Guarding Door County: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations

Images of America: Wisconsin

by Stacy Thomas, Virginia Thomas

Jutting out of Wisconsin into the blue waters of Lake Michigan, the scenic peninsula of Door County is endowed with the longest coastline of any county in the nation. Since the mid-1800s, the region has boasted a strong maritime industry, dependent on the constant vigilance and efforts of U.S. Coast Guard units. The county has been home to as many as 12 historic light stations, as well as three life-saving stations. Beginning with Pottawatomie Light in 1837 and Sturgeon Bay Canal Life-Saving Station in 1886, keepers and surfmen survived both boredom and peril to ensure safe navigation and commerce, while rescuing those in distress. Through archival photographs, stories of
shipwrecks, rescues, service, and pride spring to life. Rare rescue images of the Otter, a schooner which wrecked in 1895, are especially noteworthy.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2005

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a visual learner like me, purchase this book! It’s everything you ever wanted to know about the DC lighthouses in photographs. The Thomas’ eloquently sprinkled some historical facts in to help you understand the significance of these lights and get a feel for the time in history that the picture was taken.