Door County, Wisconsin

Door County
County
Door County Government Center in Sturgeon Bay
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45.02°N 87.01°W / 45.02; -87.01
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1851
Named for	Porte des Morts
Seat	Sturgeon Bay
Largest city	Sturgeon Bay
Area
• Total	2,370 sq mi (6,100 km2)
• Land	482 sq mi (1,250 km2)
• Water	1,888 sq mi (4,890 km2)  80%
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,066
• Estimate  (2023)	30,562
• Density	62.4/sq mi (24.1/km2)
Demonym	Door Countyite
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	920
Congressional district	8th
Website	www.co.door.wi.gov
Wisconsin county code 15 FIPS county code 55029

Door County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,066. Its county seat is Sturgeon Bay.

It is named after the strait between the Door Peninsula and Washington Island. This 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 vacation destination.

History

Further information: Door Peninsula § Archaeology

Native Americans and French

Further information: Door Peninsula § Potawatomi and Menominee

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, which described a failed raid by the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) tribe to capture Washington Island from the rival Pottawatomi tribe in the early 1600s. It has become associated with shipwrecks within the passage. The earliest known written reference to the legend is from Emmanuel Crespel, who termed the peninsula "Cap a la Mort" in 1728.

Settlement and development

19th–20th century settlement

Graves of Increase Claflin and family

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 government-operated quarry operation at the mouth of Sturgeon Bay shipped its first stone blocks; they were used for a harbor breakwater in Michigan City, Indiana. In 1851, Door County was separated from what had been Brown County. In 1853, Moravians founded Ephraim after Nils Otto Tank 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 populated a small region in the southern portion of the county, including the area designated as the Namur Historic District. 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 40 to 320 acres (16 to 129 ha) were sold at 50 cents an acre. From 1841 to 1932, 1,661 land patents 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, 139 patents were filed under the Homestead Act of 1862, and 37 patents were filed under the Morrill Act of 1862.

At the time the Homestead Act of 1862 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; 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. 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 3,000 feet (910 m) 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 which occurred there. Altogether, 128 people in the county perished in the Peshtigo fire. 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 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.

Excursion party on the Sailor Boy; postmarked 1906 in Sturgeon Bay. The Sailor Boy and other small steamboats stopped at Menominee to take on rail passengers. Since rail service was faster, tourists from Chicago would first take a northbound train in order to board steamboats bound for resort communities.

This 1924 postcard produced by Curt Teich & Company reads, "Cedar Glen, one of the many free tourists' camp sites in Peninsula State Park, Door County Wisconsin."

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 in the city.

Even after the Ahnapee and Western extended service to Sturgeon Bay in 1894, many tourists continued taking the railroad 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

1914 Sturgeon Bay real estate advertisement

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

Cherry industry labor

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 as camp counselors. Additionally, members of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin 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 camp was established at Peninsula State Park during the Great Depression. 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 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 Tejanos 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 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 10-foot (3 m) waves for an hour before their rescue by a fisherman.

In 1925, a cow in Horseshoe Bay named Aurora Homestead Badger produced 30,000 pounds (14,000 kg) of milk, at the time a world record for dairy cattle.

In June 1938 and again in October 1952, aerial photos 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 Dove of Peace for 56 miles (90 km) from the newly opened Cherryland Airport to Frankfort, Michigan. He was towed into the air on a 3⁄8-inch-wide (9.5 mm), 200-foot-long (61 m) 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.

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 and a sudden development of 11-foot (3.4 m) 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

Aerial view of Sturgeon Bay, Northport, and Plum, Detroit, Washington, and Rock islands

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,370 square miles (6,100 km²), of which 482 square miles (1,250 km²) is land and 1,888 square miles (4,890 km²) (80%) is water. It is the largest county in Wisconsin by total area.

In general the shoreline is characterized by the scarp face on the west side. On the east side peat is followed by dunes and beaches of sand or gravel along the lakeshore. During years with receding lake levels, flora along the shore demonstrates plant succession. 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. 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 bisects the "island", and this is commemorated by Meridian County Park.

