GreatEscapeLake

On the northwest shore of Lake Michigan are two tiny Wisconsin communities — Algoma and Kewaunee — with a huge reputation for sportfishing. Go deep with one of the area’s 50-some fishing charters or cast your own line into tranquil tributaries. Count Viking River Cruises among those en route to the pretty but low-key waterfront.

welve miles separate Algoma and Kewaunee, whose combined population barely exceeds 6,000 residents in Kewaunee County. The area has attracted fishermen and nature lovers since Native Americans first inhabited the area.

What the county’s name means depends on the source. “River of the lost,” “woods river,” “go around” and “prairie chicken” are among the definitions on record.

The Potawatomi lived here and did business with French explorers and fur traders, including Jean Nicolet. In the 1830s, a decade before Wisconsin statehood, their village was settled and developed as Kewaunee because of rumors of gold in riverside marshland.

Only iron pyrite — Fool’s Gold — was discovered during the rush of fortune hunters, but the vicinity was truly rich in another resource: Lumber. Ninety percent of the county was thick forest in 1834, and that dropped to 20% a few years later as trees were harvested, milled and transported via schooner or sure-footed horses.

Farming by European immigrants replaced forestry on the cleared acreage, and an additional opportunity became obvious: Commercial fishing, especially after Orrin Warner and John Hughes sailed into the area to fish in 1851. They took shelter during a storm and would later settle the lakeside as Wolf River (renamed Ahnapee, then Algoma).

As early as 1859, a local newspaper raved about all the whitefi sh being caught on the adjoining Ahnapee River. What Native Americans did to supplement their fur trade turned into a major industry.

Heavy-duty pier construction brought a surge of steamer ship traffic. Two ships could be loaded at once in Kewaunee, where the 300-foot Pere Marquette was among those ferrying railroad cars with everything from coal to flour to Michigan. Besides lighthouses, storm warning flags were flown outside a 75-foot-tall tower at the congregational church.

Lake Michigan inspired shipbuilding too. Kewaunee Shipyards and Engineering (now Kewaunee Fabrications) built 80 vessels for the U.S. military during World War II and had its own 22-member band that played whenever a new vessel was launched.

Car ferries linked Kewaunee and Frankfort, Michigan, from 1892 to 1990. On land, state Highway 42 remains a quiet, scenic way to follow Lake Michigan toward popular Door County, instead of taking speedier Interstate 43.

The area’s low-key reputation begins to change this year. Kewaunee County will gain international attention as Algoma becomes a morning-to-late-afternoon port of call during Viking River Cruises’ 15-day excursions between Duluth, Minnesota and Toronto.

“We don’t usually see tourism coming from the lake side — it tends to work the other way around,” observes Ken Weinaug, Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Go fish

Algoma, nicknamed the Sportfishing Capital of the Great Lakes, is among the largest charter fishing ports on Lake Michigan. Why here? Lake Michigan deepens quickly in the Algoma-Kewaunee basin. Nearby state fisheries stock the Great Lake with millions of salmon and trout annually.

Such a bounty reels in fishing records and makes the adjacent, calm Ahnapee and

Kewaunee rivers attractive to fi shermen too. Public boat launches are plentiful; check with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for locations.

“Algoma is perennially one of the top ports for catching salmon and steelheads. We catch fish all summer long,” says Lee Haasch of Haasch Guide Services, an Algoma native and charter captain since 1985. “Captains work together and share information [about where to fish]. Cooperating with one another helps all of us.”

Charters accommodate true beginners to grizzled anglers, multiple generations of families to groups of veteran fishermen. Haasch says his charters typically venture two to four miles from harbor.

Not your thing? Buy smoked fish at LaFond’s Fish Market in Kewaunee, the area’s only remaining commercial fishery, selling locally caught chubs and whitefish. Owner Andy LaFond Jr. can also custom-smoke your own catch; it’s a two-day process.

At Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility, two miles from Kewaunee, self-guided tours and underwater viewing windows show the work of collecting fish eggs, plus raising coho and Chinook salmon.

Wine and dine

Fish and fishing lure travelers, but Weinaug emphasizes that “there’s more to do than just put your boat in the water.”

