4th Annual Door County History Days

Local Historical Societies Celebrate with a Week of Special Programs and Launch of New ‘Heritage Trail Pass’

Door County, Wis. (June 4, 2025) – For the fourth consecutive year, dozens of cultural and historical institutions throughout Door County have come together for Door County History Days, a weeklong celebration of history and heritage on the Door Peninsula. From Monday, June 16 to Sunday, June 22, 20-plus nonprofit organizations that belong to the Heritage Alliance of Door County (HADC) will each host special programs around a theme of historical preservation in villages and destinations across the county. From Rock Island State Park in the far northern portion of the county to Brussels in the far south, history will be on display in unique ways for Door County visitors and residents to experience and enjoy.

The official start of Door County History Days will be celebrated with a kickoff media event at the Belgian Heritage Center in Brussels on June 16, where member historical societies will be featured with displays and exhibits. Participating organizations have also created special programs that will take place from June 16-22 at museums and other locations across the county. The overall theme of this year’s History Days is “Historical Preservation,” said Myles Dannhausen, Sr., current HADC president. “Door County is a unique, beautiful location, but it also has had a notable attitude toward preserving our physical history, much of it occurring because the general public cared about our collective past,” Dannhausen said. “As a result, preserving notable buildings, objects and the natural world has made the Peninsula a tourism sensation, but also a very special historical destination.”

For 2025, Door County History Days will also celebrate the launch of the free, browser-based Heritage Trail Pass created by Destination Door County, the area’s nonprofit marketing organization. The new tool allows visitors to create a self-guided experience and explore 27 historic and cultural sites across the peninsula—from iconic lighthouses and maritime museums to local history centers, churches, and preserved homes. As they travel the trail and check in at each stop using the mobile pass, users and their families can earn fun rewards along the way. For instance, users can visit seven sites to receive a custom Door County history sticker and 14 sites to claim a branded canvas tote bag.

The full History Days schedule can be found at: doorcounty.net/door-county-history-days, while information about participating institutions, special programs, and more is updated regularly on social media: facebook.com/heritageallianceofdoorcounty and Instagram (@heritageallianceofdoorcounty).

Door County History Days is designed to showcase the many organizations — historical societies, museums, and cultural groups — that actively preserve Door County’s unusually rich historical heritage and highlight the meaningful impact these organizations have for residents, tourism, and the economy.

The organizer, the Heritage Alliance of Door County, is a collaborative group made up of museums, historical societies, and educational institutions in Door County. The group exists to facilitate cooperation, collaboration and mutual promotion within the Door County historical community and is open to all historically interested individuals in Door County, Wisconsin, regardless of membership in any other entity or association.

2025 Door County History Days Participants

BAILEYS HARBOR:

Baileys Harbor Historical Society

Björklunden

The Ridges Sanctuary

BRUSSELS:

Belgian Heritage Center

EGG HARBOR:

Door County Bookmobile

Horseshoe Bay Farms

Egg Harbor Historical Society

ELLISON BAY:

Liberty Grove Historical Society

EPHRAIM:

Ephraim Historical Foundation

FISH CREEK:

Alexander Noble House Museum

Gibraltar Historical Association

GILLS ROCK:

Death’s Door Maritime Museum

SISTER BAY:

Corner of the Past Museum

Sister Bay Historical Society

STURGEON BAY:

Door County Granary

Door County Museum and Archives

Door County Historical Society

Door County Library

Door County Maritime Museum

Heritage Village at Big Creek

Sturgeon Bay Historical Society

WASHINGTON ISLAND:

Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands

Friends of Rock Island

Jackson Harbor Maritime Museum

Jacobsens Museum

Washington Island Archives

Washington Island Art & Nature Center

Washington Island Farm Museum