Door County Living - Autumn 2026 by Door County Pulse

door county living

Life in the Lighthouse

Celebrating the culture and lifestyle of the Door peninsula

Supper Clubbin’ Lure of the Trail The Art of Connection

Autumn 2026 Free

Autumn 2026 • Volume 24 Issue 3

+ Restaurant Guide

What’s Your

”Why”?

DESTINI, RN

Labor & Delivery

SASHA, RN

Labor & Delivery

WOMEN’S CARE

Care for HER starts HERE Sasha: As a nurse, it is one of the most meaningful things for me to provide care to a patient for their delivery and through their postpartum stay, and it is in these moments that real connections are formed and stretch beyond the hospital stay. I feel an immense amount of pride when patients return to the birthing center to share their family with us, whether it be stopping by to say “hi” or even welcome a new member of the family.

Destini: I became a labor and delivery nurse because I wanted to be the support I did not have. I am passionate about making sure every woman feels seen, heard, and guided; especially during moments that can feel overwhelming or uncertain. I strive for the women in our community and or anyone who chooses Door County Medical Center to feel safe, supported, and confident in their care.

Learn more about our Women’s Care services at dcmedical.org/medical-services/womens-care DCM E D I C AL .O RG

2026 PRC

excellence in healthcare

award winner

Want to join our nursing team? Visit our Careers page today!

p h : 920.746.3666 toll free: 800.522.8919

OUTSTANDING ARTISTS SINCE 1969

An An award-winning award-winning gallery gallery ﬁ ﬁlled lled with with original original artwork artwork from from over over 150 150 artists artists in a beautifully restored fruit barn and a peaceful sculpture garden. in a beautifully restored fruit barn and a peaceful sculpture garden.

Join us for our 58th season | Open 10-5 Daily through November 1 Join us for 58th season | Open 10-5December Daily Winter Weekends (Friday & our Saturday): November 27-28, 4-5 & 12-13 Shop online anytime at EdgewoodOrchard.com Shop online anytime at EdgewoodOrchard.com 4140 Peninsula Peninsula Players Players Road, Road, Fish Fish Creek, Creek, WI WI 54212 54212 4140 EdgewoodOrchard.com | 920.868.3579 EdgewoodOrchard.com | 920.868.3579

Made for the shared joy of the outdoors

All Stores Open Daily at 9AM

Door County Grown

Year Round

FISH CREEK 920.868.9091

Locally Owned

SISTER BAY

STURGEON BAY

www.ondeckclothing.com

NATHAN NICHOLS & COMPANY Est. 2000

he nicest things are always found at Nathan Nichols & Company.

Fine Furniture Lighting One of a Kind Art, Rugs, Accessories Design & Consultation

Tyson Nichols & Silver • 1984

W e invite you to come browse one of America’s 50 best furniture & accessories stores while you are in Door County!

Inspiring Classic Design & Consulting Service ~ www.nathan-nichols.com 8068 Highway 57 ~ P.O. Box 525 ~ Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 ~ 920.839.9779

Today's Day! Today's Your Day!

Shop confidence Shop locally locally with confidence Family for over over 100 100 years years Family owned owned for

HEISERCHEVROLET CHEVROLETGMC GMC HEISER Built Builtfor forWork, Work,Weekends Weekends&&Roadtrips Roadtrips Vehicles powerful Vehiclesfor foryour yourdaily dailycommute, commute,oror powerful trucks sell and trucksand andSUVs SUVsto totow towyour yourboat, boat,we we sell and service Chevy and GMC vehicles for every service Chevy and GMC vehicles for every Door DoorCounty CountyDrive. Drive.

HEISERAUTOMAXX AUTOMAXX CENTER CENTER HEISER QualityPre-Owned Pre-OwnedSales Sales & & Service Service Quality

Shopaawide widerange rangeof ofreliable reliable used used vehicles, vehicles, Shop including a big selection of pre-owned Ford including a big selection of pre-owned Ford models.We Wealso alsoservice serviceall allmakes makes and and models, models, models. includingFords! Fords! including

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Come see us at the corner of Green Bay Road and Duluth Avenue in Sturgeon Bay! Come see us at the corner of Green Bay Road and Duluth Avenue in Sturgeon Bay! WWW. HEISER. COM

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editor

Myles Dannhausen Jr. copy editor

Sam Watson creative director

Katie Hohmann design associate

Renee Puccini

Bold Looks

for laid-back living

sales director

Jess Farley sales managers

Stephen Grutzmacher, Claudia Rudzinski courier

The Paper Boy, LLC distribution experts

Todd Jahnke, Dan Farrell, Kevin Lawell, Daulton Buckingham office manager

Ben Pothast public notices & digital content coordinator

Kait Shanks chief technology officer

Nate Bell contributors

Mike Bacsi, Eleanor Corbin, Anders Erickson, Jess Farley, Ellie Johnson, Ben Jones, Charlotte Lukes, John Mielke, Justin Skiba, Craig Sterrett. Photographers: Azusa Inaba, Brett Kosmider, Kayla Larsen, Larry Mohr publisher

David Eliot owners

David Eliot and Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Door County Living, Inc. 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 920.839.2120 info@doorcountyliving.com doorcountypulse.com Volume 24 Issue 3 35,000 copies (17,047 mailed)

rugs - lighting - accessories interior design - wall art accent furniture & more 8

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

Door County Living, celebrating the culture and lifestyle of the Door peninsula, is published five times annually by Peninsula Publishing & Distribution, Inc., 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202. To order a subscription, please mail a check for $25 to Door County Living, 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202. If you would like to advertise, please visit doorcountymarketing.com. © 2026 Peninsula Publishing & Distribution, Inc. All rights reserved. Door County Living is a Peninsula Publishing & Distribution, Inc. company. Locally owned. Locally minded.

20 CURIOSITIES In the Spotlight Door County’s pop culture moments

28 PERFORMANCE The Art of Connection

Merging disciplines at the Door Kinetic Arts Festival

32 TOPSIDE The Innovator

County’s only Olympian has made his mark

60 LIVING WELL Self, Aware Sarah Koehler’s journey of discovery

68 DOOR TO NATURE The Scaly and Slimy

Charlotte Lukes on the reptiles and amphibians around us

73 HISTORY West Side School Lives On

30 years after school closed, new tenants move in

78 OUTDOOR The Lure of the Trail

36 HABITAT 92 IN YOUR GLASS A Most Interesting Cottage Apple Season in a Glass on the Lake Reimagining a decommissioned lighthouse

44 IN THE FIELD A Family Takes Root

From vine to bottle, it’s a family affair at Anchored Roots

50 DINING Supper Clubbin’

A Wisconsin staple evolves with the times

TABLE OF CONTENTS

17 CURIOSITIES The Indispensable Tool

96 ON YOUR PLATE Rah Rah Ratatouille 10 Contributors 13 Editor’s Note 89 Run Door County 103 Restaurant Guide

FAIRWAYS Murphys Give an Old Course A Facelift Former Packers president brings passion to Maxwelton Braes

On the Cover:

The catwalk to the North Pierhead Lighthouse. Photo by Brett Kosmider.

Background photo Fall on the greens at Maxwelton Braes. Photo by Len Villano.

Autumn 2026

good clothes open all doors

HENRIETTE STEFFENSEN

Copenhagen

MIKE BACSI lives in Baileys Harbor and writes about the local food scene for the Peninsula Pulse. When not writing, he’s rocking with local band The Cherry Tones. ELEANOR CORBIN is a reporter at the Peninsula Pulse. She bakes up a storm and jams to riot grrrl tunes at her home in Sturgeon Bay. Writer and editor MYLES DANNHAUSEN JR. has been searching out stories for Door County Living since 2005. He lives outside Sister Bay with his wife and three children.

TWO Locations IN STURGEON BAY

Monticello ON JEFFERSON

58 N. 3RD AVE • 920.495.7771 715 JEFFERSON ST. • 920.746.4100 10

CONTR

Monticello

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

ANDERS ERICKSON is a Gibraltar High School graduate who has honed his cocktail knowledge behind the bar in Chicago for more than 20 years. He lives in Baileys Harbor with his wife, Azusa Inaba. JESS FARLEY lives in Jacksonport with her son and dogs, Bernadette and Elwood Blues. Feeding friends and family feeds her soul. KATIE HOHMANN is the creative director of the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living. Her time outside the office is spent painting, paddleboarding and laughing in good company.

IBUTORS

ELLIE JOHNSON is a graphic designer for the Peninsula Pulse. When she’s not designing, she can be found in the pool, out on a run or spending time with friends. BEN JONES is a Madison-based travel and outdoors writer and photographer. He grew up in Sister Bay and while he works with organizations in many communities, his heart is in Door County. Door County native KAYLA LARSEN spent 25 years in the service industry. She and her husband, James, live outside Sister Bay with their son, Beau. Since the passing of her husband, Roy, in 2016, CHARLOTTE LUKES writes to fulfill his mission to help educate and inspire readers to learn, care for and protect our native species and the natural world. JOHN MIELKE wrote for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and at Fortune 500 companies. He and his wife, Patti, live on Rileys Bay and enjoy all Door County has to offer. JUSTIN SKIBA is a Sevastopol educator who lives in Sturgeon Bay with his wife, Stephanie; and daughters, Delaney and Amelia. He enjoys traveling, history, and film. Outdoor enthusiast CRAIG STERRETT of Egg Harbor has more than three decades of journalism experience and a passion for the links. SAM WATSON is an editorial assistant for the Peninsula Pulse. The UW-Madison grad lives in Baileys Harbor with her spouse and three cats – Desmond, Penny and Kermit.

Autumn 2026

here are properties that offer acreage, and then there are the properties that preserve a legacy. Nestled on an extraordinary 75-acre estate in northern Door County, this remarkable property has been lovingly owned by the same family for more than 50 years. Of the 75 acres, approximately 70 acres are protected by conservancy, ensuring that the breathtaking landscape surrounding the stately home will remain virtually unchanged for generations to come. The land itself is one of the property’s greatest treasures. Towering deciduous hardwoods blend seamlessly with mature stands of red and white pine, opening to expansive meadows alive with perennial wildflowers throughout the growing season. Winding through the property are numerous walking trails and centuries-old, stacked stone fences, thoughtfully built by early settlers and still standing as enduring reminders of Liberty Grove’s agricultural heritage. Every season brings its own beauty. The conservancy land helps protect the renowned Mink River Estuary, one of Wisconsin’s most pristine coastal wetlands and among the most important natural habitats in the Great Lakes region. Nature enthusiasts will appreciate that the property lies within an area that has documented 144 avian species, as well as extensive native plants and wildlife, creating an extraordinary opportunity for birdwatching, wildlife observation, photography, and quiet reflection. Positioned within this setting is a lovely and inviting 4-bedroom, 2 ½ bath estate residence that complements its surroundings beautifully. Designed for comfortable year-round living, the home offers generous gathering spaces filled with natural light and scenic views from nearly every window. Hardwood floors add warmth and timeless character, while thoughtful room placement allows the landscape to become part of everyday living. A custom masonry fireplace is a true work of craftsmanship that anchors the home’s stunning great room for gathering and relaxing. Each room reflects the tranquility of its natural surroundings, with peaceful woodland and meadow views creating an everchanging backdrop throughout the seasons. Outdoor decks provide the perfect place to enjoy dining in one of Door County’s most scenic settings. Properties of this caliber rarely become available. Combining a beautifully maintained residence, significant protected acreage, historic stone fences, an exceptional wildlife habitat, and one of Door County’s most remarkable natural settings, 1202 Highway 42, Ellison Bay, WI represents far more than a home—it is an irreplaceable legacy property and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become the steward of one of northern Door County’s truly exceptional estates.

Prequalified Prospects Only $1,500,000 Contact MaryKay Shumway, Broker 920-421-0038 920-854-3444 • DWELLDOORCO.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE ???

Celebrating the Old, Welcoming the New ometimes, people pleasantly surprise you.

I called Mark Murphy in January of 2023 expecting to learn about the end of Maxwelton Braes golf course. Murphy, then the president of the Green Bay Packers, had just purchased the course, which had nearly been sold a few months earlier to a group that aimed to redevelop it as luxury homes and condominiums. I figured that was part of Murphy’s plan too, but he quickly dispelled that. “I wouldn’t have bought it for anything else but a golf course,” Murphy said. “You need golf to be accessible to have family involved and introduce people to the game.” During his time as athletic director at Colgate University in New York state, Murphy’s duties overseeing the school’s public golf course were one of his favorite parts of the job. “That course had history, and so does Maxwelton,” Murphy said. He said that he and his wife, Laurie, intended only to improve the course located not far from their Baileys Harbor home. True to his word, they have spent the last three The barn behind the Bertschinger Lumber and Feed Mill in Egg Harbor years investing in the in the late-1960s, when the author’s course that has served family purchased the property. The as the welcome mat to tree is still there, as is the barn, now as Baileys Harbor since it Door County Nature Works. File photo. was built in 1929. At a time when the county has seen the closure of three of its classic resorts – Little Sister, Rowleys Bay and the Alpine –the preservation of this course on State Highway 57 is a relief. Craig Sterrett’s deep dive into Maxwelton Braes on page 82 isn’t the only story of rejuvenation in this issue. At the entry to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Jeff and Donna Feuerstein are renovating the decommissioned North Pierhead Light into a cottage on the lake. Mike Bacsi shares their story (page 36) alongside the unique eye of photographer Brett Kosmider. On Sturgeon Bay’s west side, an old grade school has new life as affordable apartments. Writer John Mielke goes inside to remember a time when kids had the city’s best view, and learn how a long-dormant building found a new purpose (page 73).

Few experiences feel more Wisconsin than a night at the supper club, and photographer Kayla Larsen will have you craving a seat at the bar as she turns her lens on several of our local classics (page 50) for a story by Ben Jones. As much as we like the way things were, the county can’t – and shouldn’t – be held on pause. Today’s tradition, after all, was yesterday’s innovation. Docks built to ship lumber became piers for shipping cherries, which became marinas for pleasure boats. Thumb Fun was despised, then loved, now terribly missed. And there was a time when Sister Bay didn’t have a grass roof with goats grazing, but just a simple diner. In that vein, in Egg Harbor, a young family works alongside other peninsula winemakers toward a new vision of what Door County wine can be at Anchored Roots (page 44). Eleanor Corbin pays a visit to Sarah Koehler’s new store in Ephraim, the next step in a journey of art and self-discovery (page 60). As this magazine goes to press, Eric Simonson and the team at the Door Kinetic Arts Festival (page 28) are putting the finishing touches on an event that isn’t easy to describe; part dance, part writing, part film and part music, the event doesn’t celebrate one genre as much as it blends many to create new ones. In Door County, we have a proud history of wanting the county to stay exactly as it was whenever we first got here. I was relieved when Mark Murphy told me he had no plans for Maxwelton but a better golf course, and like others I celebrate when new owners appreciate the history that made them want a piece of the peninsula in the first place. But our peninsula is always changing, walking a fine line to blend old and new. In these pages you’ll find stories of people walking that tightrope and pushing us to new ideas. Here’s hoping it sparks some conversation for you as well.

Myles Dannhausen Jr. Editor

Autumn 2026

BECOME BECOMEAA GUARDIAN GUARDIANOF OF THE THEGREENS GREENS AND AND DONATE DONATE TO TO PROTECT PROTECT DOOR DOOR COUNTY’S COUNTY’S STATE STATE PARKS PARKS We We asked, asked, andand you’re you’re answering. answering. Through Through the the Door Door County County State State Parks Parks Challenge, Challenge, generous generous donations donations are are making making a big a big impact. impact. When When youyou become become a Guardian a Guardian of the of the Greens, Greens, youryour donation donation doubles doubles through through a special a special parks parks challenge challenge grant grant initiative. initiative. WithWith $500,000 $500,000 already already committed, committed, youryour gift gift cancan helphelp boost boost the the totaltotal impact impact to $750,000. to $750,000. All All funds funds will will be used be used to enhance to enhance our our beloved beloved state state parks, parks, andand youyou cancan choose choose which which State State ParkPark Friends’ Friends’ group group you’d you’d like like to support. to support. To learn To learn more more about about howhow these these funds funds are are being being used used andand to make to make a donation, a donation, scanscan the the QR QR code code or visit or visit doorcounty.com/donate. doorcounty.com/donate.

NEWNEW MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN BIKEBIKE TRAILS TRAILS AT PENINSULA AT PENINSULA STATE STATE PARKPARK

YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK See how your generous donations will be used, and which parks are fully funded.

POTAWATOMI STATE PARK The Friends of Potawatomi State Park and park staff seek to update the old ski hill overlook near the Eastern Terminus of the Ice Age Trail by adding an open-air park shelter and improved parking.

ROCK ISLAND STATE PARK The Friends of Rock Island State Park are enhancing access to the upper great lawn with the addition of a new ramp and retaining walls that will serve as amphitheater seating.

WHITEFISH DUNES STATE PARK The Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park, alongside park staff and Tribal partners, are renovating the Nature Center exhibits to better reflect the area’s Indigenous heritage and connection to the land.

PENINSULA STATE PARK

GOAL MET!

Challenge Complete! The Friends of Peninsula State Park announced the completion of the first phase of the new mountain bike trail system.

