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.

 

 

Algoma 1902: The Woman's Ballot

 

As the first state to ratify the 19^th Amendment, Wisconsin led the way in giving women the right to vote nationally. The State won the June 1919 honor by hand-delivering the necessary paperwork to Washington. However, voting and women’s rights were on the minds of Ahnapeepers as early as the 1860s when Mrs. Nancy Higgins could have been the community’s answer to Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. A few years before the advent of Mrs. Higgins, it was Mrs. Elmira Eveland who also advanced freeing the slaves.

Today’s media calls attention to elections, reminding folks what to bring to the polls, while the electorate is barraged with advertisements, commercials and robo-calls as mailboxes are stuffed with glossy, coated paper that goes straight to recycling bins. But it wasn’t always like that. In 1900, there were no radios, TVs and every imaginable media that today;s voters have at their fingertips.. Telephone “instruments” were still in their infancy. There were stump speeches from candidates or from those who gave them in a candidate’s stead. Newspapers carried the electioneering news and all the mudslinging, which also came via poems, cartoons and catchy little ditties. It was the newspapers that informed the men just how the voting would be carried on. It was Mrs. Higgins’ feelings that if women were not permitted to vote, at least married men would do what their wives told them to do. Some felt such comments gave insights into who was wearing the pants in the Higgins family.

No doubt women carried sway in 1884 when bachelor Grover Cleveland was on the presidential ballot. Cleveland was said to have fathered a child, leading to songs such as, Ma, Ma, Where is my pa? He’s up in the White House, Darling… and such newspaper cartoons as this  "Another Voice for Cleveland," September 18884, Library of Congress.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/president-clevelands-problem-child-100800/

As voters arrived for the 1900 spring election, it was the Record that outlined procedures. Voters - all men - gave their name and residence as they entered the polling place. At that point, they were given a ballot endorsed with the initials or names of the ballot clerks. The voter was told he must go alone to a booth to prepare for voting. Although it was the ballot clerk who told the men how to properly mark the ballot, the clerks could not offer advice on voting. To vote for one party, one made a simple “X” to designate the choice. The X meant each man listed received one vote. Those wishing to vote for candidates in various parties would put an X next to the individual candidate’s name. If the voter desired one whose name was not on the ballot, the voter wrote it in the space provided. Any other marks meant the votes were spoiled. Voters could then return their spoiled ballot to the ballot clerk who would offer a new one. A voter had three chances to “blow it” before he would not be given another voting opportunity.

Voting was subject to time constraints that allowed 5 minutes only in the voting booth. A voter could take an unofficial ballot, as a memorandum, into the voting booth to use as a copy from which to mark his ballot. However, that unofficial ballot had to be handled so that no other person could see it and thus determine the voter’s choices. After the official ballot was marked, it was required to be folded in such a manner that the inside could not be seen, but so that the printed endorsements and signatures of the ballot clerks were visible. At that point, the voter left the booth, presented his ballot to the inspector in charge of the ballot box, and then left the polling place.

If a voter told the presiding officer that he could not read or had a disability that did not allow marking of a ballot, the voter was allowed the assistance of one or two election officers to mark his ballot. If the voter declared himself to be legally blind, he was able to choose any other legal voter, within the county, to assist him. The presiding officer was given discretion in administering an oath to the voter regarding his disability.

By 1919, Wisconsin women knew something about voting because they were able to begin voting in school related local elections on April 1, 1902, when there was even a separate woman’s ballot. Algoma Record ran sample ballots for the voters, including this Women’s Ballot for Kewaunee County Superintendent of Schools. As easily seen, it was exactly the same as the men’s school ballot. The remainder of the published sample was for men only.

When the Record reported on women’s first vote in the school election on November 7, 1902, it said a number of women went to the polls and “seemed to take quite an interest” in voting. Mrs. A.W. Teske made history being the first woman in the Town of Pierce to cast a vote. In a subsequent issue on November 24, the paper’s publishers, Decker and Macchia, editorialized saying, “Ladies should not forget they are entitled to vote this fall for county and state superintendent of schools as this is the first time that the women of Algoma have had an opportunity to cast a ballot they should turn out strong.”

After ratification of the 19^th Amendment, women voted for the first time on November 2, 1920, and the school ballot for women only disappeared.

