In October 1848, a twin-masted sailing schooner named Gazelle loaded with lumber and carrying several passengers left Racine, Wisc., bound for Detroit, Mich. That evening, a storm raced across Lake Michigan endangering all who would come in contact with it.
Capt. Justice Bailey, the Gazelle’s skipper, concerned for the safety of his ship, its passengers and cargo, sought out a protected cove where he could drop anchor until the storm passed and his journey could resume.
Hugging the coast of the yet-to-be-named Door County peninsula, he found an uncharted harbor and luckily found it was deep enough. Bailey spent the night and the following day, with the weather still threatening, stayed to explore. He found plenty of limestone and timber, and convinced his employer in Milwaukee to begin a settlement there.
Captain Bailey’s serendipitous discovery led to his name being honored in perpetuity as the village that sprung up on its shores was called Baileys Harbor. For anyone wondering about the lack of an apostrophe, it was a quirk of the national government, not poor grammar.
Today, Baileys Harbor is the biggest town on the east side, or lakeside, of the Wisconsin peninsula known for its picturesque communities, scenic beauty and bountiful harvests. Not as densely populated as some of the bayside communities — Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay — Baileys Harbor has long been pegged as residing on Door County’s “quiet side.”
A peaceful atmosphere, yes, but don’t let that fool you, there is plenty going on!
We headed east from Egg Harbor on County Road E towards the Captain’s namesake. The road provides a scenic drive filled with orchards, farms, cow pastures and corn fields. The colors of fall had drifted over the landscape with vibrant reds, oranges and yellows draping the forests and the pale blonde stubble of recently harvested fields. Driving through the crossroads of Peninsula Center, our first encounter was Stone’s Throw Winery.
Stone’s Throw Winery, located just inside the outer boundaries of Baileys Harbor, is centered in a beautiful garden with a quaint tasting room. Its focus seems to be recreating a Napa Valley feel, creating wines with the finest California grapes available. A small fee will get you several tastings.
Continuing on County Road E, we came upon the 1156-acre Kangaroo Lake and the front door of the Coyote Roadhouse. The Coyote has that everybody-knows-your-name vibe about it. A two-story stone and clapboard building amongst the trees, it’s a cozy gathering place with a big deck overlooking the lawn sloping down to the lake. Whatever you try will be good, but, absolutely try the French-fried onion loaf.
The search for a molasses cookie that I’m partial to led us to a farm pursuing an organic vision with a unique history.
A wholesale bakery, Sunflour Artisan Bakery, based in Sturgeon Bay, bakes a mean molasses cookie. However, produced in small batches with limited retail outlets, they’re not always easy to find.
Waseda Farms Market is a listed outlet. So a right turn out of the Coyote’s parking lot and left turn onto Logerquist Road brought us to a farm dedicated to organic and natural products which owes its beginnings to ice cream and its lineage to the Jesuits.
Tom Lutsey ran his family’s hugely successful ice cream business, Gold Bond Ice Cream. After several health scares, the business was sold.
Needing something to fill his time and seeking a healthier diet, he bought the current Waseda Farm in Baileys Harbor to raise grass-fed beef, pork and chickens. The farm was previously owned and operated by the Jesuit order Priests of the Sacred Heart — a history that lends their cattle today the nickname “holy cows.”
The farm’s small market is a bounty of grass fed beef, organic chicken, heritage pork and local organic produce. We exited with an armload of fresh meats destined for our freezer and, yes, a bag of hard-to-find molasses cookies.
Entering downtown Baileys Harbor, we stopped at Door County Brewing Co. for a refreshment. Opened in 2017, the expansive family-run taproom and music hall provides an outlet for several dedicated and seasonal brews. With glasses of the appropriately named Vacationland and League Night in hand, we sat near a roaring fire and watched as several tables broke out board games and settled in for a leisurely afternoon.
LIGHTHOUSES GALORE
One of the most notable natural spots in Baileys Harbor is The Ridges Sanctuary. Located at the north end of town situated on the harbor are 1600 acres of distinctive sandy ridges and wetlands that were formed by the movement of Lake Michigan over a millennium. Five miles of trails around the nature center provide access to the flora and fauna native to Wisconsin.
The Ridges is also home to the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, two small lighthouses that sailors use to safely navigate the harbor. Baileys Harbor was discovered from the waters of Lake Michigan, so it is only appropriate that it is home to three different lighthouses.
The range lights are modest structures which do not resemble the usual connotation of a lighthouse. They feature a white light, in the upper house, and a red light in the lower.
Boaters line up the two beams, and follow them into the harbor. The Range Lights were built in 1869 and fully restored in 2016. Today they still guide boaters to safety.
Farther north, and likely the best known lighthouse in the county, the Cana Island Lighthouse also helps sailors navigate the waters of Lake Michigan. The lighthouse is situated on its own island, accessible via a narrow causeway which is sometimes covered in at least a few inches of Lake Michigan water.
When you see this iconic building, you’ll know why it’s one of the most visited and illustrated lighthouses in the Great Lakes. We spent a couple of hours exploring the island and climbing the recently reopened tower all the way to the top. It’s 97 steps up a spiral staircase, but the sweeping view of Lake Michigan from the outside deck is absolutely worth it.
The third and oldest lighthouse is the Old Baileys Harbor Birdcage Lighthouse. Though you can’t visit the Birdcage Lighthouse due to its location on private property, you can see it from the water and several locations on the shore.
Built in 1852 of native stone from a local quarry, the fifty-two foot tower was capped with a birdcage-style lantern room. Its light was extinguished for the last time in 1869, but it is one of only three lighthouses in the U.S. that still has the unique lantern that gave it its name.
After we finished lighthouse gazing, we stopped at a local farm market on Highway 57. Koepsel’s Farm Market set up shop in 1958, making it the oldest farm market in Door County. When we walked into the barn-like structure we were confronted by jars of pickled vegetables, fruit salsas, maple syrup, jams and cherry-pie fillings that lined the walls. In the rear, there are freshly baked goods, pies, breads and pastries available.
There’s also a wide selection of craft beer and artisan cheese from around the state. For soft drink aficionados, there are old-fashioned sodas, some with offbeat flavors and names such as butterscotch root beer or Gross Gus — Pimple Pop marshmallow soda.
Next door, their Meadow Lane Antiques offer a unique array antique folk art, decoys, stoneware and antique furnishings.
We ended the day with dinner at a local institution. The Florian II Supper Club first opened in 1973 and has remained in the Kwaterski family ever since.
The very essence of a supper club, we walked into the show lounge past the massive bar that can hold about 40 people, and were led into the atrium dining room. We were seated at a nice table along the windows that overlooked the glistening waters of Lake Michigan.
We ordered fresh Lake Michigan Whitefish and barbecue ribs. The whitefish was delicious and the ribs had a nice mild but slightly tangy sauce.
As night slowly fell upon the lake and Baileys Harbor, we finished with coffee and enjoyed Door County’s “quiet side.”