NEWPORT STATE PARK

GOAL MET!

Challenge complete! Newport Wilderness Society, the Friends Group of Newport State Park, is using the funds raised to enhance the park’s dark-sky viewing area, improving accessibility and the overall visitor experience.

MICHELLE ANDERSON

MICHELLE ANDERSON Global Luxury Specialist

(920) 421-1877 BuyDoorCounty.com

©2024 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker ® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

MICHELLE MICHELLE ANDERSON (920) 421-1877 ANDERSON Global Luxury Specialist BuyDoorCounty.com (920) 421-1877

BuyDoorCounty.com

Global Luxury Specialist

Global Luxury Specialist ©2024 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker ® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service ©2024 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker ® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently and operated. and theowned Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

CURIOSITIES William Marik stands on one of the shorter ladders his company manufactured in Sturgeon Bay. Photo courtesy of Mark O’Hearn.

An advertising flyer for Marik Ladders. Photo courtesy of Mark O’Hearn.

The Indispensable Tool

t’s nothing fancy, but in the first half of the 20th century, the three-legged wooden cherry-picking ladder was one of the most important tools on the peninsula. Cherrypicking was a labor-intensive task, with thousands of temporary workers employed each harvest season to bring in the fruit in just a few weeks. Workers were paid by the pail, and speed with their hands and a ladder was crucial to a good payday.

In 1944, after spending a day maneuvering a ladder to pick cherries in California, Jay Eitel began dreaming of a better way to pick. He developed a mechanized lift to maneuver more quickly around the tree. By 1953 he had founded Telsta Corporation to produce aerial lifts that took the idea beyond orchards and into the communications and utilities industry. But these lifts are still often referred to as cherry pickers, a nod to their roots in the orchard.

In Door County, most of those ladders were produced by the Marik Woodenware Co. of Sturgeon Bay, owned by William Marik, a furniture-maker. In 1922, the company made 700 of its wooden ladders for the orchard growers of the peninsula.

The cherry industry would be transformed by another mechanization that eliminated the need for a lift entirely. Today, tailor-made tractors roam the county’s orchards, shaking loose an entire tree of cherries in mere seconds, making the ladder and the laborers largely obsolete.

The tripod design with a flared base allowed all three feet to make firm contact with the uneven ground in the orchard. They were made of spruce to keep them light enough to maneuver hundreds of times a day.

- Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Autumn 2026

9135 GIBRALTAR BLUFF FISH CREEK SOLD FOR ASKING PRICE $3,487,000

4220 HIDDEN HARBOR K4 FISH CREEK OFFER WITHIN 24 HOURS $1,350,000

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

7269 GREENING BLUFF EGG HARBOR SOLD $1,500,000

SE E LL LL II N NG G & & B BU UY Y II N NG G S

The Finest Real Estate in Door County

6220 HWY 57 JACKSONPORT, SOLD $950,000

10320 WATER ST, EPHRAIM BROUGHT THE BUYER $1,050,000

4231 COTTAGE ROW RD FISH CREEK, SALE PENDING $1,197,000

Diane has listed and sold some of the most beautiful and sought-after listings in Northern Door County. Let her guide you through every step of the successful sale or purchase of your peninsula property. DIANE TAILLON OWNER/BROKER

(920) 421-3272 diane@arborcrowneproperties.com

arborcrowneproperties.com Located off the lobby of the Hillside Waterfront Hotel, Ephraim Autumn 2026

In the Spotlight Door County’s Pop Culture Moments by JUSTIN SKIBA

rian Freeman’s latest novel, The Bourne Revenge (2026), features the one and only Jason Bourne, making his way to Fish Creek and throughout Door County in an attempt to fill in a gap in his memory. The bestselling author, Freeman, lived in Minnesota with his wife for decades and visited Door County numerous times. He particularly enjoyed staying in Fish Creek at the White Gull Inn. “I love using real locales as settings for my thrillers, because I think it enriches the drama when readers can put themselves in the middle of the action,” he said. “I wanted to bring Jason Bourne home to the U.S. in my latest book, and I thought it would be fun to have Bourne cut a path of bodies and chase scenes all across the beautiful scenery of Door County.” In fact, this is Freeman’s second novel set in Door County. His psychological thriller, The Bone House (2011), was the first. Freeman’s stories are some of the latest examples of Door County’s place in popular culture. While the peninsula gained renewed attention thanks to the recent release of two notable movies filmed and set in the area, Door County’s appearances and mentions in film, television, books and other media date back decades.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

On the Small Screen Feed the Fish filmmaker Shalhoub, a Green Bay native and longtime Door County visitor, returned to the peninsula in 2025 to feature Sway Brewing + Blending of Baileys Harbor on an episode of Breaking Bread.

On the Big Screen Both Green and Gold (2025) starring Craig T. Nelson and Great American Family’s A Cherry Pie Christmas (2025) made recent debuts on the big screen. The buzz surrounding these films, which featured calls for local extras, brought back memories of Tony Shalhoub’s Feed the Fish (2010) that was also filmed entirely in Door County.

In the CNN original series, Shalhoub travels the world exploring the importance of bread across various regions, including here in northeast Wisconsin. Door County food lovers were also sure to enjoy season 21 of the reality TV series, Top Chef, which filmed in the county. Additionally, the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, season seven, episode four, highlighted Door County’s sweet and tart cherry pies, fish fries, cheese curds and Belgian soups. One of Door County’s most recognizable restaurants briefly appeared in the popular National Geographic original series Brain Games. Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor is used in a segment of season two, episode nine to demonstrate decision-making within the brain – in this case, deciding which ice cream flavor to choose. The most recent presidential election brought CBS’s 60 Minutes to the area in a national feature that highlighted Door County predicting every presidential election this century, except for 1992, since 1980. The streak came to an end in 2024. Fish Creek’s White Gull Inn won ABC’s Good Morning America’s Best Breakfast Challenge and brought in film crews to the restaurant in May of 2010 to feature their cherry-stuffed French toast. Even Jason Bourne gave his own approval as Freeman opens chapter seven of The Bourne Revenge with, “Laney was right, the cherrystuffed French toast was excellent.” Other small-screen nods incorporate Door County into fictional worlds. ER, the Chicago-based medical drama that ran from 1995 to 2009, name-dropped Door County on two separate occasions. In season one, episode 13, “Luck of the Draw,” nurse Carol Hathaway shared with a

CURIOSITIES ???

coworker that she and her fiancé “rented a cottage in Door County right on the lake. Went ice fishing.” Her coworker did not seem that impressed.

In season 10, episode 14, Dr. Kerry Weaver is urgently approached by risk-assessment expert Arnie Nadler. When Weaver asks what he wants, Nadler humorously responds, “Well, a month alone in Door County with my cats and my French horn, but I’d settle for five minutes of your undivided attention.” Finally, in a 2005 episode of the longtime legal drama Law and Order, fictional New York Police Department detective Joe Fontana recalled that his uncle Phil used to take him up to Door County to hunt whitetail. Despite being 1,000 miles away from Door County, the reference was fitting, as Fontana had spent much of his career with the Chicago Police Department before joining the NYPD.

In Print As a fan of the long-running PBS Masterpiece detective series Grantchester, based on James Runcie’s Grantchester Mysteries British crime book series, I often wondered how so many murders could occur in the small, quaint 1950s-‘60s Cambridge village of England. I also wonder what the locals of the real Grantchester think. Here in Door County, we can certainly relate. In addition to Freeman, numerous authors have found that Door County’s quiet charm serves as the perfect backdrop for a good mystery.

“I hope the businesses there don’t mind a little death and destruction at their doorstep!” Freeman wrote. Door County’s natural beauty has inspired stories of romance just as often as mystery. LaVyrle Spencer chose Door County as the setting for her New York Times-bestselling romance novel, Bitter Sweet, which was released in 1991. Spencer’s writing success earned her a spot in the Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame in 1988. Rebecca Makkai’s historical fiction novel, The Great Believers (2018), also makes its way to the peninsula. It ranked #64 in the New York Times’ list of the best 100 books of the 21st century. Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss wrote the groundbreaking biography When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi (1999). In it, Maraniss recounts how the legendary Green Bay Packers

coach visited Door County. Several Packers head coaches vacationed on the peninsula, and some have even called it home. Former coaches Mike Sherman and Mike McCarthy frequent the area, with the latter still paying visits, now as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jon Jarosh, Destination Door County’s President and CEO and chief communications officer, said that there has been consistent written coverage of Door County over the last half-century and no sign of it slowing down. He noted that the all-time great competitor and current Jeopardy host Ken Jennings once penned a story of Egg Harbor’s origin for Condé Nast Traveler, the luxury and lifestyle magazine. “In terms of articles, the March 1969 feature in National Geographic kicked off decades of great editorial coverage, and Door County has been featured in a lot of print and online outlets over the years,” Jarosh said. “More recently, some of the national publications we’ve been featured in include Midwest Living, Afar, Better Homes and Gardens, Travel + Leisure.”

Autumn 2026

ELEVATING YOUR DOOR COUNTY REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE

MaryKay Shumway

3 BDRM / 2.5 BATH / 1940 SQ FT / ATTACHED TWO CAR GARAGE 11935 HWY 42 • ELLISON BAY • WATERVIEW

Broker/Owner, ABR, CRS 920-421-0038

Kate Lindsley

Broker/Owner, CRS 920-216-2858 LUNA VIEW CONDOMINIUMS DOWNTOWN SISTER BAY

Amy Jorgenson Broker/

Owner, CRS, ABR, GRI, RSPS 920-535-0008 5 BDRM / 7 BATH / 4606 SQ FT 11023 LIBERTY PARK LN • SISTER BAY

CALL US TODAY! 10589 S. Highland Rd Unit 7 • Sister Bay, WI 54234 • Office: 920-854-3444 • www.dwelldoorco.com

CURIOSITIES

Beyond the Screen The Door County Auditorium hosted numerous big names since 1991, including Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Grammy-nominee Hans Christian operates Studio 330 in Sturgeon Bay, while Grammynominated singer-songwriter pat mAcdonald co-founded the Steel Bridge Songfest that featured the famed rock musician Jackson Browne in 2005 and 2006. “The Old Rugged Cross,” a popular Christian hymn, was first performed at Friends Community Church in Sturgeon Bay in 1913. Does that count as pop culture? Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash all covered the song. You be the judge. Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor received one of its most famous visitors in August of 2009 when National Hockey League (NHL) champion Ruslan Fedotenko of the Pittsburgh Penguins brought with him arguably the greatest trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup. Traditionally, each member of the NHL championship team is allowed to take the trophy wherever they wish for 24 hours. Fedotenko chose Door County, as his family owned a condo in Sister Bay, and he gave Lord Stanley’s Cup a grand tour. Legendary entertainer Bob Hope famously spent a week in Egg Harbor in 1971. Rainn Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on NBC’s The Office, took up residency with his wife Holiday Reinhorn in Baileys Harbor as part of the Door Kinetic Arts Festival in 2018. Sturgeon Bay resident Tori Martinez recalls waiting on actor Spencer Milligan at, you guessed it, the White Gull Inn. Milligan, who played the father, Rick Marshall, on the 1970s children’s TV series Land of the Lost, lived in Sturgeon Bay until he died in 2024.

Quiet days. The perfect time to read a book. Or write one.

Join us for reading and writing events for all.

Everyone has a story to tell...and whatever your skill level, our classes can help you express yourself in a poem or memoir, or retell your story as fiction. Or enjoy the fall foliage on our Writer’s Walk — 59 acres of trails that are the quiet spirit of Write On, Door County.

You’ll find a world of words online at

writeondoorcounty.org

Our Events Calendar has details and more.

Washington Island Literary Festival September 17-19 | Washington Island

Register now to join five award-winning authors for three days of workshops, readings, and more. One-day options available.

Poetry & Nonfiction Intensives

November 9-13 | Kareem Tayyar and Ira Sukrungruang Spend five days digging deep into a genre with a published author eager to share the nuances of his respective field.

WriteCon26 Youth Conference

Saturday, November 17 / MUSE and Door County Community Foundation, Sturgeon Bay A day of writing for middle school and high school writers.

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Autumn 2026

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CURIOSITIES

Future Features As new books, films and TV shows continue to feature Door County, its place in pop culture is still being written. Several years ago, my family spent a few nights in Smithville, Texas, population 3,922. We visited the quaint town with a remarkably preserved historic downtown because it served as the filming location for one of my favorite movies, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life (2011). It turned out that Smithville is known as “The Best Little Film Town in Texas,” where dozens of films and TV shows were filmed, largely due to the tax incentives and permit-friendly film commission of the town that consistently promotes new projects in the area. Similarly, Jarosh of Destination Door County said that with the introduction of film tax credits in Wisconsin in 2025 and the formation of the Wisconsin Film Office in January 2026, they anticipate new projects in Door County and throughout the state in the future. “We do have a group of local film enthusiasts that meet regularly to talk about how to promote movie/ TV/video production here in Door County, which we [Destination Door County] are helping with and anticipate putting some effort behind from a promotional standpoint to build off of the success of A Cherry Pie Christmas movie project,” Jarosh said. “We do get calls from producers considering projects in Door County, so it would be a natural evolution to expand what we’re doing there to leverage the state’s new film office.”

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The Art of

Connection Merging disciplines at the Door Kinetic Arts Festival by MYLES DANNHAUSEN JR.

en years in, it’s not getting easier to describe the Door Kinetic Arts Festival (DKAF) to the uninitiated. “The only way to understand it is to experience it,” festival creator Eric Simonson said.

The week of performances, workshops and panel discussions weaves together a wide array of creative genres. Simonson, a Los Angeles-based writer, director and playwright who grew up in Milwaukee, said he always wanted to curate an art event. As he created DKAF, he wasn’t interested in a particular genre, but a feeling.

The Door Kinetic Arts Festival is the brainchild of Eric Simonson. Submitted.

“I’m trying to choose things that I know are going to bring people together on a common plane,” Simonson said. “Artists who have a certain kind of joy, a love for life we can find common ground on.” To create that, he plucks people from all walks of creativity. Actors, writers, playwrights, filmmakers, mixologists, magicians and dancers have all been part of the menagerie. Chicago tap dancer and instructor Jumaane Taylor has participated in two editions of the festival.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

“DKAF is something magical,” Taylor said. “I live in this crazy big city, and then you go to DKAF and it’s this breath of fresh air. It really feeds these particular art forms that there’s no chance on earth you would see the amount and the variety, but also the quality, in one place.” It’s the kind of event you might expect to find in Brooklyn, Chicago or Los Angeles, but Simonson has long found Door County to be a place of creative rejuvenation. “As I was becoming a writer, I would go up to Door County in the winter and hole up and write,” he said. “I’d find coffee shops like Blue Horse and I’d get the best writing done looking out on the frozen bay. That’s where I wrote my play, Lombardi.” He attended Lawrence University and became acquainted with Björklunden, the school’s retreat campus in Baileys Harbor. “I thought Björklunden would be a perfect place to bring artists to be inspired by the surroundings and create,” Simonson said. The venue became the base camp of DKAF, but the festival has also branched out to collaborations with Write On, the Door County Auditorium, the Kress Pavilion, the Door County Granary and other organizations. Simonson moves all the pieces around the chessboard, bringing together people and organizations who wouldn’t otherwise connect. “You get to walk around and experience folks in the process of creating a new

THEATER

work in different realms,” Taylor said. “It’s different from a concert stage or museum wall. It grounds us as artists. We’re all in this together, and we can give each other something.” In addition to Taylor, past participants have included playwright Lydia Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss, comedian Rainn Wilson of The Office, writer Rick Cleveland of The West Wing, and actors Dan Lauria and Campbell Scott, among many others. This year’s festival features former ABC News anchor Terry Moran, who will present his new play, The Baghdad Gentleman’s Club. Songwriter and playwright Katie Dahl will present her new musical exploring the relationship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and pioneering journalist Lorena Hickok. Dancer and choreographer Sophie Minouche Allen will present her new work, and mixologist Robert Simonson will lead cocktail workshops

and conversations. There will also be independent films, screening and panel discussions.

Left Jumaane Taylor (in blue shirt) performs with some of his students and a quartet at the 2024 Door Kinetic Arts Festival at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor. Submitted. Right Jumaane Taylor. Photo by Kristie Kahns.

“You might take a workshop and learn how to juggle, or make a cocktail, or attend a panel of television writers or a presentation of a play in progress,” Simonson said. On Sept. 10 at the Weidner Center in Green Bay, Taylor will premiere Momentum, a special concert in which he will be the percussion soloist – through tap – at a symphony concert in a collaboration with Michelle McQuade Dewhirst.

Door Kinetic Arts Festival

How did a tap dancer from Chicago end up working with a symphony in Green Bay? The Door Kinetic Arts Festival, where he and Dewhirst were pushed together and began workshopping the performance.

A week of performances, screenings, workshops, discussions and artist residencies at various locations in northern Door County. Find the schedule and buy tickets at doorkinetic.com.

Sept. 20-26

“It’s all because of the authentic, genuine connections Eric creates,” Taylor said.

