Kathy Visits Door County Wisconsin

We go with them vicariously...   

10/19/2016 - Gills Rock & Northport Plus Cana Lighthouse (Page 3)

Just a few short miles up the road we pass through Gills Rock ending up at Northport which is the Ferry Port to the small islands north of the peninsula.


To Northport Via Liberty Grove And Gills Rock

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin


Many many ships were wrecked off these shores...
Sometimes called "Death's Door"

Did You Know? - Liberty Grove is a town in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,858 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Ellison Bay, Gills Rock, North Bay, Northport, and Rowleys Bay are in the town.

Gills Rock Wisconsin

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Did we say small?


The Welcome and Goodbye sign is hung on the same post

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Gills Rock is indeed small

Did You Know? - Gills Rock is an unincorporated community located on Highway 42 at the northern tip of the Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. It is within the town of Liberty Grove and was formerly known as Hedgehog Harbor.

Gills Rock has a strong history and tradition of commercial fishing, which continues to this day. The Door County Maritime Museum is located there. The area is also popular with scuba divers who explore the many shipwrecks in and around Death's Door, the narrow straight connecting Lake Michigan to Green Bay, also known as Porte des Morts. The Pilot Island Light is located on Pilot Island near Gills Rock.

Gills Rock is also the departure point of a ferry to Washington Island.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Kind of out in the country!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The ride to Washington Island awaits

On To Northport... As Far As We Go!

Did You Know? - Northport is an unincorporated community in the town of Liberty Grove in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the northern terminus of WIS 42 and location of the peninsula-side ferry dock of the Washington Island Ferry Line. The ferry takes freight, vehicles, and passengers across the Porte des Morts strait to Washington Island.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Jump right on board for a five mile journey to the island of Washington

Did You Know? - Washington Island is a town in northern Door County, Wisconsin, United States, with a population of 660 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Detroit Harbor and Washington are located in the town.

The town of Washington Island is made up of a group of small islands that includes Plum Island, Detroit Island, Hog Island, Rock Island, Pilot Island, and the largest, Washington Island. The majority of the population of the town lives on Washington Island and many of the other smaller islands are partly or entirely State Parks or National Wildlife Refuges, with small population, if any. As a result, the area is rarely if ever referred to as the town of Washington or just Washington; more commonly the names of the individual islands are used as a reference.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Must visit the Northport Visitors Center - The Visitor Center is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through October. It is located just north of the marina on 204 Rose Street at Second next to Haserot Park.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Find out all the exciting things going on

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The Ferry has departed

Did You Know? - Washington Island is a year round Island community located approximately 5 miles off the northeast tip of the Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin. The Town of Washington, includes five other Islands in this watery neighborhood. They include: Plum Island, Detroit Island, Hog Island, Pilot Island and Rock Island, a 900 acre island and Wisconsin's only State Park on an island.

Washington Island is the largest of the thirty islands in Door County, Wisconsin. With a land mass of approximately 35 square miles, Washington Island is the only island community with a year round resident population and its' own economy. The community has over 100 miles of paved roads. Visitors are advised to bring their vehicles for transportation on the Island. The local economy is comprised of several industries including hospitality, retail, construction, farming, logging and commercial fishing. As a popular retreat for visitors since the late 1800's, many descendants still call Washington Island their summer home and tourism is the largest industry on Washington Island.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The flowers and trees were magnificent around the town

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Reds and greens just like Christmas!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
We are talking reds here!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Looks a little small but it was not!

Did You Know? - Plum Island is an island at the western shore of Lake Michigan in the southern part of the town of Washington in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. There have been hundreds of shipwrecks off the island's shores.

The front and rear range lights were part of the United States Life-Saving Station that was established on Plum Island in 1896. The lights were originally lit in 1897 and are 1,650 feet (500 m) apart, aligned on a 330° bearing line to guide boats safely into the Porte des Morts Passage. The Plum Island front range light was originally identical to the front range light of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, but was replaced by a modern skeletal light in 1964. The rear range light is the original tower and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, as the Plum Island Range Rear Light, reference number #84003659. The front light is directional, aligned on 330.5° true. The rear light is omnidirectional and still has its original 4th order Fresnel lens.

The Plum Island Range Lights are a pair of range lights located on Plum Island in Door County, Wisconsin. They were part of the Plum Island United States Life-Saving Station.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Pilot Island Light House.... Light houses abound in this area

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Close up view of the lighthouse circa 1983

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
There were many shipwrecks in this area of the state


Well placed for a view of the bay

Did You Know? - The Pilot Island shipwrecks rest in 20-50 feet of water and are marked with a Society seasonal mooring buoy. On the night of October 28, 1891, the scow-schooner Forest entered the Death's Door en route from Chicago to Nahma, Michigan. A gale struck and drove the ship onto the reef at Pilot Island.

The following day, the crew of five rowed to shore and took refuge at the lighthouse. The next fall the dangerous passage wrecked two more schooners at the same spot. On Oct. 17 the J.E. Gilmore entered the passage and was blown onto the reef.

The crew waited out the storm on board. On Oct. 28, a fierce storm drove the A.P. Nichols onto the rocks near the Gilmore and Forest. In a daring rescue, the lighthouse crew helped the sailors leap from the rolling Nichols onto the icy deck of the Forest to reach Pilot Island.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
A real "ice propeller"... Designed to be used on ice breakers

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
It served well for many years

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The ferry is gone to the island...

