Door County 2009 Visitor Guide - (Page 11) S D Events Little Sturgeon Days Belgian Days Southern Door Firemen’s Picnic Southern Door Arts & Crafts Show Belgian Kermiss DEER IN POTAWATOMI STATE PARK © DRAKE FLEEGE Rural Beauty & Belgian Heritage oor County has two persistent myths. One is that it doesn’t officially begin until somewhere between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor. The other is that its “old” self, that magical milieu of pastoral meadows, rich woodlands, cozy communities and scattered handful of intrepid, hopeful artists may no longer exist. The reality? The county line lies well south of Sturgeon Bay. And, along these quiet, winding roads through historic communities originally settled by German, Irish and Belgian immigrants, visitors will find countless treasures waiting to be explored. Southern Door is a crowd-free hotspot for outdoor recreation. It has six county parks, including Sugar Creek, Chaudoir’s Dock and Robert M. Carmody on the peninsula’s Green Bay shoreline, Robert LaSalle on the Lake Michigan shore, Forestville Dam next to the village’s mill pond and Tornado, site of Williamsonville, which was wiped out during the 1871 Peshtigo fire. Plus there is the Ahnapee Trail, whose 30-mile length connects Sturgeon Bay with Maplewood, Forestville, Algoma and Casco. It’s open BELGIAN DAYS for hiking, running, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. PARADE Southern Door has miles of shoreline hosting public beaches, county parks, and the 1,225 acre © Renee Puccini Potawatomi State Park, which provides many recreational activities including camping, hiking, swimming, biking, boating, fishing along the shoreline and picnicking in the Park. Learn about “The Ice Age Trail” which begins at the parks observation tower, 225 ft. above the water. Winter activities include cross-country skiing on four different trails, ice fishing, sledding on some of the best hills in the county and winter camping! Call 920-746-2890 for more details about Potawatomi State Park. Wild places, historic sites, friendly hamlets, working art studios, trails, campgrounds, sandy beaches and home-cooked meals: All this is Southern Door, and it remains the undiscovered Door County. For now, at least. D S B Events “Fire & Ice” Icescapes and Dinner Dance St. Patrick’s Day Parade Groovin Sisterhood Weekend Open Bass Tournament Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair July 4th – Sturgeon Bay Celebrates Jefferson Street Festival Sail Through The Avenues Citywide Sidewalk Sales Classic Wooden Boat Show & Festival Beacons Around The Bay Auction Harvest Fest & Harvest Moon Dance Christmas By The Bay uch has changed in the Sturgeon Bay area since Increase Claflin settled here in 1835. But chances are he’d enjoy some familiar sights on a walking tour or carriage ride through the historic downtown area, with its landmark buildings dating back to the 19th century. Sturgeon Bay is proud of its history and has done much to preserve and build on it. The Door County Historical Museum, plus seasonally, displays artifacts left by the first known humans on the peninsula a spectacular wildlife diorama. The Door County Maritime Museum brings the county’s long shipbuilding history to life even as new ships and boats are built and repaired within its gaze. In recent years, the waterfront district and historic downtown have undergone a renaissance as modern resorts, restaurants, shops and galleries have joined Victorian-era inns to create an attractive mix of new and old. The Miller Art Museum, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art and Third Avenue Playhouse, provide art lovers with a variety of cultural experiences. Straddling the shipping canal that connects Lake Michigan with the waters of Green Bay means that Sturgeon Bay is perfectly positioned for water activities. Some of the best fishing to be found anywhere has lead to a boom in charter fishing. And of course sailing, swimming and other warm-weather water sports abound. There are a number of excellent marinas and boat ramps in the area as well as public beaches and scenic parks. You can even take a narrated shoreline cruise. Within minutes of the city limits, three golf courses feature a variety of challenges from spring through fall. Cherryland Airport offers scenic plane rides and charter flights to major hubs. Sturgeon Bay is one of Door County’s year-round community and is recognized for its city conveniences and small-town friendliness. CONTACT INFO: Sturgeon Bay Visitor Bureau, (920) 743-6246 or (800) 301-6695, www.sturgeonbay.net M All the Reasons, All the Seasons JACKSON BROWNE AT STEEL BRIDGE SONG FEST IN STURGEON BAY © Len Villano D o o r C o u n t y. c o m 11 http://www.sturgeonbay.net http://www.DoorCounty.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.