Washington in Door County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Coffee Pot
Photographed by Thomas Smith, September 7, 2023
1. The Coffee Pot Marker
The Coffee Pot is a symbol of Washington Island hospitality and ingenuity. The concept was developed by Martha Stelter and Mary Richter for the Washington Island Girl Scout Troop. The Scouts used the Coffee Pot to raise money to pay for the mortgage on their cabin.
Built in 1941 by Thorvald Johnson and Ervin Gunnlaugson, the foundation of the Coffee Pot is a steel chassis filled with wheels so it could be moved as needed for fund raising and special events. The shape was formed from heavy galvanized steel and included a door for staff to enter and two functioning windows to greet the public. The Coffee Pot was first located at the corner of Main and Detroit Harbor Roads where it was used to sell treats.
The artwork which is called rosemalling is a Norwegian folk art form. The term Velkommen means "Welcome" in Norwegian. The original artwork included the phrase "Kaffetaren den besta av ar alla jordiska drikka" which means Coffee is the best of all worldly drinks. While the Coffee Pot has been repainted over the years both the rosemalling and Velkommen have been continually used to celebrate the heritage of those early
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In later years and prior to the construction of the current Washington Island Welcome Center in 1996, The Coffee Pot was used as a tourist information booth where staff welcomed visitors distributed Island information and yes, they also dispensed free coffee to our Island guests.
Finally in 2005, The Coffee Pot was brought to its present resting spot and was lovingly restored by the generosity of labor and funds from the residents of Washington Island. Here the Coffee Pot continues the Island's tradition of welcoming all who visit and to also greet Island residents returning home from their travels.
Welcome to Washington Island - Welcome to our Home!
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Norwegian-Americans series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1941.
Location. 45° 20.998′ N, 86° 55.476′ W. Marker is in Washington, Wisconsin, in Door County. It is on Lobdell Point Road 0.1 miles north of Green Boulevard, on the right when traveling south.
Photographed by Thomas Smith, September 7, 2023
2. The Coffee Pot and Marker
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 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Welcome to Den Norske Grenda (approx. 1˝ miles away); Honor Roll - Dedicated to the Men Of Washington Island Who Served Our Country In The Great War 1917- (approx. 3.1 miles away); Historic Shipwreck (approx. 3.3 miles away); Washington Harbor / Schoolhouse Beach / Limestone Gems / Disappearing Treasure (approx. 3.3 miles away); Town of Liberty Grove (approx. 4.8 miles away); The Niagara Escarpment (approx. 4.8 miles away); Ancient Shorelines (approx. 4.8 miles away); Pilot Island Site (approx. 4.9 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on May 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 391 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 10, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. 2. submitted on September 16, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