Features

Escarpment and dolomites

Niagara Escarpment

Dolomite outcroppings of the Niagara Escarpment 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 ostracods. 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, brachiopods, and echinoderms. 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 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 298 miles (480 km) of shoreline. In 2012, 268 miles (431 km) of the shoreline along Lake Michigan and Green Bay was surveyed and characterized by type. 42.9 miles (69.0 km) of the shore was made of artificial materials, while the remaining 225.1 miles (362.3 km) was natural. Of the natural shorelines, 167.8 miles (270.0 km) consisted of bedrock and boulders, 39.3 miles (63.2 km) was sandy, 17.4 miles (28.0 km) were covered in smaller stones such as shingles, pebbles, and cobbles, and 0.6 miles (0.97 km) was silty or mucky. Out of the total area surveyed, 101.0 miles (162.5 km) consisted of a flat coast, 88.9 miles (143.1 km) consisted of 2-to-10-foot (1 to 3 m) bluffs, 68.8 miles (110.7 km) consisted of 2-to-10-foot (1 to 3 m) dunes, and 9.3 miles (15.0 km) consisted of high bluffs taller than 10 feet (3 m).

High points

Further information: Door Peninsula § High points

View from the top of Old Baldy in August

Eskers are only found in the far southwest corner of the county, but drumlins and small moraines 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 102-foot-high (31 m) Brussels Hill (44.75166°N 87.59093°W / 44.75166; -87.59093 (Brussels Hill), elevation 851 feet [259 m]), a crater-shaped impact structure, is the highest point in the county. The nearby Red Hill Woods is the largest remaining maple–beech forest in the area.

Old Baldy (44.920344°N 87.20192°W / 44.920344; -87.20192 (Old Baldy)) is the state's tallest sand dune at 93 feet above the lake level.

Pollution

Main article: Pollution in Door County, Wisconsin

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 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 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

Generalized soil and physiography maps
Soil map, from 1910	Soils Map, from 1956
	Physiography, drainage, and geology map, from 1978

Further information: Economy of Door County, Wisconsin § Non-metallic mining and agriculture

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 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 as "frigid" because they usually have an average annual temperature of less than 46.4 °F (8.0 °C). 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

Main article: Climate of Door County, Wisconsin

The county has a humid continental climate (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 68.7 °F (20.4 °C) in the summer down to 18.0 °F (−7.8 °C) 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

Road in Shivering Sands wetland complex, January 1

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, an Ephraim resident, promoted Door County as a tourist 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, Chicago, Madison, Green Bay, and the Twin Cities, although Illinois residents are the dominant group both in Door County and farther south along the eastern edge of Wisconsin.

Recreational lands

View in August from the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower. The small island is Heaven On Earth Island, formerly Bug Island. On the left is Cabot Point, part of the Idlewild area, and on the right is the northwest shore of Sturgeon Bay featuring the rock cut of the Old Stone Quarry, once the largest in the state. Green Island appears as a very faint line along the horizon.

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 148.65 acres (60.16 ha) 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. A land trust operates 14 privately owned parks open to the public, and 3,277.3 acres (1,326.3 ha) 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

Further information: Pollution in Door County, Wisconsin § Beach contamination; and Climate of Door County, Wisconsin § Lake breeze

Nicolet Bay at Peninsula State Park, Nicolet Beach in the center. Since this was taken in mid-September, the beach is mostly empty.

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

Further information: Door Peninsula § Waters

Boating

The boat on the left overturned during the 2013 wooden boat competition. The participants are reduced to swimming around the buoy.

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 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.

Some itineraries connecting the Great Loop 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

For details about the size and public accessibility of county lakes, see List of lakes of Wisconsin § Door County.

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 26 feet (8 m) and Krause Lake at 24 feet (7 m) are on Chambers Island. All streams in the county originate within the county; together they have a combined length of 93 miles (150 km), with none more than 15 miles (24 km) long. The five trout streams have a combined length of 14 miles (23 km) suitable for trout fishing.