The Record told readership on July 16,1920, that Wisconsin women would vote in the November general election and would be subject to only those restrictions which applied to men. Women, as men, were required to be 21, a citizen of Wisconsin and the United States and be a resident for ten days in the voting precinct.

Continuing, the paper said a married woman was of the same citizenship as her husband and could vote if she was otherwise eligible. The Record clarified citizenship by saying if the husband was not a citizen, the wife could not vote. Unmarried women were citizens if their fathers were citizens. If their fathers were alien, a woman needed to be born in this country or Naturalized.

And – the rest is history.

Sources; Algoma Record; cartoon from the Library of Congress.

 

 

Kewaunee County History: Algoma High School Basketball 1925

 

Coach Ullman, Rankin, Kreft, Johnson, Chaudoir, Toebe, Kohlbeck, Woller, Schlise

Wisconsin State Boys basketball tournament just wound up. While Algoma has had some exciting years winning back-to-back championships, the boys’ team has offered the community entertainment since its beginning well over 100 years ago. The last 40 plus years have called attention to the power-house Algoma girls who’ve won scads of titles, but over 100 years ago, there were no high school girls playing in a public setting. In today’s world we can watch most games online. The pre-tv, pre-cable era meant that to see a game, one was in the bleachers.

An AI search says, "The 1920s were known as the "Golden Age of Sports." with high school sports in Wisconsin gaining significant popularity often leading to large crowds at district tournaments, including regional representation from northeastern Wisconsin, including schools like Algoma." During the 1920s, Algoma High School basketball was a cornerstone of the community, with the old gym serving as the main social hub on Friday nights. While specific 1925 game records are rare, the era preceded a dominant period where Algoma boys' basketball claimed or shared six conference titles, boasting a .719 winning percentage."

The first WIAA boys’ basketball tournaments began in 1916 with tournaments being played at the UW fieldhouse since 1920. Originally, all teams were in the same class, but in 1924 another class was added. Today there are five divisions offering chances to small rural high schools.

One hundred years ago - March 1925 – Manitowoc was the site of the district contest. Algoma, Kewaunee, Luxemburg and Sturgeon Bay, Manitowoc, Kiel, Two Rivers and Sheboygan earned the right to compete. Algoma was to meet Two Rivers in the first game. and Algoma was favored. The best team ever, the Record Herald said. “Ever” was less than 10 years! Algoma had size. The smallest player was 155 pounds and stood 5’9”. The heaviest man was 265 pounds and the tallest was 6’2”. 

Continuing, the Record Herald ran descriptions of the players. Captain Doc (Walter) Schlise came from Casco and as a “youth” played basketball with Casco and Maplewood before arriving in Algoma the year before. Schlise was a 5’9” running guard who was thought to be in consideration for all-district guard at Manitowoc. Doc was an unbeatable floor man who excelled at the long shots, today’s three-pointers.

Big Bill Rankin was born in Brussels and played ball since he was able to lift one. His early training was in grade school and in Forestville Junior High. In his first year at Algoma, Big Bill averaged 6 points a game and rarely failed on the close shots. Reinhart Toebe was born in Rio Creek and practiced in Casco in 1922 as a freshman. He was in Algoma a year later. Toebe was a stationary guard, fast on the floor, and shot better than average. He was 5’11.”

George Chaudoir came from Forestville where he played basketball in the grades and for two years at Forestville Junior High school. 1925 was his first year in Algoma. Called “clever” on the floor, Chaudoir was a forward and an excellent long-distance shooter. He was another 5’11” guy.

Marvin Woller also played in the grades and Junior High at Forestville. He was a 5’10” center who was an excellent pivot man. Woller’s shooting was fair, however he was a smashing, driving floor man with limitless stamina and probably the most thorough fighter on the team.

August Kreft came from Sturgeon Bay and played at Forestville in the grades and Junior High. At 6’2”, he was a relief man and Woller’s understudy at center. Kreft had the longest reach of any of the Peninsula centers. While he was the youngest on the squad, he was steady, heady and modest.

Pill (Norb) Kohlbeck was born in Algoma and played in 1924 and 1925. He was a relief forward and called an “astonishing shooter” who was sometimes erratic. Pill was a great ball retriever and followed the ball constantly. Except for Pill Kohlbeck, Forestville seemed to be Algoma’s proving grounds.

