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The first Euro-American se lement in Door County was established
in 1850 and developed along the waterfront into three sawmills,
several stores and a tavern, with a popula on of 222 people by
1862. Sturgeon Bay became a stone quarrying center,
with five quarries shipping limestone to Lake Michigan
ports for harbor improvements.
A canal linking Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan was completed
in the 1880s a er 20 years of construc on. The canal provided
a shortcut, elimina ng the need for ships to travel through the
dangerous Ports Des Morts (Death's Door) Strait between the
northern end of the peninsula and Washington Island. The
new passage a racted thousands of ships. With burgeoning
mari me traffic, Sturgeon Bay became a nucleus for
shipbuilding on the Western Great Lakes, and con nues
the tradi on today, building or servicing interna onal
commercial, military and luxury vessels.
For more informa on on Sturgeon Bay history, please visit
DoorCountyHistoricalMuseum.com, DoorCountyHistoricalSociety.com and DCMM.org.
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OBSERVATION TOWER
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TUGS AT MARITIME MUSEUM
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STREET ART BENCHES
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MICHIGAN STREET BRIDGE
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SUNSET PARK
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PIERHEAD CANAL STATION
QUARRY AT PINNEY PARK
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CROSSROADS AT BIG CREEK
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CAVE POINT COUNTY PARK
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POSTCARD WINDOW
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