Wetlands

55,124 acres (22,308 ha) of wetlands cover 18% of the county's land area. 11,400 acres (4,600 ha) of Door Peninsula Coastal Wetlands are listed under the Ramsar Convention as wetlands of international importance. The listing includes three areas previously recognized as "Wetland Gems".

Wetland	Access
Baileys Harbor Swamp	privately owned, although some parcels at the edge of the swamp on the east of Highway 57 are owned by the DNR as part of Mud Lake State Natural Area
Big Marsh (Gunnerson Marsh)	31.1 acres (12.6 ha) of water; partly within a DNR State Natural Area
Button Marsh	privately owned, 81.6 acres (33.0 ha) of Managed Forest Land to the west; 71.6 acres (29.0 ha) to the southeast are owned an entity allowing public access
Coffee Swamp	2.2 acres (0.89 ha) of water; mostly within a DNR State Natural Area
Ephraim Swamp	largely owned by an entity allowing free public access, Ephraim Creek which runs through the swamp is a Class II trout stream and is open to the public up to the ordinary high water mark.
Gardner Swamp	Gardner Swamp Wildlife Area has three access sites and 160 acres of adjacent Managed Forest Land
Greenwood Swamp	privately owned
Larson Swamp	privately owned
Little Marsh (Wickman Marsh)	14 acres (5.7 ha) of water; DNR State Natural Area
Kellner's Fen	60 to 80 acres (24 to 32 ha) of water; largely owned by an entity allowing public access
Maplewood Swamp	privately owned, but the Ahnapee Trail runs through part of it
May Swamp	privately owned
Stony Creek Swamp	privately owned, but the Ahnapee Trail runs past the far south end
Voecks Marsh	19.1 acres (7.7 ha) of water; within the Ridges Sanctuary which charges admission

Recognized natural areas

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

Living plant collections

This section is about cultivated plants. For wild plants and fungi, see Flora of Door County, Wisconsin.

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. 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.

FWS staff banding a cormorant at night in July on Spider Island in the Wisconsin Islands Wilderness. The island is home to a nesting colony. Banding was done at night so the chicks would be sleeping and less aware.

Unique vertebrates

Tamias striatus doorsiensis, a subspecies of eastern chipmunk, is only found in Door, Kewaunee, Northeastern Brown, and possibly Manitowoc counties. In 1999, the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory listed 24 aquatic and 21 terrestrial animals in Door County as "rare."

Birds

As of 2018, 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 were banded on Hat Island to determine their migratory patterns. Banded birds were found as far north as Hudson Bay and as far south as Central America.

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 mallards, gadwalls, and lesser scaups.

Rare bees

The sweat bee Lasioglossum 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 bee Stelis 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) 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 millipedes 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 spider.

Additionally, the county is home to the fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus, which can grow to about three inches (76 mm), 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, indicating a lower degree of genetic diversity. 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 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

Sucker run in Fish Creek

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, 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 3 pounds 9.9 ounces (1.64 kg) and was 21.25 inches (540 mm) long. In April 2020, the all-methods state record for longnose sucker was caught out of Shivering Sands Creek. It weighed 3 pounds 9.1 ounces (1.62 kg) and was 22.25 inches (565 mm) long.

Another attraction is mushroom hunting on public land. Additionally, as of 2017 there are two commercial mushroom operations.

Summer

Cherry tree, August

In 2017, there were ten operations growing 14 acres (5.7 ha) of strawberries.

In 2017, there were eight operations harvesting five acres (2.0 ha) of fresh cut herbs, up from four acres (1.6 ha) in 2012. Two of these operations grow lavender on Washington Island.

In Baileys Harbor, religious tourism includes the Blessing of the Fleet.

Door County has a history of strawberry, apple, cherry, 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 1,945 acres (787 ha) of tart cherry orchards, down from 2012 when there were 2,429 acres (983 ha).

Lightning bugs become common by the end of June.