Expectations were high in 1925, although as the Record Herald pointed out, it was perfectly possible for Algoma to be eliminated in the first game. If that were to happen the editor knew the team would slump away. There were other things the editor said could lead to an early defeat: Manitowoc had a large floor and there were new methods of “attack” and spies – scouts today – watching every game planning method of strategy and more. The editor didn’t do much for “rah-rah.” Was he setting the community up for a let-down? Or did he have a premonition?

Without tv cameras and few telephones, it was up to the newspaper to describe the students, band, and faculty who made sure Algoma’s basketball team got a rousing send-off just before 9 that Thursday morning as the school bus was leaving for Manitowoc. The Sturgeon Bay team was already on the bus which would also pick up the Kewaunee team.

Principal Spear, Coach Ullmann and R.P. Birdsall spoke at a pep rally a day earlier. Birdsall recalled that the first year Algoma had a team- 1908-09 - he was a senior. That year there was no coach! Even without a coach, the team went through the year with only one loss. Algoma’s band was about as big attraction as the basketball and played eight selections at the pep rally.

All the tournament teams were dinner guests of the Manitowoc Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs before the first Thursday evening game. Algoma played in the 2^nd game that night.

The earlier newspaper article did not dampen spirits and Algoma beat Two Rivers by a whisker – 25-22. The paper said the team played “spasmodically,” showing spurts of form although on the whole, Algoma played below full strength. The Record went on to say that the team needed 300 supporters -  200 Algomans and 100 Forestville men - in the reserved section. It advised getting there early because Highway 17 (now Highway 42) was not good.

Reporting that all who had seen the Algoma team in action, the Record Herald opined that Algoma had the edge on everything and would “lay even money or a little better than that.” With Rankin in the line-up, Algoma would be outscoring Manitowoc in the Friday night game. But Rankin was not in the Friday game. “Fat” was sick with the flu at the hotel while the crowd roared for him. The other teams and coaches inquired about him on Saturday. The Manitowoc paper said Big Bill was the leading attraction and when he got sick, “inquiries were as solicitous as if he were a prima donna.”

The worst happened when Manitowoc beat Algoma 25-11 that Friday night. Had Rankin been in the game, the game might have had a far different ending.

Big Bill recovered and was back in the line-up for the next game, Saturday afternoon when Algoma trounced Sturgeon Bay. The win put Algoma on deck for another game with Two Rivers on Saturday evening which Algoma won 23-21, bumping out Two Rivers for 3^rd place in what was called the “hottest battle” of the tournament. Algoma won 3 of 4 games.  Had Rankin been in good health, the paper knew Algoma would have captured the tournament title. At least all Algoma’s players were presented bronze medals.

 The write-up of the Algoma-Two Rivers game was reminiscent of Casey at the Bat. Just as the “mighty Casey” struck out, the paper said “Big Bill loafed considerably” almost blaming him for only a 2-point win. But the paper also said Toebe had a bum knee and Woller was too short to get the tip-off. A win is a win and generally the flu has more than a few hours duration. Part of the game description follows.

A week after the tournament the Record Herald headline fairly screamed that guard Doc Schlise was named to the all-star team. Referees put Big Bill Rankin on the second team. The refs said Schlise had played consistent ball throughout the tournament while the Manitowoc paper said the 275 pound “Tiny” Rankin “started out as the joke of the tournament and ended up as the hero.” Though Schlise was judged one of the outstanding players of the tourney, it was Rankin who caused more comment than anybody. Though the Algoma section was farthest from the entrance, the girls’ shrieking in support was easily heard.

On March 13, 1925, the Record Herald reported on a bulletin from Wisconsin Athletic Association which spoke of Rankin by saying the mighty high school forward (whom the Record said was famous statewide) was one of the biggest and the best players in the state, possessing speed and a “real eye” for the basket. It went on, “The more one looks into the question of high school athletics, the more one becomes convinced that Wisconsin's age limit of 20 years is wise. Suppose Rankin, with his size, his weight, his speed was allowed to play until the age of 21 against ordinary boys of 15 or 16.”

Algoma Depot ca.1910

Note: Most of the 1925 players seemed to have experience at Forestville, perhaps because that is where workouts frequently were up till 1924. The team initially played at the Opera Huse which was in poor condition. It played in Forestville for awhile before moving to the old Algoma train depot which was used until 1924 when it moved into the Dug-out.

Source: Algoma Record Herald; the team photo is from Algoma Record Herald; the depot postcard is from the Kannerwurf, Sharpe, Johnson Collection at Algoma Public Library.