Door County Maritime Museum facts for kids
Cana Island Light which is owned by the County of Door, and operated by DCMM
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| Established | 1969 |
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| Location | 120 North Madison Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Visitors | 65,000 |
The Door County Maritime Museum is a special place in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where you can learn all about boats, ships, and the history of the water. It also has other locations in Gills Rock, Wisconsin, and at the beautiful Cana Island Light.
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Museum History
The Door County Maritime Museum started in Gills Rock, Wisconsin, in 1969. It began showing exhibits at the Cana Island Light in 1971. The Gills Rock museum location opened its doors in 1975.
In 1993, the museum began raising money to build a new main building. This new, larger museum in Sturgeon Bay opened in 1997. It allowed the museum to be open all year long.
Later, in 2015, the museum started another project. They wanted to add a tall, 10-story lighthouse tower to the Sturgeon Bay museum. This tower would have new exhibits and a viewing deck. The outside of the Maritime Lighthouse Tower was finished in November 2020. The whole new part of the museum opened to visitors in May 2021.
Museum Locations
The Door County Maritime Museum has three main locations. Each one offers a unique look into maritime history.
Sturgeon Bay Museum
The main museum building in Sturgeon Bay opened in 1997. This is where the museum's offices are located. It also holds many of the main exhibits.
You can see the tugboat John Purves here. This boat was built in 1919. It helped the U.S. Army during World War II. Later, it sailed on the Great Lakes. The museum also has the CG-41410. This was the last 41-foot Utility Boat used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
In 2019, the museum started building an addition. This included the tall lighthouse tower. The outside of the Jim Kress Lighthouse Tower was completed by November 2020. It became the tallest building in Sturgeon Bay.
Gills Rock Museum
The Gills Rock museum location opened in 1975. This site focuses on the history of commercial fishing. It also tells stories about pirates on the Great Lakes.
You can see a 45-foot wooden fishing boat here. This boat was built in 1930. The Gills Rock museum is open during certain seasons. It welcomes visitors from May to October each year.
Cana Island Lighthouse
The Cana Island Lighthouse was built in 1869. It became a museum site in 1971. This lighthouse is located near Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin. You can reach the island by walking across a causeway.
Sometimes, the causeway gets covered by water. This happens when the water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron are high. When the water is too deep, the museum uses a tractor and wagon. Volunteers drive visitors to the lighthouse on the wagon.
The house where the lighthouse keeper lived has been restored. It is now a museum. It shows what life was like for a lighthouse family.
Many restoration projects have been completed at the lighthouse. Phase 1 included new restrooms and a maintenance building. A new parking lot was also added. The copper roof was repaired, and the tower was repainted. Masonry work was done on the tower and keeper's house. Windows and doors were also restored.
Phase 2 was finished in 2017. This phase restored other buildings. These included the oil house, the privy, and the barn. Phase 3 was completed in early 2019. It involved building a new visitor's center. This new center replaced a temporary building. Phase 4 has also been completed or is well underway. This phase restored the inside of the keeper's house. You can also take tours up the 89-foot light tower.
See also
- Wisconsin Maritime Museum, another Maritime Museum, located south in Manitowoc, Wisconsin
- List of maritime museums in the United States