Autumn 2026

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The Innovator County’s only Olympian has made his mark by JOHN MIELKE

he 1972 Summer Olympics, the 1983 America’s Cup international sailboat race and a world-famous hairstyling accessory all have a tie to Sturgeon Bay. His name is Leathem Stearn. Stearn is the grandson of legendary shipping-industry innovator Leathem Smith, though he never knew his maternal grandfather. A sailing accident on Green Bay in 1946 took the lives of Smith and three others. The only survivor was Smith’s oldest daughter, Patsy. Not long before the accident, Smith had hired Richard Stearn, a naval architect, right out of college. Richard Stearn married Smith’s youngest daughter, Suzanne. Leathem Stearn credits his parents and Door County with helping shape his own impressive career. “Both my parents had a very substantial influence on me because they were very complementary,” Stearn said. “I took something out of each of their books. My father always told me it’s not important what something is; it’s important why it is. From as young as I can remember, I was always hungry for better.” Stearn describes his mom as an articulate free spirit. “My mother got into politics, and she had great instincts,” Stearn said. “Very insightful and, like my father, completely unconventional. She saw her way and did it, and I think she got some of that from her father.” With such unique parents, Stearn’s upbringing was unconventional.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

“My parents did me a great favor by giving me this freedom to be me,” he said. “I was always taught to think for myself and pursue things the way I think it should be as opposed to the way it is.” After high school, Stearn attended the University of Vermont, where he competed on the Catamounts ski team. He had learned to ski on the nowdefunct ski hill in Potawatomi State Park that his dad and other members of the Door County Winter Sports Club helped develop.

Leathem Stearn’s sailing prowess led him to the Olympics and onto magazine covers in the 1970s. Submitted.

Stearn later transferred to the University of Michigan to study naval architecture and aeronautical engineering. While at Michigan, Stearn designed and was awarded a patent for the StreamStay, the first modern, single-groove roller furling headstay (the equipment that holds up the mast of a sailboat, with sails attached to it). Shortly after, Stearn founded Stearn Sailing Systems and patented the Twinstay, a fore-and-aft two-groove headstay. The company also pioneered hydraulics for controlling spars and rigging. “It was a very formative, extremely interesting, in retrospect, unbelievable opportunity,” Stearn said of forming the company while still in his 20s. “When I sold the company, we had 70% of the world market in offshore racing masts and rigging.” In 1972, Stearn and his sailing partner,

Stearn’s Streamstay and Twinstay patents changed the design of sailboats worldwide. Submitted.

TOPSIDE

Scott Allan, made the U.S. Olympic team in the Flying Dutchman class. The races took place some 400 miles from Munich, Germany, on the Baltic Sea, where conditions were typically what sailors call a heavy wind. That’s exactly what Stearn and Allan prepared for. “As luck would have it, when the series actually started, a highpressure system came in from Scandinavia and made [the wind] light and fluky for about two-thirds of the races,” Stearn said. “It completely changed the tune of the games. But that’s part of sailing, dealing with the weather you’re dealt.” Stearn fondly remembers the opening ceremony. Team members were arranged alphabetically, so he marched into the stadium next to swimmer Mark Spitz, who won an incredible seven gold medals that year. But it was a local connection that stands out most in Stearn’s memory. “I’m walking in all of this crowd, and – I was known as Tim back then – I hear, out of thousands of people, out of nowhere, ‘Hey Tim!’” Stearn said. “I looked over, and Steve Asher [a friend from Door County] was in

the crowd and somehow managed to pick me out. So it’s like that nice little connection to Sturgeon Bay up there, 5,000 miles away from home turf.” To this day, Stearn is the only person from Door County to compete in the Olympics. He called it a privilege to represent his country, the state of Wisconsin and the city of Sturgeon Bay. It was at the Olympics that Stearn met John Bertrand, who became skipper of Australia II, the boat that won the 1983 America’s Cup and ended the 132-year win streak by the New York Yacht Club. The sponsor of Australia II, Alan Bond, was a customer of Stearn’s, buying masts and rigging for his ocean-racing sailboats. Besides a new mast from Stearn Sailing Systems, Australia II had a highly secretive keel design created by Ben Lexcen.

“Ben was just flabbergasted,” Stearn said. “This was a secret; nobody knew what these guys were doing. My father could see Ben’s frustration, and he said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to say anything to anyone.’ After the Cup race, Ben told me we were the only guys in the whole country that knew what they were up to.” Stearn’s extensive resumé includes one innovative product after another, along with humanitarian honors from the U.S., the United Nations and Great Britain. Those honors recognized him for hiring talented, ambitious, hard-working individuals and giving them a chance to develop their own careers in addition to helping with his projects.

“[Ben] flew up to Sturgeon Bay and stayed with me for a couple of days to go over the design of the mast prior to the Cup,” Stearn said.

Despite all of his innovations in sailing, it’s another product he helped develop that he said might end up as his calling card – the Scrunchie. Originally created by Rommy Revson, Stearn set up a company to create a redesign of the popular hair fashion item so it could be easily mass produced.

During his visit, Stearn introduced Lexcen to his dad, who just so happened to have been in Holland and had seen a model of Australia II come out of a test tank.

“Ya know, for all of the things that I’m more proud of technically, I probably should hang a freaking scrunchie on my tombstone,” Stearn said.

Autumn 2026

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by MIKE BACSI and photos by BRETT KOSMIDER

hen you’re suspended above a wave-splashed concrete pier that runs 1,000 feet out into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan, there is no shame in secondguessing a plan. On a windy morning in early May, my curiosity pushed away thoughts of retreating to the safety of the shore. Fifteen feet up from the lake’s rolling surface, wearing thick work gloves, my hands anxiously grasped rusty guide cables running above the narrow

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catwalk that would get me to my destination: the North Pierhead Light at the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. A few feet in front of me, my tour guides, Jeff and Donna Feuerstein, effortlessly traversed the long path of weathered boards leading to one of the most frequently photographed buildings in Door County – the historic red lighthouse they purchased in 2024. When the Feuersteins invited me to visit their property, it was a quick “yes.” As we advanced along the catwalk towards the lighthouse, Jeff provided details on

how a Great Lakes lighthouse became the couple’s vacation home. “I grew up in Sturgeon Bay – about four miles from here,” Jeff said, looking back towards the canal and the small city in the distance. He has fond childhood memories of falling asleep to the distant sound of the North Pierhead Light’s fog horn on misty nights. “It was a constant presence that was strangely comforting,” Jeff said as we began climbing the metal steps to the lighthouse entry door.

HABITAT

A view from above shows the unique entry path via catwalk to the North Pierhead Lighthouse.

Origins of the Lighthouse Before we get to the story of how the Feuersteins obtained it, some history of the light is in order. In 1884, the first fog horn on the pier went into service. That horn was installed on the original wooden lighthouse structure that had been erected in 1881. By 1903, fire damage and structural issues prompted construction of a new building made entirely of steel to house the light and a new, more powerful horn. This is when things started to get really loud in the neighborhood. In the heart of the building, a coal-fired boiler created steam to power a compressor. Air was forced through diaphone portals on the light tower, producing a deep, distinctive two-tone blast. How loud? A deafening 120 decibels – sufficient for a boat to hear it from 12 miles out on the lake.

Unlike shore-based or island lighthouses of the era, pierhead lighthouses were not occupied. Still, one wonders how the North Pierhead Light’s keepers, in their modest quarters near the foot of the pier, maintained their sanity on foggy days. Before technological advances, the keepers’ work was grueling. Over the course of an eight-hour shift, the keepers had to shovel three-quarters of a ton of coal to keep the burner hot enough to power the lighthouse’s light and horn. By the 1930s, the light was electrified and a radio beacon installed – an important addition, Jeff explained. “In the early years on the lakes, you used your five senses to navigate,” he said. “The radio signal went out over 100 miles. Before radar and GPS, captains could pick up the Sturgeon Bay signal and set a course for the canal.” In 1972, the lighthouse was fully automated, and dramatic scenes of determined keepers traversing the

catwalk during winter gales faded into history. By 2010, the United States Coast Guard had installed a modern navigation beacon on the south pierhead. The North Pierhead Light was declared to be “excess property” by the Coast Guard and offered at no cost to a qualified nonprofit. There were no takers, and when the lighthouse was offered to the public through auction, Gordon Krist of Paris, Kentucky obtained the property with a bid of $48,500. The Feuersteins’ connection to the North Pierhead Light began in 2012 when they bought a house that sits at the foot of the long concrete pier leading to the light. “We weren’t lighthouse fanatics or anything like that,” Donna said. “We bought it for the beach.” Home at the time was Neenah, where the Feuersteins were working and raising a family. The house by the base of the lighthouse was a fixer-upper they initially purchased as a vacation home. It became their year-round residence when they each took positions in Sturgeon Bay before retiring – Donna at Door County Medical Center and Jeff at Hatco.

Autumn 2026

Above The inside living quarters where there was once a boiler room. Below, left An LED light was installed where the Fresnel lens once flashed. Below, right The light remains a landmark at the entrance to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.

Over the years, the couple became friends with then-property-owner Krist, who would make occasional visits to the lighthouse with the hope of preserving it. The ongoing demands of preserving the weather-battered structure were daunting, and in 2024, Krist asked Jeff if he’d consider buying it. The Feuersteins didn’t hesitate, and a handshake deal was struck. Having lived next to it for 12 years, the couple had grown attached to the lighthouse. “It’s kind of like a stray dog coming to your door – you start feeding and caring for it, and suddenly it’s part of the family,” she said.

Every furnishing for the building’s interior had to be transported via the long, narrow catwalk (left).

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

Two years in as owners and hobbyist keepers, the Feuersteins are busy maintaining and repairing the lighthouse. A retired mechanical

HABITAT

Above The view back toward shore from the lighthouse. Below Jeff and Donna Feurstein have been feverishly restoring the lighthouse since purchasing it in 2024.

engineer, Jeff can do much of the work himself. His to-do list on any given day includes things like replacing catwalk boards and fabricating new bolts for cast-iron hinges. In July, the couple applied a fresh coat of bright red exterior paint – a daunting task given the lighthouse’s size and tight perch at the end of the pier. The Feuersteins have been careful to keep the building’s historic features intact as much as possible. Entering the base of the lighthouse, one passes through a series of windowless rooms that housed the coal supply, the radio signal transmitter and other equipment. After winding through what looks like the lower deck of a naval warship, a final door opens to a surprising scene: an expansive space

resembling the inside of a cottage or studio apartment. In what was once the boiler and compressor room, Donna and Jeff have outfitted the space with a couch, bed, dining table and kitchen equipment. It’s modest and cozy, with light filtering in from windows near the roofline. Remarkably, every furnishing in their unconventional lake cottage – including a small refrigerator – was transported by the couple via the long, narrow catwalk path from shore. “Climbing ladders and hauling everything in here keeps us young,” Donna said. “We like to stay active, and this keeps us busy.”

Autumn 2026

Share the places you love with your family, friends & guests. Posters, Gift Cards, Postcards, Greeting Cards and Collections, Books,and More.

Take Door County Home… Preserve the places you love. When you buy Door County parks posters or our Door County Living in Pictures books, you help preserve the best of our community. Twenty percent of all park poster sales and all proceeds from book sales will go to the Open Spaces Fund at the Door County Community Foundation.

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HABITAT

MICHAEL STRYKER QUINTET Sept 12 • 7:00 PM DUELING PIANOS - THE SEQUEL TO THE SEQUEL Sept 18 • 3 PM I Sept 19 • 1 PM & 4:30 PM When the weather is pleasant, the couple can be found lounging on patio furniture set up at the end of the pier, facing the vast lake and the canal entrance. “For us, these seats are the ultimate prize – better than being on the 50-yard line at Lambeau or the front row at a concert,” Jeff said while waving at a passing boater. My tour of the North Pierhead Light ended at the top – carefully scaling a vertical ladder in the cylinder that leads to the lantern room. The view from the eight-sided glass enclosure was well worth the effort. Jeff showed me the current LED light, installed where the large Fresnel lens once flashed, and the vacant sound portals that once unleashed booming blasts on foggy days.

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The lighthouse still has a voice, though it could best be described as an electronic squawk. Boaters without radar or GPS use their radio microphones to activate the horn by clicking channel 83A five times. I asked the Feuersteins if they had plans for tours or the future use of the lighthouse. Donna explained they are open to ideas, but accessibility challenges have limited options for bringing in visitors. For now, they plan to provide public access on Door Peninsula Lighthouse Passport Days, a biannual event in June and October hosted by the Door County Maritime Museum. To follow the progress of the Feuersteins and the lighthouse, the couple encourages readers to visit their Facebook page at tinyurl. com/4pvrfm2n. The North Pierhead Light is located at 2501 Canal Road in Sturgeon Bay.

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A Family

Takes Root by JOHN MIELKE

my and Eric Gale are farmers and winemakers. They’re also retailers, and bartenders, and event planners. And as they do all of that, they’re parents raising three young children.

Eric grew up in Luxemburg, Wisconsin, about an hour south of the vineyard.

As owners of Anchored Roots Vineyard and Winery south of Egg Harbor, the Gales may not be what people first picture when they think of winemakers.

So how does a city girl and a farm boy end up tending vineyards and making wine from the grapes they grow?

“I never dreamed that I would have 40 acres and a bunch of little kids running around and some vines to take care of,” Amy said. “That never crossed my mind that this is where I’d be today. But you wake up, and I get to see my kids, and I can take my kids out into the vineyard and show them what we do.” Amy grew up near Milwaukee. “This is something that has just been eye-opening for me to learn because I didn’t grow up in agriculture,” she said.

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“I worked for a dairy farmer down the road,” he said. “My extended family is in dairy in the southeastern part of the state. My mom was a farm kid.”

Their story starts at St. Norbert College. They met during their senior years. Amy’s roommate married Eric’s roommate, and the couple reconnected at the wedding. Eric earned degrees in biology and chemistry, while Amy’s degree is in communications and media. Amy enjoyed marketing, event planning and fundraising, and Eric spent a couple of his college summers as a horticulturist. “Our skill sets and our interests are just so disparate when it comes to the things that we do,” Eric said.

“But complementary,” Amy said. Even before they were married, Amy and Eric started thinking about what they might do with their future and the idea for a winery took hold. “I jokingly say it, but we planned this before we planned our wedding,” Amy said. Eric chose Washington State University to pursue his graduate degree in viticulture. The school was home to Walter Clore, who many credit as the person who figured out grapes for wine could be grown in Washington on a large scale. Others thought Washington was too cold, similar to a narrative about vineyards in northeastern Wisconsin. Today, Washington is home to more than 1,000 wineries. After they married, Amy moved to Washington to learn the business side of the wine industry while Eric concentrated on the growing side.

IN THE FIELD

Anchored Roots is part of the Ledge Blanc Project, using locally grown grapes to create a wine unique to Wisconsin and Door County. Photo by Brett Kosmider.

“The best way for us to really stand out in a marketplace that’s just starting to grow is to get the background, winemaking, grape growing, etc., but then also the technical know-how of how to run a high-quality establishment,” Eric said. “We can learn and get ourselves immersed in the industry and then decide if this is something that’s a good fit for us.”

The couple closed on their property on July 2, 2020. The tractor they purchased was delivered the next day, and within a couple of days they began planting the first of 3,500 vines on three acres.

Amy and Eric Gale are raising their three children in a home behind the Anchored Roots tasting room and production facility in Egg Harbor. Photo by Kayla Larsen.

Obviously, they decided it was a good fit. The couple returned to Wisconsin with plenty of knowledge and experience in May 2020, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What they didn’t have was business financing, and most banks were busy writing paycheck protection program (PPP) loans to help existing businesses survive as the pandemic dragged on.

“We planted everything that we could as fast as we could,” Eric said. “Thankfully, the vines were alive and survived their ordeal.”

Eventually, the Gales got the financing and moved forward, buying property, a building and equipment. Because of how the growing season works, they had already ordered and received young vines for planting.

But the late summer and early fall of 2020 were dry.

“All of our vines were now sitting in a cooler at his mom’s office,” Amy said.

With the help of neighbors, Eric filled a stock tank and walked around watering vines all day, trying to keep them alive.

The young plants needed to be in a cool, dark place so they wouldn’t wake up and start growing before they were in the ground.

“There was no water,” Amy said. “We have no well, no running water on the property because it’s just the property.”

Somehow, Amy and Eric – along with their 3,500 young plants – made it through those stressful first months. Autumn 2026

June 26, 2027 About Thyme Farm

in Baileys Harbor Taste award winning wines from the Door County Wine Trail paired with local cheese, live music, food trucks & free shuttles. The couple remembers that every time there was a feeling of desperation, something good seemed to happen. “Something would work out in our favor,” Eric said. “And we’d say, ‘Okay, let’s keep going.’” It takes a few years for young vineyards to produce grapes. In the meantime, the couple needed wine to sell to keep Anchored Roots afloat. Thanks to past connections, Amy and Eric – now with two young children – were able to open their doors Labor Day weekend of 2022 with wine from Washington.

