Lighthouses
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Door County's 300 miles of shoreline, much of it rocky, gave need for lighthouses so that 19th and early 20th century sailors could safely navigate the lake and bay waters around the Door Peninsula and surrounding islands. Today, these lighthouses are majestic landmarks offering compelling, heroic and sometimes tragic stories for anyone willing to listen. The most accessible lighthouses are: Cana Island Lighthouse, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse (offers daily guided tours), Canal Station Lighthouse and Baileys Harbor Range Lights. These lighthouses are accessible by car and visitors are welcome. For greatest access to the lighthouses, attend the Door County Maritime Museum Lighthouse Walk, held the second weekend in June. |
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Baileys Harbor Range Lights Built in 1869, automated in 1972. For one hundred years, these lights were used to gain safe entry into Bailey's Harbor. When the upper and lower lights were lined up, sailors knew they were in safe waters. Both buildings are open for inspection during the Lighthouse Walk in June. |
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Cana Island Lighthouse Built in 1869, automated in 1944. Not only still an active navigational aid, it's also Door County's most recognizable lighthouse and one of the county's most identifiable landmarks, thanks to painters and photographers. Located on a small island just offshore, the grounds can be reached by walking across a causeway. The keepers' house, along with the oil house, is open from May through October. |
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Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light The original pier head light was first lit in 1882. In 1903 the current structure was built combining the light tower and fog signal into one building. An active aid to navigation, this lighthouse may be seen from Sturgeon Bay Canal Park, immediately to the south of the canal. |
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Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Light Built in 1899, automated in 1972. The bustling Coast Guard-operated station is located at the mouth of the Sturgeon Bay ship canal. Grounds are open to the public during the Lighthouse Festival in June. |
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Chambers Island Lighthouse Built in 1858, automated in 1961. The lighthouse is open for self-guided tours on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day when a caretaker is in residence. Public boat service is not available, so the only way to reach the island is by private vessel or boat charter. The lighthouse is also reachable by special boat tours during the Lighthouse Walk in June. |
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Built in 1868, automated in 1926. The Door County Historical Society has restored this structure in Peninsula State Park and turned it into a living museum. Tours are operated daily through the third weekend in October. A state park sticker is required. |
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Old Baileys Harbor (Bird Cage) Lighthouse Built in 1852 and closed in 1869, after the construction of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights. |
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Pilot Island Lighthouse Built in 1858, automated in 1962. A narrated boat tour passes the lighthouse as part of the Lighthouse Walk in June. |
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Plum Island Lighthouse Built in 1895, automated in 1969. A common sight for those taking the Washington Island Ferry or Island Clipper. A narrated boat tour passes the lighthouse as part of the Lighthouse Walk in June. |
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Pottawatomie Lighthouse Built in 1836, automated in 1956. The grandfather of Door County lighthouses, it sits on what now is a state park. Rock Island and its lighthouse are reachable by ferry from Jackson Harbor on Washington Island. |
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Sherwood Point Lighthouse Built in 1883, automated in 1983. This Sturgeon Bay lighthouse was the last manned lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The facility is used as a private retreat house for Coast Guard personnel. Grounds are opened to the public during the Lighthouse Walk in June. |
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For More Door County Lighthouse Information:
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