go to the annual Lighthouse Festival?
A. It is a celebration of our lighthouses. While the Range Lights, Eagle Bluff Light, Cana Island Light, and Potawatomie Light (Rock Island) are open for public tours, others are not. Lighthouse Festival gives visitors an opportunity to tour Sherwood Point Light, which is only open to the public during the Lighthouse Festival. People who attend the festival are usually very interested in lighthouses and already have some knowledge of lighthouses and their operations. They tend to ask more detailed questions, so it’s a chance to learn more about lighthouses and Door County’s history than you might during a general tour.
Q. What do you love most about Door County?
A. The special natural places that have been protected and preserved for animals, flowers, and natural landscapes for all to enjoy now and in the future. And our lighthouses. Door County also offers many arts, crafts, history, cultural, and music events. The Birch Creek Symphony concerts and Peninsula Music Festival are favorites. We both volunteer at the Peninsula Music Festival. My Dad grew up on a farm in Baileys Harbor, and there is a special connection to my ancestry. My great-grandfather settled on the farm in the 1880s, and it is still in the family.
Q. What is your favorite Door County outdoor location or activity?
A. The Ridges Sanctuary, walking the trails, volunteering at Ridges Wednesday Crew, and working at the Range Lights and Eagle Bluff Light. We are so fortunate to live on a peninsula surrounded by water and see the water all the time. Also, the Door County Land Trust preserves and our state and county parks — it’s impossible to choose one.
Tina Jacoby
President
Friends of Rock Island State Park (FORI)
Tina is a passionate advocate for the preservation of Rock Island State Park, a unique gem located at the northern tip of Door County, leading efforts to maintain and enhance this cherished state park. Her path to president began with volunteer work through an appointment on the board
of directors.
She supports the Wisconsin DNR in preserving Rock Island’s rich historical legacy, including the state's oldest lighthouse, established in 1836. From helping to supplement funding for existing programs or equipment to writing grants to help fund larger projects, Jacoby, with the assistance of an amazing group of Board Members and volunteers, ensures that Rock Island remains a magical place for all who visit.
Q. Why are lighthouses and lighthouse restoration important to Door County?
A. I’m a huge fan of historical preservation. The stories of our past can help teach our future generations. As FORI works to maintain and preserve Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island, it has become a destination for more than 8,000 visitors annually. With the hard work of several volunteers who coordinate the museum and artifacts, along with our live-in docent volunteers, we are able to open the Lighthouse to visitors seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. While the Pottawatomie Lighthouse was first established in 1836, making it the oldest lighthouse in the state, there are many other lighthouses in Door County that are not far behind this, making it the perfect place to enjoy many lighthouses.
Q. Why should someone visit a lighthouse in Door County?
A. To learn about the historical richness of this region of Wisconsin and the appreciation for those who lived these hard, tough, and sometimes lonely lives to keep our mariners safe. The rich history that each lighthouse presents really does bring these stories to life. At the Pottawatomie Lighthouse, our tour involves many personal stories of the keepers who lived there throughout the history of the lighthouse. These personal touches bring these stories to life and allow our visitors to picture themselves living in their shoes. Visitors can also walk where the island’s first inhabitants, the Pottawatomie Indians and later French explorers, settled.
Q. What is your favorite lighthouse, and why?
A. I may be a bit biased here, but I have to say Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island. Being the oldest lighthouse in the state makes this a unique location to start learning about this rich maritime history. The house and the museum are well maintained and preserved, with well-planned artifacts and a care for the history, which is evident in all of the volunteer tours. Plus, it is fun to hear about the live-in docent volunteers and how they are enjoying their week in a lighthouse with no electricity and no indoor plumbing. This is quite a unique volunteer experience.
Q. Why should a visitor go to the annual Lighthouse Festival?
A. The Lighthouse Festival is a way to see lighthouses that are not usually accessible and experience extras that are not usually available at those locations. The tours that come out to Rock Island include a nice charter boat ride, extra information and context during the ride, an extra history talk in the Thordarson Boathouse on Rock Island, and then a guided tour through the Pottawatomie Lighthouse. It is the best value out there for a personalized lighthouse experience.
Q. What do you love most about Door County?
A. Door County has something for everyone. Whether you love nature and the outdoors, history, food and beverages, shopping, or anything else, you can always find what you are looking for to have a memorable experience.
Q. What is your favorite Door County outdoor location or activity?
A. My favorite location in Door County has to be Rock Island State Park. The community sunsets, where everyone gathers near the Thordarson Boathouse to enjoy the sunsetting and socialize, is always a heartwarming experience — not to mention the sunsets are amazing!
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