Wisconsin’s oldest licensed winery, von Stiehl Winery, was a brewery during Civil War times. Limestone caverns ferment and store wine instead of beer today. Also near the lake in downtown Algoma is Ahnapee Brewery’s taproom with small-batch beer.

Dining choices are classy to casual. On the shoreline and between the two communities is Red’s Pub and Grill, where specials are fried fish on Friday and prime rib on Saturday.

In Algoma, savor steaks and seafood at century-old Hotel Stebbins. Homestead Kitchen and Tap, west of town, serves farm-totable ingredients in burgers, pizza and more.

In Kewaunee, Bucket Tavern, a century-old bar/grill, is known for charbroiled burgers. Fat cinnamon rolls and lattes are daily fare at The Bakery Bar, where customers also linger with sandwiches and craft beer. Other local favorites include the Ballering, the brand-new Wildflower Supper Club and Port O’ Call, with views of the river.

On the move? Harbor Express and Grill opens at 4 a.m. It’s a quick place to gas up boats (up to 35 feet) and buy breakfast sandwiches or Broasted chicken.

See and do

Pierhead lighthouses in Algoma and Kewaunee, each 40-plus feet tall, are beloved nautical beacons. Tugboat Ludington, a World War II vessel in Normandy for the D-Day invasion, is open May to October for self-guided tours in Kewaunee. Walk the halfmile boardwalk at Crescent Beach in Algoma. Both communities lovingly preserve their architectural past. On self-guided walking tour maps are a rich mix of Victorian-era houses and businesses in the Marquette Historic District of Kewaunee and downtown in Algoma (10 outdoor murals highlight local history).

Kewaunee’s outdoor grandfather clock, almost 36 feet tall and the largest in the world, marks one end of the 48-mile Ahnapee State Trail, popular for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Look for free music near the waterfront during summer. In Algoma’s Heritage Park, next to the municipal marina, are Concerts in the Park on Thursdays. Harbor Park in Kewaunee hosts Music in the Park on Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays are von Stiehl Winery’s Summer Concert Series. Within 10 miles are Pagel’s Ponderosa, among Wisconsin’s largest dairy farms and open for tours by reservation; Parallel 44 Vineyards and Winery, whose name refers to the latitude, ideal for grape growing; and Gib’s on the Lake, a lakefront Wisconsin supper club with German specialties.

Lambeau Field, home to the Green Bay Packers and open for tours, is roughly 35 miles from the Algoma-Kewaunee shoreline. Within 20 miles is the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, which attracts religious pilgrims as the nation’s only Vatican-acknowledged location of Virgin Mary apparitions.

2023 Events

■ International Carp Tournament

Mid-May @ Kewaunee Harbor KEWAUNEE.ORG

■ K/D Salmon Tournament

July 14-23 @ Kewaunee and Door counties FACEBOOK.COM/KDSALMON2022

■ Shanty Days

August 11-13 @ Downtown Algoma

VISITALGOMAWI.COM/SHANTY-DAYS

■ Soar on the Shore Kite Festival

August 19 @ Crescent Beach, Algoma FRIENDSOFCRESCENTBEACH.ORG

■ Wet Whistle Wine Fest

Mid-September @ Von Stiehl Winery, Algoma VONSTIEHL.COM

Marinas

Yacht Works bought, updated and upgraded a Kewaunee marina to sell, service and store a wide array of boats. The 127-slip dock with 44 campsites accommodates vessels up to 85 feet. Indoor and outdoor storage is offered as well. A recently installed 100ton boat hoist, constructed 27 miles north at Marine Travelift, is described as large enough to haul out “almost any pleasure boat on the Great Lakes.” Also on site is a 35-ton hoist.

At Algoma’s downtown municipal marina, open May through September, 50 seasonal slips offer electric/water hookups for boats up to 40 feet. Reservations are taken for daily, monthly and seasonal moorings, and there are double-launch ramps.

The 100-slip city marina and campground in Kewaunee is open seasonally; the boat launch stays open as weather permits. Daily to seasonal stays are possible. In the campground are 40 RV sites with electric/ water hookups.

