Guarding Door County: Lighthouses and Life-saving Stations

by Stacy Thomas, Virginia Thomas

Overview

Jutting out of Wisconsin into the blue waters of Lake Michigan, the scenic peninsula of Door County is endowed with the longest coastline of any county in the nation. Since the mid-1800s, the region has boasted a strong maritime industry, dependent on the constant vigilance and efforts of U.S. Coast Guard units. The county has been home to as many as 12 historic light stations, as well as three life-saving stations. Beginning with Pottawatomie Light in 1837 and Sturgeon Bay Canal Life-Saving Station in 1886, keepers and surfmen survived both boredom and peril to ensure safe navigation and commerce, while rescuing those in distress. Through archival photographs, stories of shipwrecks, rescues, service, and pride spring to life. Rare rescue images of the Otter, a schooner which wrecked in 1895, are especially noteworthy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738534237
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	07/13/2005
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,085,250
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

Stacy and Virginia Thomas are actively involved in restoring lighthouses and speaking on Coast Guard history. They met in the Coast Guard in Sturgeon Bay and were married at picturesque Sherwood Point Light. Stacy is still active duty and currently assigned to the Canal Station. Virginia, now a civilian, holds a degree in Latin and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in history.