With Your Support, Coming Soon!
by Laurie Buske
Fish Creek’s history is woven into our downtown and shapes who we are. We take pride in preserving our past. Nearly two years ago, a group of us met at the Gazebo in Noble Square on a summer afternoon, united by a shared vision to protect our heritage. We realized that if we lost the historic Main Street home, our streetscape would change forever.
This concern inspired us to create the Heritage Harbor Cultural Center. After talking through our ideas, we started gathering pledges and asked the Town of Gibraltar, which owned the building and planned to sell it, for approval. The town, residents, and the Gibraltar Historical Association worked together to find a way to save the building without burdening taxpayers. After more than a year of effort, we were given one year to raise $675,000 by November 1, 2026.
This historic American Four-Square home stands adjacent to Harbor Walk Park, a prominent green space by the harbor. It is part of Fish Creek’s most historic block, which includes On Deck Clothing Co., Fish Creek Market, Shiny Moon Café, Bayside Tavern & Shops, Kettle Black, and a private building. Across the street is the Alexander Noble House Museum, Noble Square, and Love Letters. This area is a key reason Fish Creek is known for its charm.
Our goal is to restore and maintain this building as a Cultural Center, making history accessible to our community and visitors. The Gibraltar Historical Association currently lacks adequate space for its collection and has no meeting area for those interested in local history. There is also a growing need for storage as more papers, photos, and artifacts are donated. The new center will offer access to past Gibraltar Talks and highlight the origins of local cultural institutions such as Peninsula Players, Northern Sky, Peninsula School of Art, Door County Auditorium, Peninsula Music Festival, and Write On Door County.
This project demonstrates that restoring a historic home is sustainable by repairing rather than demolishing and by establishing an endowment for future maintenance. All historical groups face preservation challenges, recognize ongoing costs, and share a commitment to protecting ‘Door County’s Charm.’
The Heritage Harbor Cultural Center is an important initiative. The Destination Door County Community Investment Fund Grant has brought us to 68% of our fundraising goal. We continue to engage donors, foundations, and members to realize our vision. Community support reflects a shared commitment to preserving Fish Creek’s character.
To learn more about our project, contact us at: noblehousefc@gmail.com
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