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That fall marked the first time that Eric produced wine from locally grown grapes. He had found a refurbished press and destemmer in Europe, but due to pandemic supply chain and delivery challenges, the equipment did not arrive until about 10 days before the first grapes came into the building, bringing a few stressful days and sleepless nights. Today, the vineyards surrounding the winery are planted with hybrid grapes, including those used in a new varietal, Ledge Blanc. Anchored Roots, along with Mixed Meadia in Egg Harbor and Parallel 44 near Sturgeon Bay, is producing Ledge Blanc, a crisp, aromatic white wine from grapes grown in Door County and northeastern Wisconsin. “We’re trying to teach people that they don’t have to go thousands of

IN THE FIELD

Top Grapes harvested from the vineyard at Anchored Roots in 2025. Photo by Brett Kosmider. Above, right Eric Gale in the production facility with one of their three children keeping an eye on operations. Photo by Kayla Larsen. Right The Gales moved back to Wisconsin and built Anchored Roots in 2020 after working for many years in Washington’s winemaking industry. Photo by Brett Kosmider. Above Amy Gale helps customers in the tasting room. Photo by Kayla Larsen.

miles away to find good wine; they can find it right here,” Eric said. Wine often mirrors the food of the region. “You go to Germany, go to the Mosel or the Rhine, you’re drinking some of these bright, crisp, aromatic whites,” Eric said. “When you have a sausage, that tastes amazing. Or you have heavier foods like spaetzle and whatever, those wines fit. Our wines make sense here, too. Crisp aromatic whites work so well with whitefish and with some of the local produce.” For Eric, there’s a lot to love about viticulture and making wine in Door County.

“I love the grapes,” he said. “I love the growing. I love being outside and working the land with my own hands.”

sourced from the Wisconsin Ledge AVA (American Viticultural Area) as well as Washington State.

Then there’s his family. Amy and Eric have three young sons.

Amy and Eric have brewed up community connections as well as wine.

“When you’ve worked for 14 hours in the back, crushing grapes and doing this and that, and you’re tired and you’re kind of ready to call it a day, and all of a sudden those little blonde-haired boys come looking in and go, ‘Hey, Dad, we’re here to help you make wine,’” Eric said. “I love that part.”

“We’ve met so many wonderful people who are like, ‘Congratulations on being here. We see what you’re doing. We’ve had kids, we’ve started businesses, we understand what you’re going through and we’re here to support you,’” Amy said.

Anchored Roots, located just off Highway 42 at 4873 Willow Road south of Egg Harbor, is open all year. The winery features a variety of red, white and rosé wines with grapes

It all creates a life for the Gales that wasn’t part of their original roadmap. “It’s been a complete 180 from where I thought I would be,” Amy said, “and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Autumn 2026

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Supper Clubbin’ by BEN JONES and photos by KAYLA LARSEN

n 1953, Kathy Peterson dined at The Mill for her aunt Marie’s wedding. Seven decades later, she’s still coming back to the supper club on the north edge of Sturgeon Bay. “It’s a good feeling, it’s just a good happy feeling. It just is,” she said, before getting her table. While supper clubs have been a fixture on the Door County dining

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scene for generations, these eateries are more popular than ever and are serving new generations of travelers a dining experience that never gets old. The restaurants have become more than just a place to get a good cut of prime rib; they are attractions in and of themselves. “People are standing in line to get into supper clubs, I’ve seen it,” said Ron Faiola, an author and filmmaker who has extensively researched the supper

DINING

Clockwise from top left The host works the list of names at Alexander’s in Fish Creek. | Diners form a line out the door at the Sister Bay Bowl for the 4:30 pm opening of the dining room for the Friday fish fry. | Bruce Alexander talks shop with regulars from his familiar perch at the end of the bar at Alexander’s. Photos by Kayla Larsen.

club dining scene. “It’s great to see that people are that enthused still and there are younger owners and they are drawing younger customers.” Faiola, who has been referred to as a “supper club guru,” maintains an extensive Wisconsin supper club directory. Updated frequently, it includes Alexander’s of Door County and The English Inn in Fish Creek, Donny’s Glidden Lodge, The Mill Supper Club and Nightingale Supper Club in Sturgeon Bay, Harbor Fish Market and Grille in Baileys Harbor, and The Sister Bay Bowl. The Log Den in Egg Harbor and the new White Pines Supper Club in Ellison Bay could also be in the database.

As a top state tourism destination, Door County has been well-positioned to capitalize on the public’s booming interest in supper clubs. It’s a marked turnaround for this corner of the state’s dining scene. Faiola said that while supper clubs have been part of the state’s cultural landscape for generations, the style of dining had simply fallen out of favor for many over the years. “It’s different from 10 years ago,” Faiola said. “[Then,] some supper clubs were removing ‘supper club’ from their title.” Faiola began researching supper clubs for his 2011 PBS documentary, Wisconsin Supper Clubs. He followed the release of that film with four books

on Wisconsin supper clubs; the most recent, Wisconsin Supper Clubs Second Edition – Expanded and Updated, was released in 2023. “Over the years, things have changed enormously,” Faiola said. “When I started [researching], supper clubs really didn’t have much of an internet presence. It was hard to get information on whether they were even open or not. Supper clubs were really struggling in 2010, 2011, 2012, because the effects of the recession were still lingering and people were wondering what the future would be like.” Faiola’s film and books have been wellreceived, helping to ignite the public’s

Autumn 2026

interest and catch the attention of the state’s top tourism marketers. In 2016, the state Department of Tourism made supper clubs the theme of its annual conference, the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which draws hundreds of people in the tourism industry. All the attendees were given one of Faiola’s books. “It was apparently one of the most successful campaigns that they have had,” he said. As supper clubs reentered the spotlight, these establishments no longer tried to be viewed as something else. In fact, the opposite has happened. “Now, whether restaurants are a supper club or not, they are calling themselves supper clubs,” Faiola said. But according to Faiola, restaurants shouldn’t attempt the ruse. “People are smart enough to know whether it’s a family restaurant that’s open for breakfast and isn’t a supper club,” he said. “People aren’t going to fall for that.” So what exactly is a supper club? Several traits define them, Faiola said. While the classics like old fashioneds and a Friday fish fry are a given, according to Faiola, supper clubs are also usually family-owned, and they often have different seasonal hours. If the owners go on vacation, they may simply leave a handwritten note on the door. 52

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DINING

Photographer Kayla Larsen visited several of the county’s supper clubs to capture some of the vibes of a dining experience Wisconsinites have loved for generations. Pre-dinner cocktails, familiar servers, prime rib, steaks and ice cream drinks after dinner are all staples of a supper club evening.

“It’s a community gathering space, and it’s nostalgic,” Faiola said. Supper clubs in Door County take various forms and include a mix of landmark restaurants, as well as newer arrivals on the dining scene. Alexander’s of Door County, located in Fish Creek, offers fine dining with a supper club atmosphere, said owner Bruce Alexander. The restaurant was founded two decades ago in a building that once housed a nightclub. Today,

Alexander’s serves a classic perch fry on Friday nights and prime rib on Saturdays, as well as in-house hand-cut and aged steaks and exotic seafood. Alexander said the definition of a supper club really hasn’t changed over the years. “It’s about the atmosphere of the bar and the dining area,” he said. “There are the old fashioneds, the martinis, and there’s consistent food – there’s quality

food at a supper club. We just step it up a notch.” Perched on the shore of Lake Michigan on the north side of Sturgeon Bay, Donny’s Glidden Lodge is in its second generation of current ownership and going strong. Experienced restaurant owners Donny and Rita Zellner purchased the business in 1998, and their son, Tim, took over in 2005 – although Donny still helps out, cutting meat and making soup.

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While the restaurant’s stunning location is part of its appeal, many people also seem to appreciate seeing the owners when they come in to dine, Tim said. “It’s been really nice to get to know a lot of customers personally,” he said. While Donny’s Glidden Lodge draws a lot of longtime repeat customers, he said it’s also drawing a new generation of diners, some of whom capture their experience on social media. “Some go to a different supper club every month – I’m behind the bar, so I hear that a lot,” he said. A stop at the bar is a must for many diners. “They like to talk to other guys, and strike up a conversation, whether it’s the Packers or whatever else is going on,” he said. “It’s a small world out there when people start talking to each other.”

An ode to the past on the bar naps at Donny’s Glidden Lodge. Photo by Kayla Larsen.

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As she made an old fashioned behind the bar at The Mill, Karisa Mulvey said there’s a question she fields all the time: How many old fashioneds does she make a night? Her best guess: well over 100 on a busy Friday. “I could make one blindfolded,” she said. While things can get hectic behind the bar, the atmosphere of a supper club is more relaxed on the guests’ end.

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“Supper clubs are just known for relaxation, and just a good time,” Mulvey said. “You’re supposed to come here, have a cocktail, have that classic supper club drink, and just be with friends, mingle, talk to the bartender, take your time with dinner, and then come back and have an after-dinner drink. It’s not supposed to be a rushed experience.”

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Self, Aware Sarah Koehler’s journey of discovery by ELEANOR CORBIN and photos by KAYLA LARSEN

t age 13, Sarah Koehler was diagnosed with a rare disease characterized by scarring in the kidneys: focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. “For somebody at 13, that’s a lot of words,” Koehler said.

It was a lot to consider for the future, too. For a while, it seemed like her treatment options were either a lifetime of steroids and medication or dialysis by her early 20s, until one doctor referred her to a dietitian. Since then, she’s been able to control her kidney damage and symptoms through her diet, like limiting her sodium intake.

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LIVING WELL

“That was the beginning of my natural path,” Koehler said. Her business, Søstre – where she sells her artwork, curated goods and her natural product line, Søstre Self – is her way of sharing her journey. Koehler started experimenting with skincare recipes in 2009 after a symptomatic flare-up that she connected to the products she was

putting on her skin. After chatting with a friend whose son has eczema, she realized that she wasn’t alone in wanting natural skin solutions. “So I started playing around with ingredients,” she said. “I’m a researcher at heart.” From there, her first product – a gentle, multi-use skin cream – was born. It soon became a staple in her household,

used as everything from hand cream to diaper cream. When her skin became extra sensitive while she was pregnant, Koehler said her skin cream was basically “all I lived in.” She has since developed her own recipes for facial oils, eye creams, cleansers, face masks and more, which she began selling in May 2021.

What’s in a Name? Søstre means sisters in Norwegian. Sarah Koehler chose the name for her business as a nod toward the strong, independent women in her life who have supported her.

Autumn 2026

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

LIVING WELL

These products soon became staples for more than just her own household. Jess Fournier carries the products at her spa, the Well Nest in Egg Harbor, and her own home. “I just know when I give her [my daughter] anything that Sarah has made, I know that I don’t have to be concerned about what she’s putting on her face,” Fournier said. A Self-Care Setback Starting Søstre came with its fair share of hurdles. Less than two months after her online store went live, Koehler was involved in a serious car accident. The recovery process that followed reshaped her perspective on her business.

“Therapists, speech therapists and physical therapy, all told me that I had to figure out a way to truly relax my body, to figure out how to find calm,” Koehler said. “I figured out that I don’t know if I had necessarily ever relaxed before that car accident.”

She knows others on similar journeys, like her friend, Marnie Massey, who battled breast cancer about five years ago. Throughout her entire treatment, Koehler gave her products to use, Massey said, which provided some relief and comfort during the difficult times.

So she took the time to focus on herself, learning tools to regulate her nervous system and getting to the root of her issues. Through this work, she also found a deeper purpose for Søstre.

“Her products are like a ritual, like the most beautiful ceremony that I would just do every day of just putting the oils on my body, spraying the elixirs on my skin,” Massey said. “All those different things are so healing.”

“The shift of the business changed at that point, because it wasn’t just, ‘I’m selling skincare and artwork,’” Koehler said. “Now, it’s become a whole self-care journey.”

She continues to use these products as part of her daily routine, and as part of the yoga sessions she instructs at Ironwood Yoga Studio in Sister Bay.

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LIVING WELL

Esthetics with Ethos Koehler hopes for Søstre to remind everyone to slow down, take the scenic route and smell the flowers. Instead of just feeling like another store that customers browse and leave, she wants her space to welcome people in and encourage them to wander. Koehler’s first storefront, a small cottage in Shorewood Village in Ephraim, opened within the last year, starting a new chapter for the business. Previously, Koehler sold her goods through pop-up shops, artisan markets and her online store. She’d been in the market for a physical location for a while, but struggled to find a piece

of real estate that fit both her budget and business needs. Then her current spot popped onto the market, and within two hours of the listing being posted, Koehler made an offer. She described the space as the perfect match, with a water view and close community of surrounding business owners. “It’s on the beaten path, but off the beaten path,” she said. In addition to selling her skincare line, Koehler sells her own artwork. She started painting when she was pregnant with her son and wanted to create some art for his nursery. Her artistic origins are reflected in her whimsical style, often depicting quirky birds.

The brands Koehler carries outside of her own are curated from businesses she supports and believes in, like clothing made by women in Bangladesh who were rescued from human trafficking situations, or custom, locally-made toiletry bags with pockets specifically sized for Søstre Self products. Koehler wants everything in her store to reflect her dedication to mindfulness, selfcare and community, she said. “I get to pick and choose businesses that I support and love and share them with everybody that walks in,” Koehler said. “So putting the shop together was a total dream come true.” Søstre is located at 9922 Water Street, Ephraim.

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Snakes, like this common garter snake, use their tongues to sense the environment around them. Photo by Roy Lukes.

by CHARLOTTE LUKES

trail. It was a chilly day, so I picked up the snake and let it move between my fingers to warm up. It was very docile. Snakes of Door County When you speak of snakes, some people shrink in horror and turn away, perhaps due to a bad experience earlier in their lives. I remember an event presented at the Whitefish Dunes nature center many years ago when Kevin Bauldry brought his snakes for a special program. Most of the children were in the front of the room near the snakes, while many of the adults stayed in the back! You can rest assured that the snakes native to northeast Wisconsin are not venomous. Many of these fascinating creatures are small and important in maintaining a healthy environment by eating harmful insects. The red-bellied snake consumes sowbugs, soft-bodied insects, slugs and snails with specialized teeth that can extract the snail from its shell. These beautiful creatures are only 8 to 10 inches long. My late husband Roy and I were teaching an autumn nature class and found a red-bellied snake on the

Another small snake is the De Kay’s or little brown snake, about 10 inches long. It blends in well with dry leaves in the woods and is not harmful to handle. It, like the garter, red-bellied and water snakes, does not lay eggs, but bears the young live, encased in a thin membrane as they leave the mother’s body. The egg-laying snakes here are the western fox, milk, grass and ring-necked species. They tend to deposit their eggs in early summer in or around rotting logs, leaf litter, stumps or sawdust piles. The young will hatch later in summer or early fall. Perhaps the most often encountered is the garter snake. It is recognizable by its green and yellow stripes along the full length of the body. Our species is the common garter snake, Wisconsin’s most abundant snake.

The slender red-bellied snake’s underside looks more orange than red. Photo by Roy Lukes.

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Western fox snakes are the largest in our area, growing to a size of 56 inches. It is sometimes misnamed the pine snake, but that species is found in

southeastern U.S. up to New Jersey. In our state’s Department of Natural Resources publication, Snakes of Wisconsin, it says that all Wisconsin snakes with pointed tails are nonvenomous species. The uncommon snakes of our region are the ring-necked snake at 10 to 15 inches and the smooth green snake, also called the grass snake, at 14 to 20 inches. Another rare one is the eastern milk snake, 24 to 36 inches, found more often in the southern two-thirds of the state. One snake that doesn’t like to be handled is the northern water snake. We’ve seen it at Toft Point, and it is a slow mover when out of the water. It can grow to 40 inches. Other Reptiles We have two versions of the painted turtle in the state. The true western species is found in the far west and northwest part of Wisconsin, and the true midland species is seen in the far southeastern area. This turtle intergrades throughout much of Snapping turtles the state, having some have long necks that characteristics of both allow them to extend their heads quickly subspecies. to grab prey. Photo

by Jason Orsted. The other fairly common turtle here is the snapping turtle. It can reach a size of 16 inches and is considered a freshwater turtle

DOOR TO NATURE A tree frog rests on a tall zinnia flower. Photo by Roy Lukes.

Leopard frogs get their name from their spots. Photo by Roy Lukes.

with a short temper and a long, alligator-like tail. They can live to be very old and weigh 20 to 35 pounds, with an exceptional record of a wild one coming in at 75 pounds.

appear to lay fewer eggs than in the past. There was a severe die-off back in the 1970s, and they have not regained their numbers.

Amazing Amphibians

One of our favorites is the gray treefrog. It is a docile creature that will sit on your hand without fear. This amphibian can change its body color to match the surroundings – gray to match weathered wood and green to match plants. They have feet with suction-cup toes which enable them to climb the sides of stone fences, some buildings and trees.

Frogs of our area include the spring peeper, whose chorus sounds like sleigh bells, plus the wood frog, gray tree frog, northern leopard frog, northern green frog, American bullfrog and eastern American toad.

Some of the smaller, less often encountered amphibians are the salamanders. I’ve seen the 3- to 5-inch blue-spotted as well as the 3-to 4-inch eastern red-backed salamander in forested wetlands.

Some frogs have a call that mimics insects or a chattering red squirrel. Toads sound like they are whistling and humming at the same time. Roy was capable of imitating the toad’s call.

It wasn’t until we formed the Friends of Toft Point organization in 1999 to protect that state natural area that we developed a closer tie with the University of WisconsinGreen Bay. They encouraged graduate and post-grad students to do research there.