Fall

Apple orchard, October

Additionally, there were 400 acres (160 ha) of apple orchards in 2017, down from 468 acres (189 ha) in 2012. In 2017, there were 12 acres (4.9 ha) of pear orchards, spread among 11 operations. In 2017, there was only one acre (0.40 ha) of plum orchards, spread among four operations. In 2007, there were two acres (0.81 ha) 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 40 acres (16 ha) of vineyards, down from 78 acres (32 ha) 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.

Skiing and skating at Sturgeon Bay High School

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

Further information: National Register of Historic Places listings in Door County, Wisconsin

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: Baileys Harbor Range Lights, Cana Island Lighthouse, Chambers Island Lighthouse, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, 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 Lighthouse and the Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Light. The Boyer Bluff Light is mounted on an 80-foot skeletal tower. 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. 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, Fleetwing, SS Frank O'Connor, Grape Shot, Green Bay, Hanover, Iris, SS Joys, SS Lakeland, Meridian, Ocean Wave, and Success. 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

Some foods of Door County

Agritourism 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
• 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 cookies
• cooked rhubarb juice diluted with water and sweetened with sugar
• apricot pockets
• cherry tarts
• chopped cherry jam
• cherry soup
• Norwegian frugt suppe
• cherry bread pudding
• dried cherries
• limpa bread
• skorpa
• æbleskiver–Icelandic pancakes
• Norwegian and Swedish pancakes
• green tomato jam
• 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 made with stomach lining
• lapskaus–Norwegian potato stew
• hash brown sandwich

Scandinavian heritage

Chancel and altarpiece inside the stave church on Washington Island

Scandinavian heritage-related attractions include The Clearing Folk School, two stave churches, structures in Rock Island State Park furnished with rune-inscribed furniture, and Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, which features goats on its grassy roof. In Ephraim, the Village Hall, the Moravian and 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, 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

Door County Fairgrounds

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.

Motorcycling

In 2020, 3,545 motorcycles were registered in the county, up from 1,806 in 2008. A motorcycle club hosts a 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.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Door County, Wisconsin

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 1,270 miles (2,040 km) of roadways. In county figures for 2007 there were 1,455 named roads in the county. In 2013 there were 588 lane miles (946 lane km) of county trunk highways, 1,743 lanemiles (2,805 lanekm) of local roads, and 268 lanemiles (431 lanekm) of state highways. In WisDOT figures for 2018, there were 102 miles (164 km) of state highways, 296 miles (476 km) of county highways, and 872 miles (1,403 km) 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 WIS 42/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.

WIS 57 in March (here concurrent with the Door County National Scenic Byway)

WIS 42 near Gills Rock in October

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)
• 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 roads in the county. In addition to state-recognized rustic roads, Liberty Grove manages a heritage roads program. As of 2019 there were 12 heritage roads in the town.

There are 230.8 miles (371.4 km) of snowmobile trails, which are opened as trails are groomed.

Non-motorized

• The Ahnapee State Trail connects Sturgeon Bay to 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, 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)

Ground transportation

A daily private shuttle service operates between Green Bay–Austin Straubel International Airport and Sturgeon Bay. The nearest 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, three miles (4.8 km) west of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
• Ephraim–Gibraltar Airport (3D2), small general aviation, public use, one mile (1.6 km) 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

Ferry Robert Noble serving Washington Island and Northport

Water

Ferries

• Washington Island is served by two ferry routes operating between the Door Peninsula and Detroit Harbor. One route is a 30-minute ride on a freight, automobile, and passenger ferry that departs from the Northport Pier at the northern terminus of WIS 42. This ferry makes approximately 225,000 trips per year. Another route is a 20- minute ride on a passenger-only ferry which departs from the unincorporated community of 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 boat access sites in the county. The Lake Michigan State Water Trail follows most county shorelines.