Off To See The Cana Island Lighthouse... Beautiful Highways Ahead

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The colors remain a beautiful mystery

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
It seemed magical

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
A few blocks from the lighthouse

Cana Point Lighthouse Was About A Half Hour Away

Down good old 42 which was the only "highway" up this far on the peninsula.  A beautiful ride in the forest.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
20 miles never went so fast

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The causeway was walkable.. We walked to the island!
The 65-foot-tall lighthouse at Cana Island was the tallest brick structure in Door County when it was built in 1869 on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Did You Know? - The Cana Island lighthouse is a lighthouse located just north of Baileys Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, United States.

Currently used as an active navigational aid under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard and a museum, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, as reference #76000201. This lighthouse, along with the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, was built to replace the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse in 1869, and was first lit in 1870.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
We have arrived... Time for a walk

Did You Know? - The Cana Island lighthouse is a lighthouse located just north of Baileys Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, United States.

Currently used as an active navigational aid under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard and a museum, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, as reference #76000201. This lighthouse, along with the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, was built to replace the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse in 1869, and was first lit in 1870.


We parked pretty close but there was a walk involved

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The signage told the complete story

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Wonder if high tide will make it difficult to get back?

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Almost on the island

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Did we say rocky?

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The path was used by official trucks and cars in
addition to lighthouse visitors who had to walk

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
First glimpse... Impressive!

Did You Know? - The keepers quarters, privy, and tower were the first buildings and were made of cream city brick, but the brick of the tower deteriorated quickly because of storms and icy winters. In 1902, a steel cladding was added to the tower to protect it from further deterioration. The cost of the quarters, tower and cladding was $12,792.55.

The light itself is a third order Fresnel lens that was made in France. It used to be fueled by lard, later it was fueled by kerosene, then by acetylene, and now by electricity. The round ball at the top is the vent that removed the smoke and soot from the oil lamp.

Each night oil had to be carried to the top of the tower by the keeper or his assistant to keep the light fueled. When the light first became electric in 1945, it was by an engine driven, 2 kW generator, and batteries that powered the 100 watt, 32 volt bulb. A power line was finally installed in the 1960s, and the bulb was switched to a 110 volt, 200 watt bulb. Four bulbs are mounted in a rack that allows for the next bulb to light if the one before it burns out.

An octagon-shaped oil house, storage building and privy are also located at the site. An oil tank had been in the woods to the south of the building and a pipe underground moved the oil to the building.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Ninety feet from top to bottom!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
It was automated in 1945...

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The lighthouse keeper had a cozy atmosphere!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
When the storms came, the shutters were bolted closed


"Around and around I go!"

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Do NOT trip!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The view from the top... spectacular!

Did You Know? - The lighthouse is located on the 8.7-acre (3.5 ha) Cana Island connected to the mainland via a rocky channel. Depending on the lake level the channel can be covered with 1–2 feet of cold Lake Michigan water.

Originally, only wood walkways on top of rocks and a little dirt covered the area around the buildings. But starting in 1900 top soil was hauled in by a crew of men with eight teams of horses and wagons and six weeks later they were ready to begin covering the area with grass. There is a Stone sea wall on the east end of the island.

Before 1889, the first assistants were spouses or family members. Patrick Chambers was the first non-family member assistant. When electricity came to the island an assistant was no longer needed.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
One could see forever.... and then some!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
If you do not like heights... stay downstairs!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The water was pretty close to the base of the lighthouse!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Everything is always so green

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Good view of the path we came up

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The rocky and rough coast made the lighthouse a necessity way back when

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The mansions along the water look astounding

Did You Know? - The tower is 89 feet (27 m) tall in all. 79 feet 3 inches (24.16 m) from ground level to focal plane of the light. The light is approximately 85 feet (26 m) above water level, and has a visual range of 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi). The Stone foundation goes below ground 4 feet (1.2 m) and is set on bedrock.

The tower is 4 feet 8 inches (1.42 m) thick at the base with the outer layer 24 inches (610 mm) thick with a 20-inch (510 mm) air space between it and the 12-inch (300 mm) inner layer of brick at the base. Ten feet from the top it narrows to a 16-inch (410 mm) thickness with a 4-inch (100 mm) airspace and 8-inch (200 mm) inner layer.

There are 102 cast iron steps in the circular staircase leading to the watch room.

October 15, 1880 a terrible storm called the Alpena Gale destroyed seven ships near this lighthouse, and on October 12, 1928, the freighter M.J. Bartelme went aground in the fog at this location after attempts to free the ship failed.

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
"I am standing against the solid wall"

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
"It cost extra"

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
Fear? Yes!

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
The caretakers "cabin" was nice... It was also the workshop and parts storage

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
More about the shipwrecks


The Frank O'Connor wintering over

Did You Know? - In 1892, the innovative shipbuilder James Davidson pushed the art of wooden ship construction past the 300-foot mark with the launching of the City of Naples, renamed the Frank O' Connnor in 1916. Heavily braced with iron and steel and propelled with a powerful steam engine, the O'Connor logged 28 years of service on the Great Lakes. On Sept. 29, 1919, she departed Buffalo carrying 3000 tons of coal, bound for Milwaukee. Fire struck on the afternoon of October 2. The captain steered toward sore, but roughly an hour later the blaze burned away the steering gear. The crew escaped in lifeboats, leaving the helpless O' Connor to burn well into the night. She sank about two miles from Cana Island. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but, suspicion centered on a discarded match or cigarette butt.

Today, the O'Connor's strong lower hull remains intact, displaying the iron and steel strapping, multiple floor keelsons, and heavy ceiling planking that allowed Davidson's Goliaths to reach their great lengths. The bow holds the contends of the chain locker and other gear, while more artifacts surround the museum-quality machinery in the stern. The remains of the coal cargo, scattered during several salvage attempts, surround the wreck.

 

An October 2016 visit to Doors County, Wisconsin
We were voted "Off The Island"


Page 4 - Return To Ephraim Via Eagle Cliff Lighthouse