It is now one of 11 working lighthouses on the peninsula and can cast a beam of light 18 miles into Lake Michigan from its original Fresnel lens. Cana Island, with its historic lighthouse facilities, is open to the public seasonally. Ellison Bay, WI 54210, