Algoma's North Pier: A 175 Year History

 

Algoma North Pier Repair, August 19, 2026

Not long after first settlement in 1851 the harbor in what is now Algoma became an issue. When Orrin Warner brought his family on July 4, 1851, to settle on the Wolf River which was then part of Door County, his small boat capsized as he tried steering into the river. Orrin, his wife Jane and their three small children were thrown from the boat. It would have been worse if Warner were not trying to make the river. He hit the sand bar where water was 2’ deep at most.

 Another story revolves around Simon Hall who liked what he saw on a visit to Wolf River and returned to New York in 1854 to bring his family, including his widowed father. When they arrived on the schooner Erie, Ed Tweedale met the schooner on his fish boat to bring the family in near Tweedale’s hill, now Lake Street hill. Then they were taken by scow to the river where they were poled to Abraham Hall’s new mill on the South Branch. The story includes a cow which was also aboard the schooner. It was thrown off and had to swim to shore.

Stories about the river's mouth abound. It was the busiest part of the fledgling lakeshore community called Wolf River, however it took five years for the first pier to be built. In 1856 merchant David Youngs built a bridge pier on the north side of the river so boats did not have to cross the ever-shifting sand bar at the mouth. The generally two-foot deep mouth of the river wasn’t where it is today. 

The Wolf – now called Ahnapee – River entered Lake Michigan east of the Harbor Inn. From that point, the river turned south for a few hundred feet, connecting to the channel residents know today. It was years later that the U.S. Engineers “straightened” the channel. In January 1860, residents of Ahnepee*, as Wolf River was renamed in 1859, established a committee tasked with making plans for a harbor and estimating costs. The decision to build a 200' pier for protection at the mouth of the river was made at a well-attended community meeting.**  Attendees envisioned building the pier by subscription with the community doing its own work. *Ahnepee became Ahnapee in 1873 in an “if ya can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” attitude. The state consistently misspelled the name of the community and the rest is history. **According to the 1860 federal census, Ahnepee’s entire township was 718 people. Kewaunee Enterprize was organized in September 1859. 

Since Ahnepee had yet to have its own newspaper, it relied on meeting notices being published by the Enterprize. However, when the Enterprize failed to publish the first harbor meeting announcement, some felt it was due to hostility regarding Ahnepee's success. Editor Dexter Garland responded by saying his paper would "cheerfully publish" Ahnepee matters if such information was provided. In the years to come, such sparring kept up.

The Enterprize did, however, carry the news in late February 1860 when it reported Ahnepee's piers would be extended 360’ into the lake on the south side of the river and 240' on the north, thus improving protection. Additionally, the piers would be a great help to farmers who could produce more hay since the shifting sand at the mouth would not back up water in the river. Two months later, the Enterprize was extolling the virtues of Ahnepee, saying it was a small village that built a pier independent of government assistance. By then, Youngs sold the pier to Charles Griswold Boalt, a man reportedly arriving in town with $400,000 in his pocket. Youngs associated in the forwarding business with Boalt and Boalt's partner Edward Decker until 1872. The Enterprize did not mention C.G. Boalt's wealth, but it did comment on the unusual facilities for a smart, thriving town.

At about the same time, Mathias Simon wrote to tell Kewaunee’s Edward Decker that Ahnepee was going ahead with harbor development and had spikes out. Following the spring ice break-up, about 500 piles were driven and were still being driven when the Civil War stopped all activity. 

About a month following the first harbor meeting, project leadership was named: David Youngs was chosen president while A.D. Eveland and the two Halls, Abraham and Simon, were named directors. George Elliot was the clerk and J.M. Parker was named treasurer. Twenty-three hundred dollars was raised to extend the piers. This time the Enterprize said the protected harbor would benefit up-river settlers, enabling them to cut more logs, again because water would not back up as it did with the constantly shifting sand.

Sometime following the close of the Civil War, Governor Lucius Fairchild, realizing the Republican party could not go on forever promising veterans’ benefits, changed his cause to internal improvements, including railroads and river and harbor improvements along Lake Michigan among other public works.

Years after harbor development was interrupted by the Civil War, Congress authorized the expenditure of $1,000 for a survey of the Ahnapee harbor. A Milwaukee Sentinel correspondent advocated for the Ahnepee harbor as early as October 1867 when he wrote that the harbor provided good lee and good anchorage. It was pointed out that reefs jutted out from both north and south points in the lake, which made it a "good lee in all winds." The correspondent called for the necessity of refuge points along the lake. The Racine Journal ran a supportive article on the appropriation for the Ahnepee harbor in March 1871. It said there was no point on the lake at which there was a more needed harbor. The Journal said river sand and "secretions" did not wash into the lake as they did in most harbors, and the inner harbor provided six miles of slow moving water for ships of light draft. There was enough timber and stone in the area to do the job and since the public had voted to tax themselves, public action should be considered. The Journal continued saying that in terms of refuge, the harbor would pay for itself yearly in the marine disasters it prevented. Ahnepee’s harbor was looking like a “go." 

Both Kewaunee Enterprise and Door County Advocate watched the goings-on in Ahnepee with interest. In September 1870 both papers knew there was a fair probability that the government would aid local residents in improving the harbor. But when?

Harbor Inspector Alma announced that work would begin on the south harbor pier in June 1873, which Record editors Wing and Borgman felt was “about time.” In September, the paper said the contractor (Orin Vose) began filling the piers with slabs and stone, estimating it would take 200 cords of stone to finish the work. It wrapped up by Halloween. 

Months later - March 1874 - Section 2, Chapter 430 of the private and local laws of 1870 entitled “an act to authorize the town of Ahnapee in the county of Kewaunee to aid in the construction of a harbor at the mouth of the Ahnapee River is hereby revived and continued in full force.” It went on. Leveling and collecting taxes was “legalized and confirmed.” The article also addressed balloting for harbor commissioners. The Record’s editors gave State Senator John Read, who represented Brown, Door and Kewaunee Counties, their thanks for sending the information regarding the harbor fund. The bill passed both houses. The paper editorialized again in April when it noted that it was pleased to see the “handsome vote” by which the electors decided to expend the town harbor fund for the opening of the river rather than putting the monies in the town’s general fund.

Finally, in October 1874, the paper heralded a full complement of officers and men of the U.S. Engineers department who brought a dredge from Two Rivers to Ahnapee. The paper said the town was considerably impatient in waiting for the dredge which had been awaiting favorable weather. It was weather that affected depth at the mouth of the river, though 1875 spring storms prompted the paper to say weather had not changed the depth and there was a “good eight feet” between the piers. Again in 1876, the Record mentioned workmen placing machinery to resume blasting work. The limestone dynamiting was expected to begin about March 1. Within those years, work continued and in May 1875, Ordinance No. IX provided for the appointment of a harbor master and outlined his duties. It was noted that the harbor master would serve at the pleasure of the council until one would be elected. There were expectations. 

Work was going on while accidents did as well. There were collisions for one reason or another.

Congressman Minor was recognized for extending his best efforts to further Ahnapee harbor improvements in 1897. Work continued, but there was always something.

Before that, the Record felt it would be a good idea to run Steele St. to the government pier. If merchants paid for the right of way, citizens could ship and receive freight at a nominal fee and not be forced to pay Boalt the exorbitant fees charged to cross his property and that of Hall Road Co. The animosity of those years is a blackspot on the community.

At about the same time, Capt. Zinn suggested work above the 4^th Street bridge and Congressman Minor was petitioned for an appropriation to cover that and widening and deepening of the harbor. During the petitioning, carpenters were putting three new courses of timber under the outer crib of the south pier.

It seemed that since Dave Youngs’ 1856 pier, piers never ceased to be an issue. It took about 40 years for things to start to hum, and it did around the turn of 1900. The 1930s saw another big overhaul. There was periodic improvement, but nothing such as is happening now, 2026. Again, for that, follow Todd Haltaufderheid.

Adding prestige to the north pier was Wisconsin’s prominent MacArthur family. Kewaunee County men served under Wisconsin’s “The Boy Colonel,” General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., during the Civil War. Arthur MacArthur, Sr., was the fifth lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and served 4 days as governor. Arthur, Jr.'s son Douglas also had an impact on Wisconsin and on Algoma. Douglas was first in his class at West Point and won silver stars in World War l and the Medal of Honor in World War ll. He and his father were the first father-son duo to win the Medal of Honor. Douglass MacArthur’s first connection with Algoma came in the 1890s when he was a young lieutenant just out of West Point. 