It’s important to have wetlands that are temporarily flooded with melting snow and spring rains. This allows amphibian reproduction because there are no fish in these waters that would eat them. A wood frog is easily identified by the black mask on the sides of its face. They begin reproduction as soon as frost is out of the ground and have the shortest breeding season of any Wisconsin frog. Northern leopard frogs have a loud call and breed in waters where no fish are present. They only live for about two years and

Their research discovered a population of the four-toed salamander at Toft Point, which was unknown to exist in this part of the state. All other grounddwelling salamanders have five toes on the rear legs. This American toad stands its ground and appears defiant. Photo by Roy Lukes.

Wisconsin’s largest and the only totally aquatic salamander is the common mudpuppy. It grows 12 to 16 inches in length and feeds on worms, small fish and other water-dwelling invertebrates. Mudpuppies have a tail with fins on it to help them navigate in the water.

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At the Door County Maritime Museum, explore the bright beacons that guided sailors through treacherous waters and the mighty engines that powered vessels across the Great Lakes. From the solitude of lighthouse life to the roar of maritime machinery, it’s a deep dive into the stories, structures, and sheer ingenuity that kept the Great Lakes moving. Come for the history, stay for the horsepower.

Discover us in

S T U R G E O N B A Y , W I S C O N S I N or online D C M M . O R G

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

doorcountypulse.com/podcasts

HISTORY

West Side School Lives On 30 years after school closed, new tenants move in by JOHN MIELKE

ne of the best views in Sturgeon Bay once belonged to the city’s youngest residents.

Originally opened in 1921 as the Sawyer Elementary School, the brick building that sits stoically atop the hill along South Madison Avenue was one of the first public schools on Sturgeon Bay’s west side. Later, it was known as West Side Elementary School, a place where thousands of children started their educational journeys. Today, the building is Sawyer School Lofts, home to 15 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments. Inside the historic structure, the terrazzo-floored hallways, extra-wide staircases and high ceilings remind residents of the building’s past life. Even a few chalkboards remain, along with the words “BOYS” and “GIRLS” etched in large stone blocks above what used

Above The old Sawyer Elementary School was a fixture of life on the city’s west side from 1921 - 1996. Photo courtesy of Sturgeon Bay Schools. Below Now the building houses affordable apartments with incredible views. Submitted.

Autumn 2026

to be the school’s main north-side entrances. Those who call Sawyer School Lofts home can walk to cafes and attractions in the west-side business district or walk the bridge loop. Large windows deliver cool breezes and amazing views of the shipyards and the bay. From classrooms to homes Public education began in Sturgeon Bay about 170 years ago. According to Sturgeon Bay School District records, the first classes were held for 26 students during the winter of 1858-1859 in a classroom that measured just 18 by 25 feet. Early school buildings that served the community are long gone, but the former West Side Elementary School building remains. The sounds of school bells and children in the school’s classrooms went silent in 1996 when the new Sawyer Elementary School opened and the west side school closed for good. The school district formally deeded the property to the city of Sturgeon Bay in 2003 to address the community’s need for quality, affordable housing. “The city recognized the significance of the building and put the property up for sale hoping for a redevelopment project,” said Marty Olejniczak, former community development director for Sturgeon Bay. The building and adjacent property were sold to a developer, but redevelopment plans never came to fruition, partly due to the Great Recession of 2008. After a few years, the city realized that the building was deteriorating. “It needed to be rehabbed soon or it would be too late,” Olejniczak said. Given the building’s relatively small size, finding someone interested in a development project with limited returns was a tough assignment. The city and county worked together, and in 2021 an agreement was reached with Northpointe Development Company on a project using low-income housing tax credits from a county 74

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

HISTORY Above For decades, one of the best views in Sturgeon Bay belonged to the children of the old Sawyer Elementary School. Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, ID number W011K3N. Below When the school closed, students created a mural with Ellison Bay artists David and Jeanne Aurelius depicting scenes from the view out the school’s windows. That mural is now found in the new Sawyer School entryway. Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Community Development Block Grant. Andy Dumke, an owner of Northpointe Development, remembers the urgency of the project. “The roof was shot, and so there was a lot of water penetration,” Dumke said. “If [the project] wouldn’t have gotten done when it did, there’s a good chance within a year or two, the building probably would have had to be demoed.” In August of 2022 the school finally reopened with 15 affordable housing units in high demand. Saving more than a building Shirley Senarighi, a school counselor at West Side Elementary, helped take a special part of the school to its new location. Just before West Side was going to close, Senarighi had students

draw pictures of the view from the hillside. Those drawings are now part of a mural at Sawyer Elementary. “We knew that the view was one of the most special things we were going to miss about West Side School,” Senarighi said. Marge Grutzmacher taught first grade at the West Side School from 1975 until 1996. “We had kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth and fifth grade,” Grutzmacher said. “It was a delightful teaching environment. A kid who started at West Side in kindergarten belonged to every teacher in that school. It was a great, neighborhood school.” But even back in the day, West Side School was already showing its age.

Grutzmacher remembers the large original windows, which could help keep the classrooms cool on warmer days. They could be a bit challenging to open, so much so that standing on the long cabinets underneath the windows was usually a requirement. “I would get a chair and have to climb up on those cabinets and yank those windows open to let some air in,” Grutzmacher said. “And across the street was a gas station. One morning I’m up there – the kids are in the classroom and they’re hot – so their teacher is climbing up on the cabinet to open windows. And as I opened the windows, one of the guys across the street yelled, ‘Don’t jump! Don’t jump!’ at the top of his lungs. The kids thought that was hilarious.” Ah, if those bricks could talk.

Autumn 2026

Furniture - Area Rugs - Lighting - Art - Window Treatments - Mattresses

PENINSULA CENTURY FALL CHALLENGE

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door county living / doorcountypulse.com

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Photo: Guys on Ice, 2014

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Autumn 2026

The Lure of the Trail by MYLES DANNHAUSEN JR.

ven on fall weekends when the peninsula’s main streets appear maxed out, you can retreat to the parks and find yourself all alone.

Here, the trail twists along the contours of the forest floor, around the roots and rocks jutting into the grade, up and over the undulating hills. Running here is different. “A big part of road running is it’s really easy to get attached to metrics-based performance,” said Steve Pentler, an accomplished trail runner from Delafield, Wisconsin. “With trail running, you have to abandon all of that. It’s about getting outside and doing your best. It’s a lot more of a release and a way to get outside and tune out.” Melissa Flucke won last year’s 30K race at the Pen Park Trails Fest, and she echoed Pentler’s words. “Don’t worry about time when you’re trail running,” Flucke said. “The last thing you want to do is look at your watch like you would road running, because you’ll hate it.” Pentler has completed the vaunted Leadville 100 three times, earning a Big Buckle for finishing the race in under 25 hours. He also runs roads and has finished plenty of esteemed road races, but it’s on the trail where he’s most at home, focused on footfalls and small elevation changes. Pentler spent every summer of his childhood in Door County and moved here for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though he previously lived in Colorado and ran its mountain trails for eight years, Peninsula State Park remains his favorite place to run. “The mountains are beautiful, but there’s something special about being in a forest,” he says. “Running from Lot 5 and taking the CC ski trail is one of my favorite runs ever. That place can be so disorienting until you know it. You’re pretty darn sure you know where you are, but not always.”

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

OUTDOOR

Melissa Flecke is all alone on the trail at the 2025 Pen Park Trails Fest in Peninsula State Park. Photo by Dan Eggert.

Autumn 2026

Cornucopia Kitchen Shop

Introducing the Nautical Collection in Sterling Silver and Diamonds designed by Draeb Jewelers

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50 N 3rd Ave. • Sturgeon Bay • 920-743-4233

Everything for the Kitchen Historic Downtown Sturgeon Bay

CELEBRATING

40 y e a r s of conservation

Will you help make it happen? • 338 ACRES

• 3.5 MILES OF TRAILS • OPEN TO ALL for hiking, skiing, fishing, hunting, wildlife observation, and more!

Coming Soon!

Door County Land Trust’s 16th Nature Preserve Little Sturgeon Estuary Nature Preserve PO Box 65, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 doorcountylandtrust.org/littlesturgeon (920) 746-1359 Photo by Dan Eggert

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

SEVENTY FIFTH SEASON

A CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

February Fest FEBRUARY 14, 21, 28 2027

CONCERTS 2 PM FEB 21 & 28 AT

Celebrate the culture and lifestyle of the Door Peninsula.

FEB 14TH LOCATION TBD

S AV E T H E DAT E S !

SymphonySeries Symphony Series AUGUST 3-21, 2027

920.854.4060

www.musicfestival.com

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Fall Has Arrived at Willowbury Lane!

Celebrate the season with a visit to one of Door County’s favorite home décor destinations. Discover beautiful fall décor, cozy bedding, luxurious throws, hand-poured candles, unique gifts, furniture, seasonal florals, tabletop accents, and so much more. Whether you’re refreshing your home for autumn or searching for the perfect gift, you’ll find thoughtfully curated pieces that bring warmth, comfort, and timeless style to every space.

9331 Spring Rd B24, Fish Creek, WI 54212 (920) 295-2430

Celebrating 80 Years of

FALL FEST at The Theatre in a Garden

Our 86th Year

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SEPTEMBER 9 – OCTOBE R 18 Curtain Times: Tuesday - Sunday 7:00 p.m. *Except Sunday, October 4 & 18 at 2:00 p.m.

United Way of Door County exists to create a community where everyone can thrive. They invest in Youth Opportunity, Healthy Communities, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency.

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www.PeninsulaPlayers.com (920) 868-3287 Autumn 2026

Murphys Give an Old Course a Facelift

Above Many feared that Maxwelton Golf Course would be redeveloped as summer condominiums, but Mark and Lauri Murphy have sought only to improve the course since purchasing it at the end of 2022. Photo by Larry Mohr. Inset A course map and a program from when the course hosted the Cherryland Open. File photos.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

FAIRWAYS

by CRAIG STERRETT

ark Murphy could play golf anywhere he likes, and he likes Maxwelton Braes so much that he bought the place.

“We love Door County, and I love golf,” Mark said in explaining why he purchased the Baileys Harbor golf course at the end of 2022 with his wife, Laurie. “I started to play golf with my father in fourth or fifth grade and then passed it on to my kids. I love the sport.” The former Washington Commanders defensive back and retired Green Bay Packers team president has put money back into the 96 year-old course to build upon improvements made by former owner Jim Bresnahan over the previous decade. Though Mark had a membership at the prestigious Oneida Golf and Country Club in Green Bay with reciprocal access to Horseshoe Bay for many years, he often chose to play at the Baileys Harbor public course. His family has owned a second home in Baileys Harbor near “Max” for about 16 years.

(Left to right) Assistant general manager Cooper Diedrich, owner Mark Murphy and general manager Jim Bresnahan. Autumn 2026

Above Fall colors wrap golfers at Maxwelton. Photo by Len Villano. Below The back tees are all in Packers green and yellow. Photo by Larry Mohr.

“I played Maxwelton Braes all the time and loved it,” Mark said. His kids also enjoyed golfing there. “We heard there was a possibility it was going to be sold to a developer and we would have hated to see that. We did it [bought the business] to make sure it stayed a golf course.” He has no intention of making Maxwelton Braes an exclusive, elitepriced facility. “I want it to be something everybody can play,” Mark said. He has kept Bresnahan’s innovation that further endeared the course to local golfers – the Mulligan membership. It’s a partial membership where the lowpriced down payment for a year or three years gives Mulligan members deeply discounted rates on weekdays and weekend afternoons and evenings. Mark also dove into improving the course, tackling the most obvious needs 84

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

first. In 2025, contractors completed an entirely new irrigation system, giving the course watered fairways for the first time since its opening in 1930. Late that same year, Laurie Murphy redesigned and restored the long, narrow, one-story clubhouse that stands along Highway 57. In 2026, Mark added fourth and fifth sets of tees, with the back tees in Packers green and yellow and the forward tees in Chicago Bears blue and orange. The course has new signage for those tee placements and hole yardages, but he has not started building new tee boxes. “I have plenty of plans for improvements but can’t tackle everything at once,” Mark said. This spring a new sign was installed for the course and the separately-owned Maxwelton Braes Lodge and Gatsby’s restaurant and bar. Laurie matched fonts from old advertisements for the sign to tie into their shared history.

FAIRWAYS

New fonts – actually, mid-century fonts – adorn the signs outside the renovated Maxwelton Braes clubhouse and separately owned lodge. Photo by Larry Mohr.

The Murphys said they have a good relationship with the managers and owners of the lodge and restaurant and want to work with them to help build both businesses. Inside the clubhouse The pro shop is now decorated with old paintings, photographs from storage and furnishing touches that reflect the course’s century in existence, thanks to Laurie. “She has great taste,” Mark said. “No, it’s not great taste,” Laurie replied. “It’s just that I have done quite a few renovations up here, and I work with a great company, Ahnapee [Construction]. So somehow I ended up doing a golf clubhouse, even though I don’t play golf.” She decided not to alter the shell of the clubhouse for financial and

Paintings, golf equipment and historic photos from the era when Mike McArdle built Maxwelton Braes Golf Course dot the renovated and restored clubhouse at Maxwelton Braes, thanks to the efforts of owner Mark Murphy and wife and project leader Laurie Murphy. Photo by Larry Mohr.

practical reasons, plus she likes historic preservation. “I restore old houses,” Laurie said. “I like to keep the nature of Door County, so I have restored a bunch of old houses, and I rent them out.” She said it was important to clean up one of the most visible aspects of the course. “The building at the golf course literally had holes in the walls,” Laurie said. “I don’t even know the last time it had been updated. And the way it sits on the street there, I wanted to make it look a little cleaner.” On Laurie’s future wish list are historic storyboards outside the clubhouse. New display windows improve first impressions and share the course’s history. Laurie said she wants golfers and first-time visitors to realize that they have arrived at an iconic Baileys Harbor landmark.

“I want to give it a vintage feel, because it’s an old course,” Laurie said. “But it’s not going to be fancy, glamorous.” Working with landscaper Jason Feldman, Laurie also plans to improve looks around many tees as well as plantings near the clubhouse and near the highway. They planted approximately a dozen redbud trees behind the 18th green, and after those mature, the lavender blooms should create a scene in spring. Golfers playing the closing hole will see a backdrop including those flowering trees and the historic lodge. “I think that could become a signature hole,” Mark said. The course that for much of the last 20 years appeared to have a tenuous future at the doorstep of Baileys Harbor now seems secure as a fitting welcome sign for years to come.

Autumn 2026

A DEADLY SERIOUS COMEDY ABOUT BEING ALIVE.

turning

the county

upside down

DIRECTED BY: JACOB JANSSEN

SEPT 23 - OCT 11

since

1996 239 N 3rd Ave | Sturgeon Bay thirdavenueplayworks.org

920-743-1763

daily email. weekly newspaper. year-round resource for door county.

doorcountypulse.com 8142 State HWY 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 info@doorcountypulse.com 920.839.2121

check it. read it. use it. 86

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

POPELKA TRENCHARD FINE ART GALLERY & GLASS STUDIO Established 1997

Ethereal paintings of Door County Landscapes by Master Artist Margaret Lockwood, also mobiles, sculptures, ceramics, and gifts in an historic Sturgeon Bay building. In the Steel Bridge Creative District. Open May-October Thurs, Fri, Sat 10 - 4 and always by appointment. Margaret Lockwood Gallery 7 South 2nd Ave., Sturgeon Bay 920-493-3635 info@margaretlockwoodgallery MargaretLockwoodGallery.com

64 South 2nd Avenue ,Sturgeon Bay • 920-743-7287 popelkaglass.com

Unplug. The Clearing FOLK SCHOOL

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Mill Road Gallery PO Box 32, 2328 Mill Road Sister Bay, WI 54234

920.854.4416

Celebrating our 55th Year! Represented by: Algoma Atelier of Sculpture and Fine Art

Autumn 2026

Discover the enchanting power of intimate musical storytelling. Join us!

Eric Lewis and the

GRIFFON STRING QUARTET

Under the Harvest Moon Thursday , 9/17/26 — 7:00 PM | Tarlton Theatre, Green Bay Friday, 9/18/26 — 7:00 PM | MUSE, Sturgeon Bay Saturday, 9/19/26 — 7:00 PM | Shepherd of the Bay, Ellison Bay Sunday, 9/20/26 — 4:00 PM | Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor

Autumn Music Fest

Pro Arte Quartet

Saturday, 10/10/26 — 7:00 PM | MUSE, Sturgeon Bay Sunday, 10/11/26 — 4:00 PM | UU Fellowship, Ephraim

Griffon String Quartet

Saturday, 10/17/26 — 7:00 PM | MUSE, Sturgeon Bay Sunday, 10/18/26 — 4:00 PM | Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor

David Perry & Friends

Saturday, 10/24/26 — 7:00 PM | MUSE, Sturgeon Bay Sunday, 10/25/26 — 4:00 PM | Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor Explore the calendar and order tickets at midsummersmusic.com, or call (920) 854-7088.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

RUN DOOR COUNTY From community fundraisers to USATF-certified courses, the Door County peninsula offers a run for every level and age of runner. This fall brings no fewer than eight chances to join your running friends across distances as short as two miles and as long as 50! Pick your race and run the Door this fall! Find information on the Run the Door points series at rundoorcounty.com.

