This week I am short on stories and have yet to get a line wet. However, we spent the weekend on Washington Island and I thought I would share the local folklore and some pics with you. Enjoy...Early Washington Island History

Early explorers such as, Jean Nicolet in 1635, came to this area of Northeastern Wisconsin followed by traders and missionaries. Prior to 1850 these islands provided a perfect home for the Potawatomi Indians since there was ideal protection against all enemies. Washington Island and the neighboring Islands are separated from mainland Door County by Death’s Door Passage which name springs from the popular legend:

“When the vicious Winnebagos came to the Door County peninsula they found it occupied by the generous Potawatomi, who offered to share the land. The Winnebagos refused, and attacked the less-numerous Potawatomi at every chance. The abused minority withdrew to the nearby islands, but even here faced the threat of invasion by the Winnebago. The islanders planned a surprise counter-attack across the water and sent three spies ahead to kindle a beacon to guide their canoes to a safe landing.

The spies were caught. Under torture one finally told their secret plans. The Winnebagos lit a fire one dark and windy night on a steep bluff which offered only danger. Meanwhile, they dispatched a canoe detachment by a roundabout route to attack the islanders’ camp.

As the misdirected Potawatomi urged their canoes toward the fire, a great increase in wind and waves cut off all choice of turning back. Their frail craft were broken against the rocky bluff. Some braves drowned, the rest were soon tomahawked by the waiting enemy.

For their part, the Winnebagos in canoes all were swamped by the seas, and all drowned in the passage. Their tribesman watched at land’s end a full day, until finally the wrecked canoes washed up on the shore. They took this loss as an omen that they must never again try to cross the ”Door of Death,“ as it was afterward called.”

The early French explorers translated Door of Death into Porte des Morte, which became our Death’s Door of today. Prior to today’s modern navigation aids hundreds of ships floundered here. In the fall of 1872 alone, over 100 large vessels were stranded or damaged through the “Door”. In 1880, about 30 boats were driven ashore at Plum Island (located between Washington Island and mainland Door County). Today, with modern boats, weather forecasting, accurate charts and the United States Coast Guard stationed on Washington Island, Death’s Door does not prove such a threat to tourists, fisherman, and boating enthusiasts.

On June 20, 1850, the Town of Washington was founded at Henry Miner’s house on Rock Island. The new town included the three islands of Washington, Rock and Detroit. One of the first acts of the town board was to establish a log schoolhouse on the beach at the south end of Washington Harbor.

In 1865, the community built its first church, Bethel Seaman’s Chapel, still standing. Henry Miner moved from Rock to Washington Island in 1867. He built a small house large enough to accommodate a family of three, his cooper shop, and the Island post office.

In 1870, W.F. Wickman, a Dane, persuaded four bachelors from Iceland to move to Washington Island. They came and established the second oldest Icelandic settlement in America.

Early settlers were primarily fishermen. Early Island exports included fish, lumber, stone, potatoes and maple syrup. The Scandinavian flavor of the Island community is reflected in the more popular names in the telephone directory - Johnson, Jorgenson, Anderson, Bjarnarson, Gunnlaugsson - and by the recent completion of a Norwegian Stavkirke (Stave Church). Excerpt from http://www.washingtonisland.com/history.asp