At the time, it was customary for the graduates to have practical experience, and MacArthur served as a military assistant, working out of the U.S. engineering office in Milwaukee. Douglas macArthur had an impact on the north pier, arriving in Algoma in 1908 to direct the caisson sinking for its rebuilding. Caissons sunk in MacArthur’s time were built in Kewaunee, floated to Algoma, sunk in position and filled in. Again, the land connection to the breakwater was rebuilt in 1932, and, in 1935, the breakwater section running north and south was recapped. If anyone else with MacArthur’s prominence was associated with it, it has been forgotten. Douglas MacArthur had another connection to Algoma, but to Algoma Plywood in 1943 when it was an Algoma hull in which he was evacuated from Luzon to Mindanao during World War ll.

One of the accidents occurred in the fall of 1877 when the Cynthia Gordon was attempting to enter the harbor under sail and ran into the schooner J.A. Travis, carrying away its jib-boom while only inflicting slight damage on itself. Lack of pier lighting was another factor.

By May 1880, Evening Wisconsin listed lake harbor and river improvements for Wisconsin, mentioning the small appropriation for Ahnapee harbor, and three years later, the village said necessary repairs would be made on the inner end of the north pier.

In February 1891, a city resident received a letter from Congressman G.H. Brickner containing favorable comments for a pier lighthouse to be established in spring, The pier light was needed in view of the large amount of shipping. During past years, the village had kept a light on the pier and paid the expenses because of the value of the shipping. Two vessels trying to make the harbor narrowly escaped wreckage because there was no light on the piers. All harbors along the western shore, where there was no lighthouse, had lights on the outer end of the government piers. Not all were government lights.

US Dredge #2 removed 2,140 cubic yards from shoal areas in 1893 and ’94. The work was required for extending cribs and guide pilings to connect main and detached piers. They removed 3,500 cubic yards of rock by drilling, blasting and dredging. Three thousand of a $20,000 appropriation was needed for rebuilding the superstructure. At issue then was the new Ahnapee & Western line which connected Ahnapee with the Kewaunee, Green Bay and Western railroad at a midpoint between Green Bay and Kewaunee. Completed in 1892, it increased Ahnapee harbor’s importance. The harbor was then expected to cost $175,000, but the total rose to about $10,000 more.

Congressman Minor was recognized for extending his best efforts to further Ahnapee harbor improvements in 1897. Work continued, but there was always something.

Before that, the Record felt it would be a good idea to run Steele St. to the government pier. If merchants paid for the right of way, citizens could ship and receive freight at a nominal fee and not be foreced to pay Boalt the exorbitant fees charged to cross his property and that of Hall Road Co. The animosity of those years is a blackspot on the community.

At about the same time, Capt. Zinn suggested work above the 4^th Street bridge and Congressman Minor was petitioned for an appropriation to cover that and widening and deepening of the harbor. During the petitioning, carpenters were putting three new courses of timber under the outer crib of the south pier.

It seemed that since Dave Youngs’ 1856 pier, piers never ceased to be an issue. It took about 40 years for things to start to hum, and it did around the turn of 1900. The 1930s saw another big overhaul. There was periodic improvement, but nothing such as is happening now, 2026. Again, for that, follow Todd Haltaufderheid.

Adding prestige to the north pier was Wisconsin’s prominent MacArthur family. Kewaunee County men served under Wisconsin’s “The Boy Colonel,” General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., during the Civil War. Arthur MacArthur, Sr., was the fifth lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and served 4 days as governor. Arthur, Jr.'s son Douglas also had an impact on Wisconsin and on Algoma. Douglas was first in his class at West Point and won silver stars in World War l and the Medal of Honor in World War ll. He and his father were the first father-son duo to win the Medal of Honor. Douglass MacArthur’s first connection with Algoma came in the 1890s when he was a young lieutenant just out of West Point. 

At the time, it was customary for the graduates to have practical experience, and MacArthur served as a military assistant, working out of the U.S. engineering office in Milwaukee. Douglas MacArthur had an impact on the north pier, arriving in Algoma in 1908 to direct the caisson sinking for its rebuilding. Caissons sunk in MacArthur’s time were built in Kewaunee, floated to Algoma, sunk in position and filled in. Again, the land connection to the breakwater was rebuilt in 1932, and, in 1935, the breakwater section running north and south was recapped. If anyone else with MacArthur’s prominence was associated with it, it has been forgotten. Douglas MacArthur had another connection to Algoma, but to Algoma Plywood in 1943 when it was an Algoma hull in which he was evacuated from Luzon to Mindanao during World War ll.

Algoma’s old north pier and lighthouse are the subject of this 1910 postcard. The depot and train tracks on the pier extending from the foot of Steele St. have been replaced by the marina.  

This early harbor photo shows the railroad and the depot and at the foot of Steele and the ferry dock, all now part of the marina area. The coal dock and ice house are visible on the north side. Also visible are the range light markers which line up with those on the south cusp of Crescent Beach. The 1883 Birdseye map of Ahnapee illustrates the four piers at that time. 

During the 1930s, the pier again underwent major renovations, this time including the iconic red pierhead light that has been synonymous with Algoma. 

Looking carefully at the aerial shot of the foot of Steele St. on the 1950s postcard below, one can see remnants of the old piers.  sports; fisherman's paradise.

Algoma Boat Club spearheaded the removal of the pilings from the old Citizens Pier at the foot of Steele St. in the '50s. The Club sponsored boat races in the basin and bathtub races up river. Years later, Algoma had a marina. boat launch, fish cleaning station and more. Algoma became a sports; fisherman's paradise.

Sources: Ahnepee Record/Ahnapee Record, Algoma Record/Algoma Record Herald; An-an-api-Sebe: Where is the River?, c. 2001.

The photo is the blogger's. Postcards and maps are from the Kannerwurf, Sharpe, Johnson Collection. Further information is found in the local papers, available online at no charge by using Algoma Public Library’s online portal or  https://kewauneecountyhistory.blogspot.com/, a blog of over 300 posts about Kewaunee County though primarily about 170 years of Ahnepee/Ahnapee/Algoma history.

Algoma's Lighthouse: Its Early Days Revisited

 

Algoma lighthouse at Roen's in Sturgeon Bay, July 14, 2026

Imagine living along the lake, relaxing on the porch or patio, reading a book or enjoying a lovely glass of Von Stiehl wine only to look up to see a familiar red lighthouse traveling north on Lake Michigan.  Say what? Maybe it’s time to ditch “it's 5:00 over the yardarm somewhere” idea. But maybe not. Follow Todd Haulterderferheide’s Facebook posts and you’ll know exactly why Algoma lighthouse did indeed go north on the lake. Right now, Algoma’s lighthouse is at Roen's in Sturgeon Bay. 

Algoma’s lighthouses – the red one replaced an earlier lighthouse – and the piers are steeped in history. Algoma’s senior citizens well remember falling asleep to the sound of the foghorn. Ask any of those seniors to “sing” the sound of the foghorn, and, most likely, they will.

Not long after first settlement in 1851 the harbor in what is now Algoma became an issue.

The river's mouth - the pier area - was the busiest part of the fledgling community, however it took five years for the first pier to be built. In 1856 businessman David Youngs built it on the north side of the river so boats did not have to cross the ever-shifting sand bar at the mouth of the river, which wasn’t where it is today. 

The Wolf – now called Ahnapee – River entered Lake Michigan east of today’s Harbor Inn. From that point, the river turned south for a few hundred feet, connecting to the channel residents know today. It was years later that the U.S. Engineers “straightened” the channel.

For nearly 50 years, the harbor – or lack of one – was a bone of contention. Over those years, the small maritime community worked independently to provide the harbor residents knew was there. When Capt. Johnny Doak “jumped the bar” bringing his Ella Doak into the river in 1873, folks thought he proved it. What Capt. Johnny did was bring in the Ella in fierce winds that enabled the vessel to cross the sand bar to enter the river. Twenty-two years earlier, July 4, 1851, settler Orrin Warner was turning into the river when his small sailboat hit the sandbar and capsized, throwing his family with three small children into the drink. That 2’ sandbar changed depending on the winds, however it appears Capt. Doak dealt with the same issue as Warner. Capt. Doak made it without incident, tied up at the brewery dock and went home to dinner. The Warners found their belongings and dried themselves and their things. When they ate that July 1851 day, they didn’t have coffee, flour, sugar or anything else that was soaked. 

Early residents worked together, but as the community grew, things became “difficult.” Animosity began ruling the small community and for a while it was power and greed that were winning out. While federal monies were there earlier, there were problems. Things with which generations of Algoma residents grew up really began to happen in the late 1890s. 

Ahnapee had piers, but not those familiar to current Algoma residents. Over 150 years ago, Ahnapee wanted a pier light, feeling a light’s expense was nominal in comparison to safety benefits. Some harbors had lights and there were lightships to mark shoals. Lake Michigan lightships were primarily on the eastern side of the lake. Few harbors north of Milwaukee dd the shipping business Ahnapee did, and citizenry felt some kind of light should be kept as a guide to vessels entering port at night. As Ahnapee Record editorialized, “Let there be light.” The entrance to the harbor was too narrow, especially at night when the town lights were the only visible light.

At Halloween 1878, it was the harbor, not revelers, that became the “trick.” As Belle Laurie was attempting to enter the harbor at about 6:30, Capt. Laurie spotted a light and supposed it was the pier light only to be surprised to be south of the bridge pier, quite close to shore. The light turned out to be a streetlamp. A fierce wind, heavy sea and blinding snow made it nearly impossible to see a distance of 100’, and realizing the situation, Capt. Laurie tried to bring the vessel in but failing, he dropped both anchors. They didn’t hold and the vessel was being dragged closer to shore and into the piers. Aware of conditions, the alarm sounded, and within a few minutes about 100 people rushed to be pier to assist the schooner. Capt. Laurie and Charley Bacon - the only 2 men onboard - succeeded in bringing the Belle alongside the pier with some damage, even while it struck a yawl and lost a davit.

The extra hands hauled the vessel around the pier and into the harbor while the seas ran over the piers, soaking those tugging at the lines while the anchors were at the bottom of the lake. The escape was almost a miracle.

There were other such stories.

By 1886, both Kewaunee and Sturgeon Bay canal had foghorns that could be heard in Ahnapee when conditions were right such as in April when heavy fog hung over the lake. Cautionary signals were heard all over the lake, but not in Ahnapee. In April 1889, Congress awarded Two Rivers money for a foghorn, but there was nothing for Ahnapee.

Things began looking up in February 1892 when a city resident received a letter from Congressman G.H. Brickner about a pier lighthouse to be established in spring in addition to a pier light which was necessary in view of the large amount of shipping. For years, the city had kept a light on the pier and paid the expenses because of the value of the shipping.

April of 1892 saw Congress awarding funds for safety equipment on Lake Michigan – thousands and thousands of dollars for a fog signal at Manitowoc, lights and more at the Canal, range lights and fog signals at Death’s Door, but once again, nothing for Ahnapee. Nearly a year later Kewaunee New Era announced the city was the beneficiary of a fog signal not to exceed $5,500 in a bill introduced by Senator Philetus Sawyer. It passed by the Senate on February 11, and Speaker Brickner planned to pass it before the session closed. Northeastern Wisconsin Congressman Ed Minor was still extending his efforts for improvements in 1897 when Capt. Zinn’s review showed the harbor needed deepening and widening in addition to work above the 4^th Street bridge.

In October of ’92, the Record called attention to the building that was “put up many suns ago,” but yet there was still no illumination on the north pier. If the work was done, why didn’t they shine? Again, in January 1893, the Record was still asking when the lights would be lit to make the harbor safe.

When Mayor Parker received a letter from Commander John Brice, USN, in February 1893, the letter inferred the range lights would be up and running soon. He continued saying that Ole Hanson was relocating from Chicago to be in charge of the lights. Hanson found living arrangements in Algoma and his wife expected to stay there permanently.

Range lights are in evidence on the south cusp of Crescent Beach on this early 1900s postcard.

Finally, the Government Lighthouse Board issued notice that about March 1, 1893, a fixed red lens lantern would be exhibited at the outer end of Ahnapee’s north pier. It looked as if something was happening when U.S.N. Rear Admiral James A. Greer signed the following information for the Light House Board.

The lantern plane was 30’ above the top of the pier and was expected to be seen for 7 miles. It would be on a square, pyramidal wooden town, painted white, and surmounted by a black hexagonal iron lantern. The lower part of the tower was opened framework while the upper part was enclosed for a watch room. The approximate position of the light was Latitude, N, 44 deg, 36’ (30”); Longitude, W, 87 deg. 25’ (46”).

A fixed red tubular lantern would be exhibited 22’ above lake level from a post set at the outer end of the north pier. The light was to be visible in clear weather for about 2-3 statute miles and form with the main light, a range that showed the direction of the piers and the course for entering the harbor. 

Both lights are visible on this postcard. The main light lined up with the range lights in the postcard above.

A week later the paper opined that the range lights on the north harbor pier would fill a long want for which vessel owners have been anxiously awaiting.

Ahnapee was on its way. Or was it?

During fall 1896, the paper reported that the government light house supply vessel Dahlia left supplies for the light house where Charles Youngs was the keeper in charge. Nearly a year and a half later, the U.S. steamer Amaranth arrived with government engineers aboard. They told keeper Charles Youngs that a conduit for the range light and 400 feet of elevated walk would be built during the summer. In September, it was announced the work at the lighthouse would be started since part of the material was there.

Nelson Knudson was the light keeper in June 1900 when he received orders to take monthly soundings in the channel and send in a report. Beginning work on the 20^th, soundings began at the harbor’s entrance and extended ¼ mile into the lake from the lighthouse.

Goodrich ferries are both entering and leaving Algoma on a moonlit night. One ferry appears along the south pier while the other is coming in and is near the first lighthouse. Looking carefully, one can see the old Citizens’ Pier at the end of Steele St. The railroad depot almost appears to be on the north pier just before the catwalk. The photographer captured the view, for this 1908 postcard, from the west end of the south pier. Two ferries on one day are an indication of the need for a good harbor.

 

Finally, in April 1910, a new electric fog signal was installed in the new lighthouse. As the paper said, Algoma was “long in need of one and the building of the new harbor made the installation of the signal a necessity that could not be ignored.”

Things went forward and harbor work seemed never ending until the 1930s when the piers were revamped and Algoma wound up with its new red lighthouse - later called “iconic” - that began to identify the community.

In July 1932, the Record Herald carried the news that the cutting down and repairing of the old piers would begin about May 1 and be completed about September 1. In addition, a steel tower lighthouse was to be brought from Milwaukee to replace the old tower. During construction, a temporary lighthouse and a kerosene lamp (left) were used while electric wires were down.

Rocks came from Sturgeon Bay and sand from Green Island. The approximately 100 yards of cement laid daily came from an automatic batch plant mounted on a barge while two steam cranes were there to unload stone, sand and cement. Half of the 50-man workforce was from Algoma. January 1933 marked completion of the fog signal and lights on the pier. The new fog system seemed to be a hit when it replaced an air blast siren that brought complaints from residents. 

The photo was taken in 1932 during the reconstruction of the present North Pier. When the picture was snapped, the top of the catwalk had yet to be finished. At the end of the pier are the old lighthouse and the current lighthouse which had been moved into position.

History was made early in December 1932 when the new red lighthouse was up and running and the old wooden light house was torn down, wrecked and carried away.

Harbor work and dredging continued. Such big-time work hasn’t been seen since the mid-1930s when, for a short time, there were two lighthouses. The community will be without a lighthouse for the immediate future and that’s the first time in over 125 years.

Note: The place that is now Algoma was "Ahnepee" Until 1873 when the small community received its village charter and changed spelling to "Ahnapee." More on that can be found in an earlier blog about the community's various names. The paper known as the Kewaunee Enterprise for over 100 years was Kewaunee Enterprize from its founding in 1859 to 1865. 

Sources: Ahnapee Record, Algoma Record, Algoma Record Herald, An-an-api-sebe: Where is the River?, c. 2001. Photos and map: Kannerwurf, Sharpe, Johnson Collection and blogger's files.