2026

Run Door County Sept. 26

Oct. 18

5K fun run in Baileys Harbor that starts and ends at the Door County Brewing Co. taproom. Get great swag, including a free beer and an awesome shirt! heyhey5K.com

Sturgeon Bay 10K and 5K runsignup.com/Race/WI/ SturgeonBay/HELPInMotionTrailRun

Pen Park Trails Fest, Fish Creek Third edition of a new running experience featuring a 14K and 30K course in Peninsula State Park. penparktrailsfest.com

Oct. 24

Nov. 28

Hey Hey 5K, Baileys Harbor

Oct. 3

Door CANcer Run/Walk, Sevastopol 2-mile and 4-mile run. doorcancer.com/runwalk/

Oct. 10

HELP in Motion Trail Run,

Fall 50, Gills Rock to Sturgeon Bay 50-mile solo and relay run from the tip of the peninsula at Gills Rock to the base at Sawyer Park in Sturgeon Bay. Includes prizes for best team name and costume, and a huge post-race party with pizza and beer. fall50.com

One Barrel 2.62 Run, Egg Harbor A 2.62-mile run on Whitecliff Road with a post-run party in the taproom. All runners get a One Barrel Run knit hat and a beer at the finish line! onebarrelrun.com

Dec. 5

Potawatomi State Park Run Wild, Sturgeon Bay

Northern Door YMCA Ugly Sweater Run, Fish Creek

Quarter marathon, 5K run/walk, and 1/3-mile Smokey Bear Run www.runwild.org/run-wild

2027

Nov. 7

5K fun run/ walk.

April 17, 2027

May 8, 2027

July 4, 2027

Brussels 2-mile run/walk

2-mile and 5-mile courses, plus a 1-mile option for kids 12 and under. doorcountyymca.org/events/ blossom-run-2

5K run/walk to kick off the 4th of July celebration. Door County’s largest 5K run benefits Friends of Gibraltar. hairpinrun.com

Southern Door Trail Trot,

April 24, 2027

Barney Fun Run, Sister Bay

Blossom Run, Egg Harbor

Choose from two courses and join with Steve “Barney” Willems for a fun community run to raise money for a great local cause.

May 30, 2027

May 1, 2027

runsignup.com/Race/WI/ Jacksonport/JacksonportMaifest

Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek 13.1-mile run, 5K Hailed as one of the best runs in the Midwest, runners enjoy a closed USATF-certified road course that takes you along the shore, through the woods, and atop the bluffs of Peninsula State Park. Finish with music, beer and friends at Nicolet Bay. doorcountyhalfmarathon.com.

Maifest Lake to Lake Race, Jacksonport 10K run and 2-mile fun run

June 19, 2027

Crossroads Trail Run, Sturgeon Bay 10K, 5K, and 2K trail run through the woods, meadows, and orchards in and around Crossroads at Big Creek. crossroadsrun.com

Hairpin Run, Fish Creek

July 10, 2027

Belgian Days Run, Brussels 2-mile, 4-mile run/walk.

July 17, 2027

Washington Island Rec Run, Washington Island 10K, 5K, and 2k walk/ run moslingreccenter.org/events

Aug. 14, 2027

Shanty Days 5K, kids run, Algoma 5K run/walk, kids superhero fun run visitalgomawi.com/5K-run-walk

rundoorcounty.com Autumn 2026

A Reason to Check the Mail

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Here

Get the best Door County news and writing delivered to your door every week.

Uncompromising Personalized Service

a crisp, aromatic & refreshing white wine blend a collaborative appellation wine project from the Wisconsin Ledge AVA grown and produced along the shores of Lake Michigan atop the Niagara Escarpment six wineries. six expressions. one shared style. third-party blind judged for quality and style

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

doorcountypulse.com/shop

HOME IS

TUSCAN WINE BAR

Indoors or outdoors, feast on our Italian tapas and choose from over 100 California and Italian wines... at least 40 by the glass, all from our 13 year Wine Spectator® award winning list. 3382 County t Road ‘E’ Intersection of A & E, Baileys Harbor/ ty Harbor/Egg r Egg r/ g Harbor 920.839.9660 gg Tasting Room Open 10:00-5:00 Daily Vino!Vino! Open Noon-6:00 - Closed Tuesday - Reservations Respected

Autumn 2026

Apple Season in a Glass by ANDERS ERICKSON and photos by AZUSA INABA If fall in Door County had a flavor, it would be apple. Orchards are in full swing and cider is everywhere, often in more supply than you know what to do with. It’s not a bad problem to have. With a little patience, fresh cider can be reduced to a natural sweetener with enough acidity to give a cocktail some structure. The recipes that follow put it to work in three different ways, each built with a distinct intention.

Apple Cider Syrup • 4 cups unfiltered apple cider • 1 cinnamon stick • Pinch of salt Put apple cider and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup, 60 to 90 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, add a pinch of salt, strain and let cool. Store refrigerated.

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

IN YOUR GLASS

Apple Old Fashioned The standard Old Fashioned build of spirit, sugar, bitters and water leaves plenty of room for variation. Here, cider syrup replaces the sugar, bringing both sweetness and a touch of acidity to the drink. Bourbon is a natural fit. A bolder bottle like Woodford Reserve Double Oaked works especially well, though any favorite will do. • 2 oz (60 mL) bourbon • ½ oz (15 mL) apple cider syrup • 1 dash Angostura bitters • 1 dash walnut bitters • Expressed orange oil and apple slices for garnish Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled, then strain into a lowball glass over ice (or one large ice cube). Express orange oil over the top and garnish with apple slices.

Kingston Windfall The Kingston Windfall takes the apple theme a bit beyond the expected. Built as a sour, it uses Jamaican rum as its base. These rums are known for their bold, high-ester character, which can easily take over if you’re not careful. A milder expression like Appleton Estate Signature Blend strikes a better balance. The fact that “apple” is in the name is just a happy coincidence. The result leans slightly tropical while still feeling right at home alongside the other two drinks. • 1.5 oz (45 mL) Jamaican rum • ¾ oz (22.5 mL) fresh lemon juice • ¾ oz (22.5 mL) apple cider syrup

Upstate Manhattan A Manhattan doesn’t need much of an adjustment to feel new. In this version, a touch of cider syrup adds a subtle apple note that complements the whiskey and vermouth. It’s enough to give the drink a seasonal edge without pulling it far from its Manhattan roots. The result is familiar, with just enough variation to set it apart. • 2 oz (60 mL) rye whiskey

• ¼ oz (7.5 mL) honey syrup (3:1 honey:water) • 1 dash Angostura bitters • Expressed lemon oil and an apple slice for garnish Combine all liquid ingredients in a shaking tin. Add ice and shake until chilled, then double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express lemon oil over the top and garnish with an apple slice.

• ¾ oz (22.5 mL) sweet vermouth • ¼ oz (7.5 mL) apple cider syrup • 1 dash Angostura bitters • 1 dash orange bitters • Apple slices for garnish Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with apple slices.

Autumn 2026

Voted Best Roadside Motel in USA TODAY’s 2025 & 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards

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Our Professionals Care About The Health, Safety and Beauty of Your Trees. Proper tree care can lead to substantial returns on your home or business investment. Trees are a valuable asset on any property. Protect and care for your investments with our technical expertise, true professionalism, and focus on safety. When quality makes a diﬀerence, trust in us to help keep your trees healthy and prevent possible diseases and insect infestations. Schedule a consultation with Door County’s respected ISA Certiﬁed Arborist, Todd Burke. Preserve your trees before removal is your last option.

www.davestreeserviceinc.com

6541 Elm Drive | Egg Harbor – Just Minutes from Jacksonport Oﬀ County Road V | 920-823-2259

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

door go native! landscape

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Water Damage Clean Up

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Fire Damage Clean Up

Mold Remediation

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These two downtown Sister Bay structures were saved from the landﬁll in spring of 2022, creating an aﬀordable home option for a local Door County resident.

DeVooght House Movers

Moving people moving buildings Stefanie DeVooght Burke Relocation Consultant

920-839-5022

Proudly serving generations of clients, customers and friends since 1948! Being the oldest real estate firm in Door County, our sales team continues to provide the exceptional service and market expertise that you deserve. Stop by our office, conveniently located across from the Sister Bay Marina, to experience the difference that over 77 years of local real estate knowledge can make.

www.kellstromray.com Sister Bay | 920-854-2353 Autumn 2026

Rah Rah Ratatouille by JESS FARLEY photos by KATIE HOHMANN

arly autumn garden bounty cannot be beat in northeast Wisconsin. The harvest runneth over with all the deliciousness this time of the year. We’re patient through the summer months, waiting for rain to fall, seeds to germinate and plants to grow, bloom and ripen so we can devour all the fresh delicacies in short order. I am a sucker for a sun-ripened tomato, and starting late July through the autumn months, I tend to eat my weight in tomatoes, paired with a sprinkling of all the other amazing local produce found this time of year. I love tomatoes on toast to start the day, tomato salads for lunch, pico de gallo on my tacos, chicken and fish. Sometimes, I simply crave a big slice of tomato with a pinch of salt. In my humble opinion, the tomato is the most diverse fruit, the shape shifter of the culinary world. Come fall, when the weather starts to change, so does my palate. I crave all the same garden-fresh produce, warm, hearty, stick-to-my-ribs kind of meals. I shift to tomato soup, sauces, bakes and even tomato pie. I love picking up a fresh crusty loaf of bread and some good Wisconsin butter to enjoy with my fall tomato dishes, one of my alltime favorites being ratatouille. Ratatouille is a late summer/early fall food. It started in southern France as a peasant dish, a great way to work through garden surplus. It features the nightshade family, starring (you guessed it) tomatoes, along with eggplant, peppers, zucchini, onion, garlic, fennel bulb and lots of fresh herbs. Ratatouille is a stew of sorts, slow-cooked, releasing all the tastes of the garden in one dish. The preparation pairs a fresh-made tomato sauce with the vegetable medley roasted in the oven, allowing a slight char and releasing the sweetness, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh- chopped herbs. It’s a hybrid of summer and fall cooking, warm and comforting while also fresh and zingy. This dish is historically vegetarian and can be the featured dish on the dinner table, or a wonderful side dish that pairs perfectly as a base with all protein options. Round out the meal with a fall kale salad, a crusty baguette with a smear of herb-whipped butter and a slightly dry pinot noir. Your taste buds will thank you. Enjoy!

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

ON YOUR PLATE

Tomato Sauce Serves 4 • 6-8 medium tomatoes, blanched and peeled (directions below) • 1 garlic clove, diced • Splash of red wine • 1/3 cup fresh herbs – basil, marjoram and flat leaf parsley – stems removed and chopped • Tsp of honey • Salt to taste Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop each tomato into the boiling water. Watch them closely; when the skin cracks, remove them from the water. Allow the tomatoes to cool enough to peel the skins off and discard them. Place the whole tomatoes with all other ingredients in a blender. Whirl everything together until the sauce has a silky texture. This should make approximately a quart of sauce. Set aside.

Ratatouille • 4 tomatoes, thick sliced • 1 large or 2 small eggplant, sliced or chunked

• ½ cup fresh herbs – basil, thyme, marjoram, oregano or any combination of what you have available – stems removed and chopped

• 2 medium zucchini, thick sliced

• Salt and pepper

• 1-2 multicolored bell peppers, sliced

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Chop all the ingredients to a similar thickness, approximately ¼ to ½ inch thick, to ensure cook time is consistent. Place everything in a big bowl and coat with olive oil, half the herbs and salt and pepper.

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced • 1 medium sweet onion, sliced • 3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil, enough to coat all the ingredients

Add sauce to the bottom of a baking dish or a deep pie pan. Arrange the vegetables on top of the sauce, alternating the

varieties. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top of the dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and gently stir, trying not to damage the integrity of the vegetables. Add the remaining herbs. Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 15-30 minutes. Be mindful not to overcook to avoid a mushy consistency. Serve immediately upon removing from the oven with a crusty loaf of bread, plus fresh whipped herb butter and an easy kale salad (recipes to follow).

More fixings on next page Autumn 2026

cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot chocolate one free beer stocking hat registration apple cider now donuts can koozie prizes! cider hot open chocolate one free beer stocking hat apple cider donuts can koozie prizes! onebarrelrun.com cider hot chocolate one free beer 98

try to catch the penguin on november 28, 2026!

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

Herb Butter • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature • Pinch of flaky sea salt (more to taste) • Handful of fresh herbs – chives, thyme, basil, parsley – rough chopped, stems removed Add all the ingredients to a food processor and whirl until fully blended and smooth. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.

ON YOUR PLATE

Thee Get-Away to Relaxation! 1. Scan Code to the left 2. Allow access to camera in the following prompts 3. Use the image below as a marker to enjoy experience.

EDGE-WAT ERRESO RT.CO M

Easy Kale Salad • 1 large bunch fresh kale, stems removed, leaves ripped or chopped

ROCKSHOP | JEWELRY | DECOR | MINING

• 2 garlic cloves, diced small or pressed • 2 Tbsp olive oil, enough to coat the kale • Juice of 1 lemon, fresh squeezed • ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese • Salt and pepper to taste Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice. Massage the kale with your hands. Add the garlic and parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Add nasturtium flowers to make the salad pretty and spicy.

Door County’s Most Unique Shopping Experience NORTH EPHRAIM • FISH CREEK doorcountyrockandgem.com

Autumn 2026

FARM-TO-TABLE BRUNCH Homemade breads & pastries Craft cocktails & coffee drinks

FRIDAY - TUESDAY 8 AM - 2 PM 920.854.3284 | bluebeareb.com

Extensive gluten-free & vegan options Open year-round

SICILIAN & SOUTHERN ITALIAN CUISINE Seasonal menus based on local farm-fresh produce

DAILY 4:30 - 9 PM 920.633.4014 | dellaportadc.com

100% wood-fired Neapolitan pizza Curated all-Italian wine list Open year-round

CRAFT COCKTAIL BAR Vertical Herb Garden 100% wood-fired Neapolitan pizza Oyster & Spritz Apertivo Hour

DAILY 2 - 10 PM 920.264.0895 | lapiazzadc.com

Extensive selection of Italian wine, liqueurs, & digestivi

T H R E E U N I Q U E R E S TAU R A N T S , O N E G R E AT LO C AT I O N

12029, HWY 42, Ellison Bay, WI, 54210

UNAPOLOGETICALLY BOLD WOOD-FIRED CUISINE

OPEN YEAR-ROUND BRUNCH

DINNER

HAPPY HOUR PRIVATE EVENTS www.cutdoorcounty.com | Fish Creek, WI

END B ES TO AN M O C R E SUMM DOESN’T! THME EFRUNFUN M SU L! FOR AL OPEN 7 A

M - 9 PM

OPEN 7 A

M - 9 PM

7 AM ATURDAY NDAY - S

MOND

Winner of GMA’s “Best Breakfast in America Challenge” - 5 PM SU - 5 PM SU

NDAY

Y 7 AM Cafe & Eatery Board URDAGame AY - SAT

Experience all the colors of Door County here at The Gnoshery!

STAY & PLAY LIBRARY

IN G IC E D REFRESH ES! BEVERAG

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN

TAKE A TRIP TO THE GNOME TODAY!

2233 N. N. 3RD 3RD AAVE., VE., STURGEON STURGEON BAY, BAY, WI WI 54235 54235 2233 N. N. 3RD 3RD AAVE., VE., STURGEON STURGEON BAY, BAY, WI WI 54235 54235 ((920) 9((920) 2902)08818-0727 1 8 0 7 2 7 THE T H E G GNOSHERY.COM N O S H E R Y . COM ) 8818-0727 18-0727 TTHE HE GGNOSHERY.COM NOSHERY.COM

breakfast • lunch • dinner traditional Door County fish boils

overnight lodging

4225 Main Street • Fish Creek • 920.868.3517 innkeeper@whitegullinn.com • www.whitegullinn.com

The Taste of Wisconsin’s

There’s a flavor to fall - rich, savory, and a

Harvest

little bit sweet - and our gift boxes bring it all together. Filled with handcrafted cheeses, artisan sausages, and Door County favorites, they’re handpicked for the table where friends and family share stories and make memories. Make our gourmet gift boxes the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving feast, and set the table for the season.

