DOOR COUNTY HISTORY DAYS

Visit the Door Peninsula for Door County History Days, a weeklong celebration of history and heritage. From Mon., June 16 to Sun., June 22, 20 cultural institutions will host more than 30 special programs. From the Belgian Heritage Center in Southern Door County to Jacobsens Museum on Washington Island, history is on display for all to enjoy.

Follow event updates on https://www.facebook.com/heritageallianceofdoorcounty.

MONDAY, JUNE 16

History Days Kickoff Event

Belgian Heritage Center

1255 County Road DK, Brussels

9 am. This year’s theme is preservation, and the event will bring together historical organizations from across the county for a morning of community, learning, and celebration.

The morning begins with a presentation by Destination Door County introducing the new Heritage Trail Pass app, a digital tool designed to help users explore local museums and history-rich sites. Participants can earn rewards through app engagement, encouraging deeper exploration of Door County’s cultural heritage.

Guests will also hear brief updates from historical organizations, including BHC, on their ongoing preservation projects. Attendees are invited to explore the BHC campus, view curated exhibits, and connect with fellow history enthusiasts. This event is free and open to the public. belgianheritagecenter.org

Deep Dive into the Maritime Museum Collection

Door County Maritime Museum

120 North Madison Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

1 pm. Join collections coordinator Brennan Christianson as he delves into the collection of the museum. See some of our over 6,000 digitized photographs, along with postcards, documentation, and artifacts. dcmm.org

25th Anniversary Celebration

Liberty Grove Historical Society

11831 Hwy 42, Ellison Bay

7 pm. Hear the many stories from those who were there when the organization was formed and enjoy a timeline photo presentation with your slice of celebratory cake in the museum barn. libertygrovehistorical.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

The Heins Creek Story

Baileys Harbor Historical Society

Baileys Harbor Town Hall, 2392 Hwy F, Baileys Harbor

7 pm. Through photos, Marilyn Hein will take you on a walk along the trail – through the drifting sand dunes, the cool shade of the forest, and to the winding creek – while sharing the unfolding story of Heins Creek. The story reveals how everything that happened in the past affects how we live in the present. Free. baileysharborhistory.org

Vintage Record Night on the Waterfront

Sturgeon Bay Historical Society

Door County Granary, 72 East Locust Court, Sturgeon Bay

5:30-7 pm. The Sturgeon Bay Historical Society celebrates the Door County Heritage Alliance’s History Days with Vintage Record Night on the Waterfront. DJ David Watkins will be spinning vintage vinyl at the Door County Granary. Enjoy Early Country Heroes (fiddle, bluegrass from 1920s-1930s) in this historic setting. sturgeonbayhistoricalsociety.org

Daughters of the American Revolution and Historic Preservation by Marilyn Renard

Door County Library

107 S 4th Ave. Sturgeon Bay

10 am. Historic preservation is one of three core missions of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). As a primary area of focus, the organization provides funding for and member engagement in the preservation and protection of historic sites, records and artifacts. Meredith Renard of the Jean Nicolet Chapter of NSDAR will review some of the DAR’s key efforts throughout the country, including past and present projects in Wisconsin. We will also share a few stories about children of American Revolutionary War patriots who chose Door County as their home in the 1800s and how descendants of the patriots of nearly 250 years ago continue to serve our country and community. doorcountylibrary.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Preserving the Roadside Chapel Tradition

Belgian Heritage Center

1255 County Road DK, Brussels

1-3 pm. Join local historian Barb (Englebert) Chisholm as she presents “Preserving the Roadside Chapel Tradition.” This engaging talk will highlight the origin and evolution of roadside chapels—votive buildings unique to the Belgian settlements of northeast Wisconsin. Chisholm will share the stories behind these structures and how this cultural tradition has been kept alive through generations. Following the presentation, guests may participate in a guided tour of the Belgian Heritage Center or visit nearby chapels, where BHC docents will be on hand to provide insight into both historic and modern examples of these cherished landmarks. belgianheritagecenter.org

Sister Bay History Through Its Postcards

Anderson House Museum and Corner of the Past

10310 Fieldcrest Rd., Sister Bay

7 pm. Terry Wolf dives into the postcards of Sister Bay residents not just as time capsules of the village, but as time capsules of rural life in an era when postcards were a means for vital communication. His presentation not only looks at the pictures on the cards, but the messages residents sent on the backs of them. sisterbayhistory.org

Lake to Table Fish Boil Fundraiser

Liberty Grove Historical Society

11831 Hwy 42, Ellison Bay

4-8 pm. A long-time honored Northern Door tradition held in the Museum Barn. Visit the Liberty Grove Historical Society website’s event page for link to RSVP time preference and prepayment. libertygrovehistorical.org

Repairing Old Books

Door County Library

107 S 4th Ave. Sturgeon Bay

10 am. The goal of this workshop is to help attendees care for and perform basic repairs on their beloved books. Beyond the session, resources will be provided for further learning if attendees are interested in learning more. doorcountylibrary.org

Slave No More: Peter Custis and the Making of a Citizen

Door County Museum

18 North 4th Ave., Sturgeon Bay

1 pm. Peter Custis was born into slavery on the Custis estate in Virginia, a family with ties to Martha Washington. After the Civil War he journeyed north in search of a new beginning, landing in Sturgeon Bay where he laid down roots.

In Door County, his life unfolded with both hardship and hope – marked by loss, but also by quiet resilience. Custis found belonging in the embrace of a community that became his own.

FRIDAY, JUNE 20

Through Waves and Gales Come Fisherman’s Tales

Kress Pavilion

7845 Church St, Egg Harbor

7 pm. Through Waves and Gales Come Fisherman’s Tales is a joint program with the Egg Harbor Historical Society held at the Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor. Washington Island native, author, poet, photographer, re-enactor and 18th-century tailer Trygvie Jensen will read from his second book “Through Waves and Gales Come Fisherman’s Tales” sharing some of his favorite stories shared with him by the local commercial fishermen and women. “It is their story of a life on the lake that was only sometimes shared amongst their peers.” libertygrovehistorical.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 21

Museum Buildings Opening Day

Liberty Grove Historical Society

11831 Hwy 42, Ellison Bay

10 am – 4 pm. The Greater Escarpment Organization of Door County (GEO-DC), will host A Discussion on Gifts with Larry Madden in the Museum Barn. This presentation explores the historical significance of Mahnomen (wild rice) and tobacco to the Great Lakes Basin Indigenous Peoples. libertygrovehistorical.org

Niagara Escarpment Boat Tour and Presentation

Friends of Plum and Pilot Island

Join Don Mikulic, with the Niagara Escarpment Resource Network (NERN) to learn about the globally significant unique features of the escarpment; natural, cultural, historical and environmental. After the presentation, take a hike to see where the escarpment is present on Plum Island and learn about the plants that are dependent on this rare geologic formation. Transportation from Gills Rock provided aboard FOPPI’s charter boat, The Shoreline. Register at plumandpilot.org/niagara

Living History Event

Noble Square

4167 Main Street, Fish Creek Door County Arachne Spinners Guild doing demonstrations. historicnoble.org/museum

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Urban Historic Hike with Bob Jorin and Kevin Quinn

72 E. Locust Ct.

Ice Age Trail Alliance and the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society

9 am – noon. Meet on the pathway between the Door County Maritime Museum and the Door County Granary for a guided, 3.1-mile walk around Sturgeon Bay’s two downtown areas ending at the Door County Granary. Free.