At Captain K’s Marina, on Ahnapee River, are 11 campsites (10 for RVs, one for a camper/tent) and 22 slips for watercraft up to 30 feet. An air draft of 13 feet or less should get you under the Second Street Bridge, between the marina and Lake Michigan.

Resources

■ Algoma Chamber of Commerce VISITALGOMAWI.COM

■ Algoma-Kewaunee Area Great Lakes Sport Fishermen ALGOMAKEWAUNEE FISHCLUB.COM

■ Algoma Marina ALGOMACITY.ORG

■ Captain Ks Landing CAPTAINKS.COM

■ Kewaunee Area Chamber of Commerce KEWAUNEE.ORG

■ Kewaunee Marina CITYOFKEWAUNEE.ORG

■ Sunrise Cove Marina and Campground 920-217-7404

On a cove that overlooks the lake and Algoma’s lighthouse is Sunrise Cove Marina and its Smashed On The Rocks Saloon. Other amenities: 30 boat slips, 25 campsites with electric/water hookups and a private beach.

Be it land or water, expect lakeside Kewaunee County to provide small-town charm and nautical adventures for you and your family. ★

Sunrise Cove

■ Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources DNR.WISCONSIN.GOV

■ Yacht Works Kewaunee YACHTWORKS.COM

DEALER FOR:

» Cranchi

» Everglades

» Regulator

» Blackfin

Yacht Works acquired Salmon Harbor Marine in 2021 and is giving it a complete overhaul.

» Large breakwaters offer a safe, deepwater shelter from the lake

» Deep inner harbor with controlling depths of 12’

» 35-ton and 100-ton marine travel lifts

» 126 slips, accommodating vessels up to 85’

» Public fuel dock to come, offering full service gas, diesel, pump outs

Seasonal and Transient slips are available for the 2023 boating season.

Call us today to reserve a slip before they’re gone!

New Storage Concept: Escape renting storage and start enjoying your investment. Build equity while protecting, storing and enjoying your assets:

» Allows for full customization and multi-use

» First phase consists of five individual 100’ x 50’ units for full ownership

» Features 24/7 access, private full bath, security, fire protection and efficient climate control system

920-388-2120

ADDRESS

9095 Cottage Row Rd.

Fish Creek, WI 54212

SPECS

Bedrooms: 6

Baths: 4.5

Square Footage: 3,102

Acreage: 9.4 acres

Shoreline: 800 feet

Price: $7,900,000

Property Features: Boathouse, tennis court and guest house

CONTACT

Diane Taillon

Arbor Crowne Properties 920-421-3272

DIANE@ARBORCROWNE PROPERTIES.COM

Door County, WI

Lakefront living in the “Hamptons of the Midwest.”

Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac along the breathtaking coastline of Lake Michigan’s Green Bay, this remarkable historic home built in 1927 offers the most coveted location in Door County with stunning sunset views.

The home boasts six bedrooms and plenty of space for friends and family to come relax and enjoy lake life, with the lakefront just steps outside the back door of the main home. The rustic interior is lined with rare cypress wood, creating a truly unique and beautiful space. A wood-burning fireplace makes the inside cozy, while the large outdoor patio offers panoramic views.

The most valuable amenity of the property is a large historic stone boathouse at the waters’ edge with a beautiful entertainment deck on top, offering front-row seats to the picturesque sunsets over Green Bay. Inside the boathouse, discover a fireplace to warm up after a long day on the water. The property also boasts a guest house, tennis court and walled garden.

“This estate is one of the largest in Door County with 9.4 acres and over 800 feet of private waterfront with a lake stone boathouse at the water’s edge — something that can never be built again,” explains real estate broker Diane Taillon. “Dock your boats in your own front yard in the most coveted area of Door County, the place becoming known as ‘The Hamptons of the Midwest.’”

Design the ideal family compound in Fish Creek, with private space for each guest and unparalleled waterfront access and views. Relax, play in the water, explore Wisconsin’s beloved Door County and soak up a slice of paradise at this charming waterfront estate that will make you step back in time, with views as extensive as the home is private. H