2189 County Rd. DK, Sturgeon Bay, WI • 920-825-7272 • RenardsCheese.com Monday - Friday: 8 am - 5 pm • Saturday - Sunday: 9 am - 4 pm

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RESTAURANT GUIDE

DISTINCTIVE WATERFRONT DINING IN DOOR C

OPEN OPEN YEAR YEAR ROUND ROUND • BREAKFAST • BREAKFAST + LUNCH + LUNCH + DINNER + DINNER DINNER D I SDT I N S TCOPEN ITNI V C TEYEAR I VWEAROUND W T EARTFER•ROBREAKFAST FNRTO N D TI NDI +INNLUNCH GI NI N G +IDN O ODROEROC RO UCNO TUYN T Y OPENYEAR YEAR ROUND ROUND •• BREAKFAST BREAKFAST + LUNCH + +DINNER OPEN DINNER EET -W F RA TI EERNF RDOLNYT D I N+ ILUNCH D I S T I N C TPI V NG IN DOOR COUNTY D I S T I N C T I V E W A T E R F R O N T D I N I N G I N D O OR COUNTY D I S T I N CGTAI V R ED EWNA TSEERAFTRIONNGT D I N I N G I N D O O R C O U N T Y

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HHI SI TSOTRO IRLU GU HI RCI SIBCT UOB IDCIINL B D I NI LGD I N G WATERFRONT DINING

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EW ENGLAND

W DN TGI D NIGN I N G H IASTTEW ORRAFI CTREOBRN UFTIRL O D IINN W AHT IESRTFOR ROINCT BDU I NI LI D N IGN G WATERFRONT DINING

Cornerstone Pub & Restaurant 8123 Hwy 57 (920) 839-9001 BLD JT{ Coyote Roadhouse 3026 Cty E (920) 839-9192 LD JT{ Located on the shore of Kangaroo Lake offering a full-service bar, appetizers, lunch and dessert selections in a casual and comfortable setting. Children’s menu available. Family friendly.

L! O

AC Tap 9322 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2426 LD JT Baileys 57 7998 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2114 BL T Chives Restaurant 8041 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2000 LD T(

BAILEYS HARBOR

PC Junction The Thirsty Cow Gilmo’s Bar & Bistro Corner of A and E Taphouse Wavepoint Marina (920) 839-2048 7899 Cty A Resort, 3600 Cty CC (920) 839-9991 (920) 824-5440 L J { LD T Roost + Banter LD JT{( Top Deck 8093 Hwy 57 Idlewild Pub & Grill Restaurant & Bar (920) 839-0060 4146 Golf Valley Dr. 1420 Pine Dr. B L {T (920) 743-3334 (920) 839-2331 Located on the corner LD { of 57 and Howard, BD J{( Joe Rouer’s Bar Roost + Banter offers Vino! Vino! at Stone’s E1098 Cty X a full coffee and Throw Winery (920) 866-2585 Rishi tea menu with 3382 Cty E LD T{ breakfast sandwiches (920) 839-9760 Rouer’s Grand Slam and bagels. Our lunch LD T 9710 School Road has sandwiches, Vino! Vino! Is a (920) 493-6556 salads, and soups contemporary Tuscan LD with vegan and wine bar and tapas Rouer’s Roadhouse gluten free options experience. Join us 8649 Cty C available. Indoor and for great wine and (920) 824-5100 outdoor seating with fresh food in an LD a great view, Open atmosphere of friendly, Sawyer Harbor daily year round. casual elegance. Pub & Grill Sway Brewing + Blending 36963 Cty M BRUSSELS/LITTLE (920) 493-6558 2434 Cty F (920) 241-2562 LD T STURGEON B LOPEN D{ T Sunset Riley’s Point YEAR ROUND • Dock BREAKFAST + On LUNCH + DINNER Chaudoir’s The Blue Ox 6952 Cty M 10863 Cty N 8051 Hwy 57 (920) 824-5130 (920) 493-7075 (920) 839-2271 D JT{ L D { LD {

B L D

Full bar Beer and wine only Outdoor seating available Kids’ menu available Offering breakfast Offering lunch Offering dinner Reservations accepted Open during winter (hours may vary)

DCBC Eats 8099 Hwy 57 (920) 239-8181 LD Gatsby’s Grille 7680 HWY 57 (920) 560-0103 LD J ( Harbor Fish Market & Grille 8080 Hwy 57 (920) 839-9999 BLD J{(T A full-service restaurant in the heart of Baileys Harbor. Distinctive waterfront dining with a casual upscale vibe. Seasonal, pet-friendly garden seating. Harbor Market Grocery 8024 Hwy 57 (902) 473-0199 LDT Inland Door County 8085 Hwy 57 (920) 717-6116 LD JT

LI L!

Key

OOI

GUIDE

RESTAURANT

Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order by town. Information is subject to change. Contact individual restaurants for hours of operation. Inclusion in this directory should not be considered an unqualified endorsement by Door County Living. Restaurants are encouraged to email us with up-to-date information at info@doorcountyliving.com.

ENGLAN

D L

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H A RHBAORRBFOI RSH H F IM S HARM RB KAEO RTKR -E GFTR-IIGLSLREH I .LCLM O E .M CAO R MK E T - G R I L L E . C A HARBORFISHMARKET-GRILLE.COM

Baron's Gelato, plus8fresh 0 8 0 house H W Y made 5 7 • bakery, B A I L E Ygrab-and-go S HARBOR • 920-839-9999 sandwiches, salads, 8 0 8 08and 0 H8 Wspecialty 0Y H5W 7 Y• snacks 5B7A I•L Eand BYASI beverages LHEAYRS BHOARRto •B fill O9R2 0• - 9 82 30 9-8 93 9 9 -99 9 9 9 your picnic basket on your Door County adventure! 8 0 8 0 H W Y 5at7 • B A I L E Y S H A R B O R House-made frozen custard from Next door 8 0 8to 0 Harbor Hand W Y gelato 5Fish 7 • Market. B A I L Eour Y Sfriends HARBOR • 920-839-9999

• 920-839-9

Baron's Gelato, plus fresh house made bakery, grab-and-go

House-made House-made frozenfrozen custard custard and gelato and gelato from our fromfriends our friends at at sandwiches, salads, and specialty snacks and beverages to fill Baron's Baron's Gelato, Gelato, plus fresh plus fresh house made made bakery, bakery, grab-and-go grab-and-go your picnic basket onhouse your Door County adventure! House-made frozen custard and gelato from our friends at sandwiches, sandwiches, salads, salads, and specialty and specialty snacks snacks and beverages and beverages to fill to fill from our friends at House-made frozen custard gelato Next door to house Harbormade Fish Market. Baron's Gelato, plus fresh bakery, and grab-and-go Door County adventure! your picnic your picnic basket basket onand your on your Door County adventure!to fill sandwiches, salads, specialty snacks and beverages Baron's Gelato, plus fresh house made bakery, grab-and-go Next door to Harbor Fish Market. Next door to Harbor Fish Market. your picnic basket on your Door County adventure! sandwiches, salads, and snacks and beverages to fill Next door to Harbor Fishspecialty Market.

your picnic basket on your Door County adventure! Next door to Harbor Fish Market.

Autumn 2026

103

From our family orchards to your table. Taste our tradition.

Pumpkins and Pinot Noir Pumpkins and Pinot Noir Pumpkins The Prefect FallPinot Pairing Pumpkins andand Pinot NoirNoir Pumpkins and Noir The Prefect FallPinot Pairing The Prefect Fall Pairing TheThe Prefect Fall Pairing Prefect Fall Pairing

Wine Tastings

WineWine Tastings Tastings Wine Tastings Five days a week Wine Tastings Five Five daysdays a week week Five days a week Five days a week Wednesdays a- Sundays Wednesdays - Sundays Wednesdays Sundays Wednesdays -- Sundays Wednesdays Sundays Labor Day --Nov. Labor Day -- Nov. Nov. 1st 1st Labor Day Nov. 1st Labor Day 1st Labor Day - Nov. 1st

Live Music Live Music Live Music LiveLive Music Music every every every every every Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday 6 8 pm 66- 8 -pm 6 - 868 pm -pm 8 pm

HELIOTERRA WINES HELIOTERRA WINES HELIOTERRA WINES HELIOTERRA WINES HELIOTERRA WINES

2 Miles North of Sister Bay on Hwy. 42 920-854-4199 www.seaquistorchards.com

Oregon Made Made Oregon Oregon Made Oregon Made Oregon Made Wisconsin Born Wisconsin Born Wisconsin Born Wisconsin Born Wisconsin Born

At Top of the Hill Shops

Fish At Top Top of Creek, the Hill HillWI Shops At of the Shops At Top of the Fish Creek, WIHill At Top of the HillShops Shops Fish Creek, WI Fish Creek, WI

Fish Creek, WI

Over 35 years creating the flavors of Door County and family friendly dining!

11051 Hwy 42 • Sister Bay, WI 54234 • (920) 854-9693 www. www.doorcountyicecream.com .com • scoop@doorcountyicecream.com 104

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

RESTAURANT GUIDE

The Belgian Delight 1100 Cty C (920) 825-1111 BLD(

CARLSVILLE Carlsville Roadhouse 5790 Hwy 42 (920) 743-4966 LD T Door County Coffee Co. 5773 Hwy 42 (920) 743-8930 BLJT{ Rusty Tractor 6216 Hwy 42 (920) 743-8704 B

EGG HARBOR Big Easy Bagel & Beignet 7755 Hwy 42 (920) 868-9600 BLT{ Burton’s on the Green 7670 Horseshoe Bay Road (920) 868-3000 ext. 4 LD J Burton’s on the Green is Alpine Resort’s golf course clubhouse restaurant offering delicious cuisine crafted by the culinary team of Burton’s on the Bay. Burton’s on the Green is open year-round, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours of operation change with the season. Visit alpineresort. com or call for restaurant hours. Casey’s BBQ & Smokehouse 7855 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3038 LD JT Cupola Cafe 7838 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2233 BL T Ember at The Landmark 7643 Hillside Rd (920) 868-5162 LD{ Fika Bakery & Cafe 4614 Harbor School Rd (920) 868-5105 BL{ Fireside Restaurant 7755 Hwy 42 (920) 868-4800 D JT Greens N Grains Deli 7821 Hwy 42 (920) 868-9999 BLJ{ The Greens N

Grains Deli features a selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and rawfood cuisine. The deli also features a juice bar with freshly pressed veggie juices, fruit smoothies, a healthful bakery, tea bar and organic coffees. Log Den 6626 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3888 LD JT{( MacReady Artisan Bread Company 7828 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2233 LDJT{ Mezzanine 7821 Horseshoe Bay Road (920) 786-7698 BLD Pizza Bros 4633 Market St. (920) 868-5257 LD { Salute Wine and Beer Lounge 7778 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3247 T{ Shipwrecked Brew Pub 7791 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2767 LD JT{ Stone Hedge Golf and Pub 4320 Cty E (920) 868-1861 LD The Orchards at Egg Harbor 8125 Heritage Lake Road (920) 868-2483 L J{ Village Cafe 7918 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3342 BLJ{ Villaggio’s Steak House 4655 Cty E (920) 890-2190 DJ(

Brew Coffee 12002 Hwy 42 (920) 421-2739 BLT{ Della Porta 12029 Hwy 42 (920) 854-9400 D Authentic southern Italian cuisine. With 20 years of experience cooking in the finest restaurants, our chef is excited to present their vision to you and all our guests. We refuse to compromise on quality in our restaurant. That’s why we source our fresh ingredients from local farmers markets. No matter what time of year, you can be sure you’re eating the best of the season. La Piazza 12029 Hwy 42 (920) 264-0895 LD An outdoor Italian wine bar. Stop for a drink, stay for the food! A selection of Italian small plates including great gluten-free & vegan options – until 10 pm. Plus woodfired Pizza Napoletana and desserts. Over 48 Italian wines, from Northern Italia to the southern islands of Sicilia & Sardegna we have a wine for you to enjoy, all estate grown. And, of course, signature cocktails and beer. Mink River Basin 12010 Hwy 42 (920) 854-2250 BLD JT{( Osteria Tre Tassi 11976 Mink River Road D T( White Pine Supper Club 11934 Hwy 42 (920) 854-3196

ELLISON BAY

Blue Bear 12029 Hwy 42 (920) 854-3284 BLD Featuring a locally sourced menu created from scratch in our kitchen. Offering an extensive selection of both gluten-free and vegan options. Full bar with craft cocktails, local beers, sustainably sourced wine and specialty coffee drinks.

EPHRAIM

(

Anatolia 9922 Hwy 42, Unit 7 (920) 633-4011 LD Bad Moravian 3055 Church St. D T Chef’s Hat 3063 Church St. (920) 854-2034 BLD JT{( Cultured 2570 Cty Q (920) 512-3821 BL T

JUNE 19, 2027 doorcountybeerfestival.com Autumn 2026

105

SPEND YOUR DAY OLD FASHIONED WAY!

Lunch Cocktails Lunch,&Dinner & Year-Year-Round Round Cocktails

Come for the Fun, Stay for the Food!

Nightly specials include supper club favorites like slow roasted prime rib and broasted chicken & ribs

Fall. Football. Fans. Gather family and friends at the historic Bayside Tavern to cheer on your favorite team.

SUNDAY - THURSDAY Dinner at 5pm (NO Lunch) Bowling & Bar: 4:00pm – Bar Close Bowling League Tues. Staring in November

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Open 11am LUNCH, Bowling, and Bar Friday Dinner 4:30pm thru October - then 5pm Saturday Dinner 5pm

Enjoy our full bar with 18 craft beers on tap, shots, “Smilen” Bob’s Famous Chili, burgers, hot dogs, brats and made-to-order pizzas.

�

� NATURAL FOODS� i i MARKET & CAFE Ltt Foorl 8t, f.four MttJ.iciJu,

est Voted B Friday y ORGANIC & LOCAL r F Dinner Fish ld O 5 t PRODUCE, BULK, p s m e B in & ed GROCERY, BEAUTY Novemb Fashion er & Downtown SUPPLEMENTS Hwy. 42, Sister Bay I

920-854-2841 ESPRESSO, SMOOTHIES,

www.SisterBayBowl.com Follow� us on Facebook Q SALADS, FOODS� i � NATURAL PANINIS, i MARKET & CAFEJUICES, FRESH-PRESSED

VEGETARIAN SOUPS Ltt Foorl 8t, f.four MttJ.iciJu, & WRAPS

ORGANIC & LOCAL PRODUCE, BULK, 920.868.9999 S MARKET RAL FOODBEAUTY U AT GROCERY, N GREENS-N-GRAINS.COM & SUPPLEMENTS

SHOP LOCAL

ESPRESSO, SMOOTHIES, ORGANIC &I LOCAL PRODUCE, BULK, GROCERY, SALADS, PANINIS, BEAUTY & SUPPLEMENTS FRESH-PRESSED JUICES,

VEGETARIAN SOUPS The Cafe & WRAPS

Vegetarian & Gluten Free, Smoothies, Coffee, Salads etc let food 920.868.9999 be your medicine GREENS-N-GRAINS.COM

Support Local Growers and Producers at Greens N Grains!

920.868.9999 • greens-n-grains.com

THE PURPLE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN EGG HARBOR 7821 STATE HIGHWAY 42 • EGG HARBOR, WI 54209

Cl«Mical-fru. Clu..v.,. Orga.m Cl«Mical-fru. Clu..v.,. Orga.m

Massage, Facials, Infrared Sauna & Aromatherapy Massage, Facials,

Massage, Facials, Infrared Sauna & Now Offering Manis Aromatherapy Infrared Sauna&&Pedis

920.868.1597Aromatherapy • 920.868.1597 SPAVERDESALON.COM Bayside Tavern and Bayside Shops located in downtown Fish Creek, Door County, WI

SPAVERDESALON.COM

920.868.1597 SPAVERDESALON.COM

baysidetavern.com | 9 2 0 . 8 6 8 . 3 4 4 1 106

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

JUNCTION CENTER

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Good Eggs 9820 Brookside Ln (920) 854-6621 BL{ Klaud’s Kitchen 10420 Hwy 42 (920) 854-3005 BLD J{ La Sirena 9996 Pioneer Ln (920) 854-3232 D J {T( Old Post Office Restaurant 10040 Hwy 42 (920) 854-4034 BD J{( Prince of Pierogi 9922 Water St, Unit 6 (920) 421-8619 LD { Peninsula State Park Clubhouse Restaurant 9890 Shore Road (920) 854-5791 BL Red Barn Biscuit Company 10426 Hwy 42 B{ Sip 10326 Hwy 42 (920) 857-5602 BLD T{

Summer Kitchen 10425 Hwy 42. (920) 854-2131 BLD J{( Located between Ephraim and Sister Bay, Door County’s only garden restaurant, Summer Kitchen, is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well known for its soup bar and homemade pies- in addition to the extensive menuSummer Kitchen also serves authentic Mexican food. Sunset Harbor Grill 10018 Hwy 42. (920) 854-6565 BLD J Wilson’s Restaurant 9990 Hwy 42 (920) 854-2041 LDJ{

FISH CREEK Alexander’s of Door County 3667 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3532 D JT{(

Backroads Deli 3903 Hwy 42 L J Barringer’s Restaurant 1 N. Spruce St. (920) 868-5445 LD {T( Bayside Coffee The Shops at the Bayside (920) 495-8338 BL J Fish Creek’s only waterfront cafe. Beautifully situated across the street from the town dock. Outdoor seating with a view. Featuring piping hot or iced Colectivo coffee, espresso drinks and Rishi teas, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and bakery. Open May-August. Bayside Tavern 4160 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3441 LD JT For an unpredictably great time, visit Fish Creek’s favorite tavern. Serving cocktails, beer and

our famous Bayside Coffee. Our shortorder menu features hearty house-made soups, sandwiches, burgers, housemade pizza, Friday fish fry and Smilen Bob’s chili. Open daily year-round! CUT 4135 Hwy 42 (920) 333-8813 B L D T( CUT isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a statement. A bold, multi-level dining and event destination where fire fuels every flavor and experience. From high energy lounges to seductive dining spaces, every detail is designed to impress. We cut through the ordinary to create an experience that lingers, a space that captivates, and a fire that never fades. English Inn 3713 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3076 D JT(

