Baileys Harbor Range Light

The Blue Ox

Baileys Harbor is a village of buildings on the National Register of Historical Places.

In 1848, Captain Justice Bailey piloted his ship into what is now Baileys Harbor to avoid a storm. Captain Bailey worked for Alanson Sweet, who owned a fleet of ships which transported lumber and stone to Detroit. Captain Bailey took samples of pine, maple, beech, and Door County stone back to his employer, who saw possibilities for those products.

The next year Sweet had a pier, sawmill, and quarry built, and the little village of Baileys Harbor began. In 1851, the U.S. government built a lighthouse that was used until 1870, when range lights were installed instead. The old lighthouse is one of three in the United States to have a bird cage dome at the top of the tower, and the range lights are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Beachfront Inn

The lumbering business attracted settlers from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Poland, and the British Isles. Adeline Edmunds was the daughter in a family which emigrated to Baileys Harbor. She wrote a very interesting book about their transition from Germany to the United States entitled The Loving Spice of Life, which is available in the Door County Library in Sturgeon Bay.

Espresso Lane Cafe

August Zahn built the first blacksmith shop in 1906. This building, at 8152 Highway 57, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Town Hall, although built in 1938, is also on the Register. The house at 8090 Highway 57 is interesting in several aspects. It was built in 1870 by Adam Secrist as the Globe Hotel, and is now owned by his great-granddaughter, Eunice Schlintz. This home is also on the National Register. Another home which is still in the family is at 8030 Highway 57. It was built in 1882 and is presently owned by the great-granddaughter of the original owner.

The home at 8223 Highway 57 is known as the "Birds Park" and was built by Albert Zahn. It was covered with animals he carved and mounted on the home. Some of his carvings are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. This house also is on the National Register. One home in Baileys Harbor is on the Door County Historical Society's Preservation List. Originally built to be a general store, later used to store caskets, then as a place for the Circuit Rider to hold court trials, it is now a tavern, the current Weisgerber's Pub.

8152 Hwy 57

The variety of uses of some of the buildings of yesteryear is also noteworthy. For instance, the building at 8064 Highway 57, built in 1885, was originally built as a drug store, furniture store, mortuary, and the post office! The next owner built an addition for a hardware store and a realty and insurance office. Perhaps it was buildings such as this in rural America which inspired the idea of the modern department store.

An interesting home is at 8061 Highway 57. It was built by Miles Carrington in the style of a salt box with a lid. The Carringtons were from New England, where many houses of the time were of "salt box" design.

Cana Island Light

The Baileys Harbor School House was built in 1917-1918, at which time it housed all eight grades. In 1970, it became grades one through four, and this was one of the schools this writer served as school social worker from 1974 through 1982. It is now a suites lodging establishment with each room decorated in a different theme. The owners, Loren and Annie Peil, would be pleased to show you any rooms which are vacant.

Yum Yum Tree

Several churches are also of historical significance. Zion United Methodist Church on County F recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. The church services were entirely in German until 1925-26. Immanuel Lutheran Church at the south end of the village contains the original gas chandeliers from the original church built in 1892. They have since been converted to electricity.

The Red Geranium

South of Baileys Harbor, on Highway 57, is Bjorklunden. This 450 acre estate was donated to Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisconsin) by the Boynton family, who had purchased it in 1928 for $2,000! The property has over a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline. In 1939 Boynton Chapel was constructed on the grounds. It is designed as a stavkirke (stave church) after ones Mrs. Boynton had seen in Norway. This estate is also where the Door County Shakespeare Theater performs during the summer months.

Custard's Last Stan

What to do in little old Baileys Harbor? Quite a variety of things. The Shakespeare Theater mentioned above, for instance, performs Shakespearean and other plays of note three nights a week in the outdoor theater on the Bjorklunden grounds. The Cana Island Lighthouse and island may be toured - after walking or wading over a 500 foot rock walkway. The Ridges Sanctuary is a nature lover's dream. This is a 1,000 acre parcel of land with sandy ridges and wooded bogs which abounds in wild flowers and wild life. There is a self-guided tour through much of the property, and a center with displays and information. 

Florian II

For swimming and picnicking the Baileys Harbor County Park on Ridges Road has one of the largest public sand beaches in the County. There are several charter fishing services available - I'm not sure who cleans the fish! And for the landlubbers, there are horse-drawn wagon rides and pony rides at Sun View Farm at the corner of County A and County E.

Florian II

So much for activities; let's go shopping! Baileys Harbor has some very unique shops. Northcote Clock and Stein Shop on County E just a mile from Highway 57 has cuckoo clocks and steins imported from Germany. Hjertehjem, pronounced hyer tuh hem, in downtown Baileys Harbor, has Scandinavian and Austrian clothing and gifts. The owner, Mary Ann Johnson, is an authority on the history of Baileys Harbor and will gladly answer any questions you might have about the area. The Red Geranium specializes in handmade kaleidoscopes as well as handmade jewelry, pottery, and boutique items. Chelsea Antiques specializes in antiques from England and France.

Lighthouse Pier

And now, let's eat! The Gordon Lodge is famous for elegant dining with a gorgeous view of Lake Michigan from many of the tables. Maxwelton Braes golf course, just south of town on Highway 57, also has excellent cuisine. Another excellent place to eat is the Florian II, which has a glass-domed addition featuring a panoramic view of the lake. The Harbor Fish Market & Grille serves three meals a day. It also has views of the lake from the dining room and serves live Maine lobster, fresh oysters, fresh fish, and meats. The Blue Ox tavern is famous for its hamburgers. If you have children, or are a railroad buff, you will thoroughly enjoy the PC Junction, located at the intersection of County A and E. Here your food is brought to you via a toy train!

Nathan Nichols

Now you may enjoy an evening of window shopping or a walk on the beach, and then a night with the windows open and the fresh air wafting into your room.