Sister Bay in Door County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Village of Sister Bay
A Prosperous Port on Green Bay
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2018
1. Village of Sister Bay Marker
Village life has always revolved around this deep water port.
The community of Sister Bay was born in 1870 when the firm of Henderson, Coon & Dimond built a pier, sawmill, grist mill, hotel, and two stores. They hired Swedish woodchoppers from Marinette to cut timber from the wilderness for their mill. As lumbering declined, the deep harbor welcomed steamboats filled with tourists who flocked here for relaxation and recreation.
The Woodchoppers
Strapping Swedish lumberjacks crowded into Sister Bay lumber camps. One famous champion woodchopper, known as "Long John", had an appetite to match. A Sister Bay storekeeper bet $5 that he couldn't eat five dozen eggs from the counter. Long John accepted on the condition that he also get a pint of whiskey. He ate all the eggs, drank his whiskey, then went home and still had room for a loaf of bread and a pan of milk. (H.R Holand, History of Door County, 1917)
Growing Village Faces Tragedy
When shipping vessels began using the canal at Sturgeon Bay in the late 1800s, the deep harbor and ample wood supply of Sister Bay became an important stop for log refueling. The community prospered and was incorporated as a village in 1912. That same year, however, tragedy struck as a great fire burned through the downtown.
The Village of Sister Bay was practically destroyed by fire four store buildings, a large hotel and residence being wiped out. Hundreds of people visited the scene of the conflagration the day following, coming from all parts of the county. Summer tourists shopping at Ephraim and Fish Creek were numerous and many took Kodak pictures of the ruins, which smoldered all the day after.
- Door County Advocate, July 26, 1912
Steamships Bring Tourists
As lumbering declined, entrepreneurs opened restaurants, hotels, and stores to attract the ever increasing number
this page online
(photo captions)
Andrew Roeser purchased the pier and mills in 1878. Employees of Roeser posed for this 1904 photo on company boats. Note the stacked logs in the background.
Downtown Sister Bay prior to the 1912 fire.
Downtown Sister Bay the day after the 1912 fire. The buildings are still smoldering.
Liberty Park Hotel, built in 1888 just north of the village, was the areas first tourist resort. It is still open today.
All photos are courtesy of the Sister Bay Historical Society.
Erected by Door County Coastal Byway, Federal Highway Administration, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Door County Coastal Byway (Wisconsin) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 45° 11.338′ N, 87° 7.302′ W. Marker is in Sister Bay, Wisconsin, in Door County. It
Courtesy of the Sister Bay Historical Society
2. Marker detail: Employees of Roeser posed for this 1904 photo on company boats
Andrew Roeser purchased the pier and mills in 1878. Note the stacked logs in the background.
Regionally, this marker is on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Nature of Sister Bay (here, next to this marker); Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Village of Sister Bay (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct
Courtesy of the Sister Bay Historical Society
3. Marker detail: Swedish Lumberjacks
More about this marker. This marker consists of two large, rectangular, composite plaques, mounted at eye-level, on the south-facing side of a heavy duty wooden-frame kiosk.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Door County Coastal Byway
Courtesy of the Sister Bay Historical Society
4. Marker detail: Downtown Sister Bay - Before and After the 1912 Fire
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2018
5. Welcome to the Door County Coastal Byway
(adjacent panel; to left of marker)
(adjacent panel; to left of marker)
Discover the true spirit of Door County. Travel this scenic byway as it loops 66 miles along the Green Bay bluffs and through the dunes and bays of Lake Michigan. Explore lighthouses, nature preserves, and historic communities to discover Door County's unique sense of place.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2018
6. Village of Sister Bay Marker Kiosk (wide view looking north; Bay Shore Drive on left)
Photographed by Sean Flynn, July 28, 2023
7. Village of Sister Bay Marker, new location (2023)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 426 times since then and 29 times this year. Last updated on July 28, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 1, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7. submitted on July 28, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