Fish Creek Market 4164 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3351 L Hill Street 4149 Hwy 42 (920) 868-5282 LD T Julie’s Park Cafe & Motel 4020 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2999 BL J{( Kettle Black Fish Boil 4158 Hwy 42 (920) 868-5215 D ( Loft 4170 Hwy 42 (920) 868-5242 LD J{ Not Licked Yet 4054 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2617 LD{ Pelletier’s Restaurant Founder’s Square (920) 868-3313 BLD J{( Shiny Moon Café 4164 Hwy 42 BL T The Cherry Hut 8813 Hwy 42 (920) 868-4450 LD J{

Welcker’s Lounge 4192 Hwy 42 (920) 868-5037 BLD ( White Gull Inn 4225 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3517 BLD JT( Serving breakfast, including the famous cherry stuffed French toast as featured on Good Morning America, as well as a full menu daily. Featuring fish boils in the summer, fall and select winter nights, along with candlelight dinners. Reservations recommended for dinner. Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza & Grille 4023 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3095 LD JT{

FORESTVILLE The Bullpen 213 W. Main St., #9691 (920) 856-6199 LD T

From year-round comfort to outdoor relaxation, Wulf Brothers has been helping families across Northeast Wisconsin for generations. Whether you’re upgrading your home’s heating and cooling, adding a beautiful gas fireplace, or creating the perfect backyard retreat with a Jacuzzi® hot tub, the team at Wulf Brothers is here to help! CALL US AT 920-743-5587

VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS IN STURGEON BAY, SISTER BAY & LUXEMBURG FIND US ONLINE AT WULFBROTHERS.COM Autumn 2026

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COUN DOOR TY’S

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The Hen House Bar & Grill 131 W. Main St. (920) 856-6950 D AR YTE X PERIEN CE OVER 2 5 YE AR S OF CULL IN

GILLS ROCK Shoreline Restaurant 12747 Hwy 42 (920) 854-2950 D (

c aARl SaOnF dC UfLrINeAR s hY EfoX PER o dI ENC E O V ER L2 5o YE p r e p a r e d i n y ou r k i t c h e n

• •

JACKSONPORT

Over 65 Years A Door County Tradition for jams - jellies - pickles - pies - specialty food items Gift Boxes & Corporate Gifts Are Our Specialty! 1/2 mile east of Gills Rock on Hwy 42 Ellison Bay 920-854-2268 • Fax: 920-854-7299 • www.beashomadeproducts.com

Open Daily • 4 Generations of Family Serving for 39 Years

Island Fever Rum Bar & Grill Cty V and Hwy 57 (920) 823-2700 LD JT{ Little Bit of Coffee 6332 Hwy 57 (920) 823-2408 BD Located in Jacksonport at the Square Rigger Lodge, you will find us serving delicious coffee, quiche and baked goods. Serving small plates Tuesday and Thursday night. Come for the coffee and linger for the great water view! Scotty’s Grub + Pub 6269 Hwy 57 (920) 818-0178 LD Wally’s Weenie Wagon 6313 Hwy 57 (920) 493-3016 BLD {

SISTER BAY Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant 10698 N. Hwy 42. (920) 854-2626 BLD JT Base Camp Door County 10740 N Hwy 42. (920) 421-0733 BL Boathouse on the Bay 10716 N. Hwy 42. (920) 854-3223 LD J{

Carroll House 2445 S. Hwy 42. (920) 854-7997 BLJ CHOP 2345 Mill Road (920) 854-2700 D JT{( Door County Creamery 10653 Hwy 42. (920) 854-3388 LD { Door County Ice Cream Factory 11051 Hwy 42 (920) 854-9693 LDJ{ Try premium ice cream made right here instore! Choose from 30 flavors, a long list of sundaes and other specialty ice cream offerings. Enjoy one of 15 sandwiches made to order, home-made pizza, soups and saladsyou’ll find something for everyone! Dovetail Bar & Grill 10282 Hwy 57 (920) 421-4035 LD J Fat Belly 10621 N. Highland Rd (920) 854-3500 LD { Goose & Twigs Coffee Shop 2322 Mill Road (920) 854-3212 BL { Happy Coffee 10678 S. Hwy 42., Building 2 BL JT{ Husby’s Food and Spirits 10641 N. Hwy 42. (920) 854-2624 LD JT{ Juicy Burgers 10635 Hwy 42 (920) 365-2748 LD{ June’s Farmhouse 2450 S Hwy 42. B { Junes Farmhouse is

a warm, welcoming coffee and wine bar designed for slow mornings and lingering evenings. Thoughtfully crafted coffee, tea, nonalcoholic drinks, or wine, and unwind in our spacious backyard. Along with creating a welcoming atmosphere, our goal is to create an approachable menu with a focus on high quality locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. We proudly carry brands and work with individuals who share our emphasis on quality and sustainability. We invite you to come as you are, connect, and feel at home. LURE Intersection of Hwys 42 and 57 (920) 854-8111 D JT{( McEvoy’s Culinaria & Catering 2602 S. Hwy 42 (920) 854-8029 LDT{ Northern Grill & Pizza 10573 Country Walk Dr. (920) 854-9590 LD J{ One Star Burger & Dogs 10440 Orchard Drive LD Pasta Vino 10571 Country Walk Dr. (920) 633-4037 D Rad House Cafe 10580 Country Walk Ln Unit 10. B L J{ Savor Barbeque & Taphouse 10663 Hwy 42 (920) 365-2748 LD {

roost banter

COFFEE • BREAKFAST • LUNCH Door County’s SUPER Market

7770 Hwy 42 • Egg Harbor 920.868.2120 DoorCountyGrocery.com 108

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

specialty drinks, wine and beer, house made bakery, fresh soups and sandwiches made daily

7am daily • roostandbanter.com Corner of 57 & Howard • Downtown Baileys Harbor

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Thyme Market 10588 Country Walk Dr #16 (920) 633-4012 LDT Wild Tomato WoodFired Pizza & Grille 10677 N. Hwy 42. (920) 854-4685 LD JT{ ZaZa’s Pizzeria 10553 Country Walk Dr. (920) 854-3142 LD

Brick Lot Pub & Grill 253 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-9339 LD JT Brygga Plates & Pours 107 N. 1st St. (920) 746-0700 B L D J T{( Cedar Crossing Restaurant & Bar 336 Louisiana St. (920) 743-4200 BLD JT(

Chaser’s Sports Bar & Grill 1217 N. 14th Ave. (920) 743-6997

Crate — Sushi & Seafood 136 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-1333 D T{( Door County Fire Company 38 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-0625 LD JT Door County Sandbox 1023 Egg Harbor Road (920) 818-0134 LD

Cherry Lanes Arcade Bar 127 N. 4th Ave. (920) 818-0093 D Corner Café 113 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-1991 BLJT(

Drömhus 611 Jefferson St. (608) 333-4553 BLD T{ Drömhus is a warm, inviting wine bar and eatery rooted in community, offering thoughtfully crafted food, curated wines, and a welcoming space for connection, music, and conversation. Bākhus, its sister bakery,

STURGEON BAY 5th and Jefferson Café 232 N. 5th Ave. (920) 746-1719 BLD{ Betsy Ross Family Restaurant 239 Green Bay Road (920) 743-811 BLD Birmingham’s 4709 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 743-5215 LD JT Blue Front Café 86 W. Maple St. (920) 743-9218 BL JT(

GILLS ROCK POTTERY One of a kind. One at a time. All of the time.

Celebrating our 47th season.

Highway 42 & Lakeview Road • Ellison Bay, 54210 920.854.2774 • gillsrockpottery.com

K IC

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EY BROTHE

•

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OPEN 11 AM

Sister Bay Bowl 10640 N. Hwy 42 (920) 854-2841 LD JT Famous for its Friday-night perch fry and its prime rib, this throwback to yesteryear is located in the heart of Sister Bay, open year-round. Featuring a full dining room, grill and bar, plus Northern Door’s only bowling alley. Stabbur Beer Garden at Al Johnson’s 10698 Hwy 42. (920) 421-4740 LD { Sub Express at Sister Bay Mobil 2579 S. Hwy 42. (920) 854-6700 BLDJT{ The Cleat 10961 Hwy 42 (920) 854-3200 LD JT The Waterfront 10947 Hwy 42 (920) 854-5491 D ( Thyme Restaurant + Catering 10339 Hwy 57 (920) 421-5112 LD {JT(

YEAR ROUND

•

EST. 1967

C O U N T Y,

I •

From Dock to Dinner, Any Time of Year Great Food & Drink N I G H T LY S P E C I A L S

From fresh-caught fillets to smoked favorites and flash-frozen options, Baileys Harbor Fish Company offers premium local fish perfect for your next meal, or to stock your freezer for the season.

September & October Hours:

Monday - Saturday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm coyote-roadhouse.com

NO RESERVATIONS | BAILEYS HARBOR 920.839.9192

BAILEYS HARBOR FISH COMPANY 8099 Ridges Road | Baileys Harbor, WI www.baileysharborfishcompany.com Autumn 2026

109

Locally grown meads,wines, ciders, and champagne method bubbles MADE ON SITE IN SMALL BATCHES.

THURs-Sat: noon-7 sun-wed: noon-6

Clubhouse dining at the Alpine. Elevate your dining experiences at Burton’s on the Green. From clubhouse classics to chef-crafted favorites, dine with us at the Green and enjoy daily lunch and dinner specials. Serving lunch and dinner. Wednesday - Sunday 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM alpineresort.com • 920.868.3000 Ext. 4 7670 Horseshoe Bay Road, Egg Harbor, WI 54209 110

door county living / doorcountypulse.com

RESTAURANT GUIDE Kinara Urban Eatery 25 N. Madison Ave. (920) 743-8772 LDT Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub 59 E. Oak St. (920) 743-7441 LD JT{ Lodge at Leathem Smith 1640 Memorial Dr. (920) 743-5555 LD JT{( Lolo’s 231 Michigan St. B LT Melt Bistro 2189 Cty DK (920) 825-7272 Breakfast Lunch Dinner, outdoor seating, beer and wine Renards: Melt Bistro (inside Renard’s Cheese) serves delicious, homestyle comfort food with an elevated twist. Menu items are made to order from scratch using only the freshest ingredients. Many selections feature our own handcrafted artisan cheeses. Pizza, hot and cold sandwiches, mac & cheese, soups, salads, a wide selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and more. Breakfast is available all day. Open daily year-round. View our menu at RenardsCheese.com. BL T{ Mill Supper Club 4128 Hwy 42/57 N. (920) 743-5044 D JT Morning Glory by the Bay 306 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-0711 BL

Morning Glory Sturgeon Bay Institute Saloon Jackson Harbor Soup 4599 Hwy 57 Restaurant Yacht Club 1904 Indian (920) 743-1919 7502 Hwy 42 600 Nautical Dr. Point Road LD T (920) 743-5355 (920) 743-6934 (920) 847-2589 The Hitching Post BLJ L{ LD( 4849 Glidden Dr. Nightingale KK Fiske Restaurant The Gnoshery (920) 818-1114 Supper Club 1177 Main Road 23 N. 3rd Ave. 1541 Egg Harbor Road (920) 847-2121 BLD J( (920) 818-0727 (920) 743-5593 $BLDT Valmy Happy Hour B L D TJ Le Café and The 4418 Whitefish The Gnoshery is the D JT Distillery at Fragrant Bay Road With a rich history county’s premier Isle Lavender Farm (920) 743-6236 dating back to the board game cafe. 1350 Airport Road earliest 20th century, Filled with fun, LD JT (920) 847-2950 join us for dining, games and great WASHINGTON classic vibes, and BL { “Gnoshables” – food great tunes. Nelsen’s Hall and drink that make ISLAND Old Mexico Bitters Pub your experience a 901 Egg Harbor Road 1201 Main Road truly memorable one! Albatross Drive-In 777 Main Road (920) 818-1500 (920) 847-2496 Trattoria Dal Santo (920) 847-2203 LD JT{ 147 N. 3rd Ave. LD T{ L D { Poh’s Corner Pub (920) 743-6100 Red Cup Coffee House Karly’s Bar and 164 N. 3rd Ave. D T( 1885 Detroit Dance Hall (920) 743-3938 Waterfront Mary’s Harbor Road 1265 Main Road LD T Bar & Grill (920) 847-3304 (920) 847-2655 Prince of Pierogi 3662 N. Duluth Ave. BL $$ L D J T { ( 846 Egg Harbor Road (920) 743-3690 Sailor’s Pub Hotel Washington LD 1475 South Shore Dr. LD JT{ 354 Range Line Road PTY’s Kitchen (920) 847-2105 West Side Commons (920) 847-3010 50 S. 3rd Ave. 26 E. Oak St. D {( D T { ( (920) 818-1300 (920) 818-0372 The Point Grille Island Pizza LD T 164 Green Bay Road LD T At the ferry dock Samuelson’s Creek Pub (920) 421-3663 (920) 847-3222 VALMY & Grill LD L D 1009 S. Oxford Ave. Donny’s Glidden (920) 743-3295 Lodge Restaurant LD JT( 4670 Glidden Dr. Scaturo’s Café (920) 746-9460 19 Green Bay Road D JT{( (920) 7468727 BL JT Mauricio’s {( mauriciosdoco.com Sonny’s Italian Nicolet Beach Food Trucks Kitchen & www.nicoletbeach.com/foodtrucks Pizzeria Papa B’s 129 N. Backbone facebook.com/PapaBsFoodTruck Madison Ave. instagram.com/backbonefoodtruck Pinky Promise Coffee Food Truck (920) 743Carjacks Patty Wagon wwwpinkypromisecoffee.com/ 2300 facebook.com/carjackspattywagon Sergio’s LD JT( Caspian Shwarma sergiosmexicanfood.com Sunrise Food instagram.com/caspianshawarma Sloppy Hog BBQ & Drinks Chives’ Food Truck Court Taqueria Neri 1463 Egg chivesfoodtruck.com www.taquerianeri.com/ Harbor Road Fat Food Truck The Purple Yum (920) 818www.fatbellybowls.com/ www.facebook.com/jmjsbakery 0157 Jolly Street Pizza Wally’s Weenie Wagon BLT facebook.com/jollysstreetpizza Doorcountyweenie LoLo’s Food Truck wagon.com www.lolosfoodtruck. 888 Cheese & Co. com/food-truck 888cheeseandco.com

DOOR COUNTY FOOD TRUCKS

brings the same spirit to life through slow-made breads, seasonal pastries, and simple, highquality ingredients. Together, they create a destination that blends Europeaninspired charm with Midwestern heart, where locals and visitors gather to savor, celebrate, and feel at home. Every detail reflects care, creativity, and a deep love for community and craft. They are not just places to eat and drink, but experiences that nourish connection, creativity, and belonging. Elmo’s Woodfired Pizza 143 N. 4th Ave. (920) 818-0408 LDT Fatzo’s 46 Green Bay Road (920) 743-6300 LDJT{ Get Real Café 43 S. Madison Ave. (920) 818-1455 BLD Gloria’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant 23 W. Oak St. (920) 818-1733 LD JT Greystone Castle 8 N. Madison Ave. (920) 743-9923 LD JT Hidden Bridge Pub 2049 Cty S (920) 743-4807 D Hoffman’s Red Room 66 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-3913 LD T Kick Coffee 148 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 746-1122 BLT{

DOOR COUNTY’S GARDEN RESTAURANT A cup of famous homemade soup with every meal Outdoor & pet-friendly seating 10425 N Hwy 42

North Ephraim

Breakfast

Gluten free & vegetarian options Cherry sangria, mimosas, beer & wine

Lunch

Dinner

For over 50 years of tradition serving homemade, original recipes! Summer Kitchen - Door County

@summerkitchendoorcounty

920.854.2131

Autumn 2026

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Door County - – — Wi s c o n s i n — – -

hog isl.

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fisherman’s shoal

Drömhus Drömhus Drömhus andand and Bākhus and Bākhus Bākhus blend blend blend Scandinavian Scandinavian Scandinavian charm charm charm withwith with handcrafted with handcrafted handcrafted food, food, curated food, curated curated wines wines wines andand and and Drömhus Bākhus blend Scandinavian charm handcrafted food, curated wines bakery bakery bakery delights— delights— delights— an experience anan experience experience meant meant meant to be tosavored, to bebe savored, savored, shared, shared, shared, andand and remembered. and remembered. remembered. bakery delights— an experience meant to be savored, shared, remembered.

611611 611 jefferson 611 jefferson jefferson street, street, street, sturgeon sturgeon sturgeon bay bay bay jefferson street, sturgeon bay dromhusdoorcounty.com dromhusdoorcounty.com dromhusdoorcounty.com dromhusdoorcounty.com

(920) 264-0839 Trilliantdiamonds.com Fish Creek Top Of The Hill Shops Sister Bay Dörr Hotel

Op ers al & B lu | Own

CUSTOM DESIGNS UNIQUE SETTINGS EXQUISITE PRICES

10586 Country Walk Drive, Sister Bay, WI (Country Walk Shops) • www.TwistedTreePharm.com Find Us On

@TwistedTreeDoorCounty