Ahnapee: Shifting Sands, the Limestone and the Harbor

Algoma's iconic lighthouse is almost the tip of the iceberg.
Harbor stories began 75 years before its construction, but oh the stories it could tell!

t was not long after first settlement in 1851 that the harbor in what is now Algoma became an issue.

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

The Wolf – now called Ahnapee – River entered Lake Michigan east of the Harbor Inn of today. From that point, the river turned south for a few hundred feet, connecting to the channel residents now know. It was years later that the U.S. Engineers “straightened” the channel. In January 1860 residents of Ahnapee, 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.

Kewaunee Enterprise was organized in September 1859. In 1860, Ahnapee had yet to have its own newspaper, relying on meeting notices being published by the Enterprise. However, the Enterprise failed to publish the harbor meeting announcement, felt by some due to hostility regarding Ahnapee's success. Editor Garland responded by saying his paper would "cheerfully publish" Ahnapee matters if such information was provided. Such sparring continued in the years to come.

The Enterprise did, however, carry the news in February 1860 when it reported Ahnapee's piers would be extended into the lake 360' 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 sands at the mouth would not back up water in the river. Two months later the Enterprise was extolling the virtues of Ahnapee, 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 Enterprise did not mention C.G. Boalt's wealth, but it did comment on the unusual facilities for a smart thriving town.

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 Enterprise 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.

During February 1860, Mathias Simon wrote to tell Edward Decker in Kewaunee that Ahnapee was going ahead with harbor development and had spikes out. Following the spring ice break-up, about 500 piles were driven, and they were still being driven when the Civil War stopped all activity.

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.

Years after harbor development was interrupted by the Civil War, Congress authorized the expenditure of $1000 for a survey of the Ahnapee harbor. A correspondent for the Milwaukee Sentinel advocated the Ahnapee 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 make it a "good lee in all winds." The correspondent had called for the necessity for refuge points along the lake. Racine Journal ran a supportive article on the appropriation for the Ahnapee harbor in March 1871 saying 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 needed to be considered. The Journal continued saying that in terms of refuge, the harbor would pay for itself yearly in the marine disasters it prevented. Ahnapee’s harbor was looking like a “go.

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

It was Congress that provided for the harbor’s survey, completed by Civil Assistant Capt. Miller of the U.S. Engineer Corp. Most necessary was a harbor of safety – and possibly two – between Manitowoc and Baileys Harbor. Michigan’s improved harbors were spaced about every 15 miles of shoreline, accomplished with public money. While Michigan’s harbors were close, Wisconsin appropriations were made for harbors to be about every 25 miles from Manitowoc to Chicago. Manitowoc to Baileys Harbor is about 82 miles, and in 1870, there were no harbors of refuge.

At the harbor planning meeting on February 5, 1870, residents felt harbor improvements would make it practical for rafts and schooners to be floated out into the lake.  It was said vessels with ordinary drafts would be able to get cargo into the river. Townsfolk knew in 1870 that although the harbor gave protection, the river was a problem. The town wanted a protective pier and moved to secure government appropriations by asking the Legislature to authorize $20,000 in improvement bonds payable in one, two or three years. The $20,000 harbor improvement tax levy was voted in overwhelmingly, 262 - 23, at a town meeting in April.

The point at which the Ahnapee River enters the lake now is about midway between the two pies. Making improvement feasible was that the river was navigable about 8 miles from the lake and that there was sufficient water about a mile from the mouth to float the largest class of lake vessels. Due to water depth, because the lake bottom drops so fast, piers shorter than average would be in order. The bottom of the lake was composed of clay so once dredged, the shifting sands wouldn’t soon obstruct the channel. Shifting sands were felt to be the curse of Lake Michigan harbors.

Captain Miller, of the U.S. Engineers, completed a preliminary government survey for Ahnapee’s north pier project in late August 1870. Harbor Commissioner Casgrain said the outside approaches to the mouth made it one of the best points on the lake. Soundings showed a 14-foot water depth just one hundred feet from shore. The channel inside was deep, wide and easily improved, except for a rocky ledge limestone obstruction about three blocks from the mouth. Townsfolk already knew that was going to be difficult. The obstruction was about four rods wide, going from bank to bank, covered by about 6’ of water. If the appropriation were to be made, the village would be required to remove the limestone.

1870 U. s. Engineers Map. The old pier is near the bottom of the map. Broken lines indicate proposed piers.

The $20,000 residents voted on is an amount that seems almost staggering when one considers the population and what money meant.  That 20 thousand would be about $340,000 today, a sum today’s Council would carefully consider. At any rate, some felt the money was a paltry sum for such work. As the other papers saw it, the location, advantages and natural adaption made it certain that the government would lend a hand.

When Casgrain made the survey, he was tasked with not only surveying the river, but all approaches to it. Soundings had to be made upriver for three miles. The lake was surveyed from north and south boundaries of the village from the shore out 30’ into the water.  The project included plans for construction and cost estimates. Casgrain was impressed with what he found.

But, there was more to come. Dealing with the limestone ridge was worse than anybody thought and it was felt the $20,000 could be used for the project. However, a special election was called on October 8 to vote on a $2,000 tax for drilling and blasting through the rock west of the bridge.

The limestone outcropping inside the mouth was especially serious when the water was low. The channel needed to be at least 12' deep, 150' wide and 700' long. Because the limestone made it impractical to have a harbor inside the river, the decision was made to submit an outer harbor project. By 1870, it was more than shifting sands. Driftwood, sawdust and refuse also often blocked the entrance to the channel. Depths varied making dredging a necessity. Cost of this March 1871 project was estimated at $25,000.

The Record told readers to "look to the future." If the town was to offer vessels shelter, it needed to open the channel. The editors continued by saying the government had spent large sums and citizens should do their part to ensure growth and prosperity. The Sturgeon Bay Expositor was not so positive. Its editor said he was glad not to own land in Ahnapee because of the $700 debt for fire equipment, the thousands spent for the harbor, and the big splurge for the schoolhouse. 

1885 U.S. Engineers Map with the Completed Work in Ahnapee Harbor

By 1885, much of the work was completed and the U.S. Engineers put out another map illustrating the new piers and the change in the river's course when the sand bar was dug out. The work was done, and yet Ahnapee was plagued with on-going harbor problems.

Note: Ahnepee became Ahnapee in 1873. Kewaunee Enterprize was renamed Enterprise in 1865. The most widely used spellings for each are used in this blog post.

Sources: An-An-api-sebe: Where is the River? c. 2001; Ahnapee Record/Algoma Record Herald; Kewaunee Enterprise; Sturgeon Bay Advocate; Sturgeon Bay Expositor; Decker Files found in the Area Archives at UW-Green Bay.
Painting is copyrighted and used with permission of NL Johnson Art.