Population and its health

Population structures, 1930–2010

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 30,066. The population density was 62.4 people per square mile (24.1 people/km²). There were 23,738 housing units at an average density of 49.3 units per square mile (19.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 Census

As of the 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 people/km²). There were 19,587 housing units at an average density of 41 units per square mile (16 units/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 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 and 10.3% Belgian ancestry. A small pocket of 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 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.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	2,948		—
1870	4,919		66.9%
1880	11,645		136.7%
1890	15,082		29.5%
1900	17,583		16.6%
1910	18,711		6.4%
1920	19,073		1.9%
1930	18,182		−4.7%
1940	19,095		5.0%
1950	20,870		9.3%
1960	20,685		−0.9%
1970	20,106		−2.8%
1980	25,029		24.5%
1990	25,690		2.6%
2000	27,961		8.8%
2010	27,785		−0.6%
2020	30,066		8.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

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, a decrease from 25.9% being under the age of 18 in the 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, towns, and 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 in Iron County as the 18th most elderly, Washington Island with a median age of 62.9, tied with Union in Burnett County as the 22nd most elderly, Liberty Grove with a median age of 62.4, tied with 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 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 in Rusk County as the 83rd most elderly.

The youngest community in Door County was the 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 town of Forestville with a median age of 47.4, tied with 9 other communities as the 1222nd youngest in the state, and Gardner with a median age of 49.4, tied with 15 other communities as the 1434th youngest in the state.

Based on ACS data from 2013 to 2017, the county had a median age of 52.4 years old, tied with Florence as the fifth most elderly of all Wisconsin counties. 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.

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.

The Jacksonport site of Stella Maris Catholic Parish, a six-point parish in the northern part of the county

Religious statistics

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Door County was the Catholics, with 9,325 adherents worshipping at six parishes, followed by 2,982 ELCA Lutherans with seven congregations, 2,646 WELS Lutherans with seven congregations, 872 Moravians with three congregations, 834 United Methodists with four congregations, 533 non-denominational Christians with six congregations, 503 LCMS Lutherans with two congregations, 283 LCMC Lutherans with one congregation, 270 Converge Baptists with three congregations, 213 Episcopalians with one congregation, 207 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 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.

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 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.

Minors receiving county-managed
psychiatric medication, 2014–2021

2020 drug charges by type of drug

  Marijuana, 30 charges

  Methamphetamine, 22 charges

  Cocaine, 2 charges

  Heroin, 1 charge

  Schedule I–IV drugs, 1 charge

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 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.

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 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. 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 Safer at Home order, with the first case in the county reported on March 30. After a 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 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. 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 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

Towns in 1915; the borders remain the same today except for annexations by the City of Sturgeon Bay and the four villages.

Incorporated communities

City

• Sturgeon Bay (county seat)

Villages

• Egg Harbor
• Ephraim
• Forestville
• Sister Bay

Towns

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

Unincorporated communities

• Brussels
• Carlsville
• Carnot
• Detroit Harbor
• Fish Creek
• Gills Rock
• Idlewild
• Institute
• Jacksonport
• Juddville
• Kolberg
• Maplewood
• Namur
• North Bay
• Northport
• Peninsula Center
• Rosiere (partially in Kewaunee County)
• Rowleys Bay
• Salona
• Shoemaker Point
• Valmy
• Vignes
• Washington
• West Jacksonport
• Whitefish Bay

Census-designated places

• Baileys Harbor
• Ellison Bay
• Little Sturgeon

Former communities

Absorbed into Sturgeon Bay

• Sawyer
• Stevens Hill

Sites used as parks

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

Adjacent counties

Further information: Green Bay metropolitan area

For a history of county borders, see Door Peninsula § County border adjustments.

By land

• Kewaunee County - south

In Green Bay

• Brown County - southwest
• Oconto County - west
• 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
• Jessie Kalmbach Chase (1879–1970), painter
• Hans Christian (born 1960), musician
• 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 key to the county
• Mary Maples Dunn (1931–2017), historian
• Phoebe Erickson (1907–2006), children's book author and illustrator
• 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 (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 (1872–1963), historian
• Jens Jensen (1860–1951), landscape architect
• M. J. Jischke (born 1885), butcher, postmaster
• Al Johnson (born 1979), football player
• 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
• James Larsin (b. 1855), saved seven people from drowning
• Doug Larson (1926–2017), newspaper writer
• Lester Leitl (1899–1980), football player and coach
• Pat MacDonald (born 1952), once part of Timbuk 3, runs Steel Bridge Songfest
• Amy McKenzie (born 1959), producer/director
• Alex Meunier (1897–1983), teacher, orchardist, Wisconsin State Senator
• Thomas J. Minar (born 1963), sex offender
• Edward S. Minor (1840–1924), U.S. Representative
• Alexander Noble (1829–1905), town official in Fish Creek
• Conrad P. Olson (1882–1952), Oregon Supreme Court justice
• Sigurd F. Olson (1899–1982), wilderness guide
• 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 (1839–1914), Wisconsin State Representative, Civil War captain
• 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 and 1996. In addition, the county has voted for the winning candidate in every presidential election since 1996. President Clinton was the last candidate to win the state without carrying Door County in the 1992 presidential election.

Up until the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Door County had voted Republican since the 2010 gubernatorial election.

United States presidential election results for Door County, Wisconsin

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	9,752	48.48%	10,044	49.93%	321	1.60%
2016	8,580	48.77%	8,014	45.55%	998	5.67%
2012	8,121	45.96%	9,357	52.95%	193	1.09%
2008	7,112	40.68%	10,142	58.02%	227	1.30%
2004	8,910	50.94%	8,367	47.84%	214	1.22%
2000	7,810	51.31%	6,560	43.10%	850	5.58%
1996	4,948	40.39%	5,590	45.63%	1,713	13.98%
1992	5,468	39.69%	4,735	34.37%	3,574	25.94%
1988	6,907	55.60%	5,425	43.67%	90	0.72%
1984	8,264	67.35%	3,916	31.91%	91	0.74%
1980	7,170	55.23%	4,961	38.21%	851	6.56%
1976	6,557	57.43%	4,553	39.88%	307	2.69%
1972	6,503	64.25%	3,430	33.89%	188	1.86%
1968	5,647	63.34%	2,728	30.60%	541	6.07%
1964	4,289	49.22%	4,416	50.68%	9	0.10%
1960	5,790	61.50%	3,610	38.35%	14	0.15%
1956	6,722	77.96%	1,859	21.56%	41	0.48%
1952	7,621	80.82%	1,790	18.98%	19	0.20%
1948	4,911	65.84%	2,440	32.71%	108	1.45%
1944	5,668	68.25%	2,599	31.29%	38	0.46%
1940	5,461	66.11%	2,750	33.29%	49	0.59%
1936	3,146	41.05%	3,952	51.57%	566	7.39%
1932	2,488	36.95%	4,149	61.61%	97	1.44%
1928	3,636	59.28%	2,456	40.04%	42	0.68%
1924	1,891	38.56%	235	4.79%	2,778	56.65%
1920	3,817	88.34%	385	8.91%	119	2.75%
1916	1,656	56.25%	1,204	40.90%	84	2.85%
1912	1,167	41.15%	769	27.12%	900	31.73%
1908	2,463	73.88%	778	23.34%	93	2.79%
1904	2,689	80.51%	515	15.42%	136	4.07%
1900	2,362	76.29%	674	21.77%	60	1.94%
1896	2,402	71.30%	895	26.57%	72	2.14%
1892	1,596	58.18%	1,007	36.71%	140	5.10%

Gallery

• 
  Sunset, Sister Bay
• 
  Wigwam display at Whitefish Dunes State Park
• 
  Hog Island
• 
  Cave Point County Park
• 
  The Ahnapee River below the dam at Forestville
• 
  Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal

Further reading

• Martin, Chas. I. (1881). History of Door County, Wisconsin. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: Expositor Job Print.

External links

• Official website
• Door County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Door County Historical Society
• Map of Door County articles on Wikipedia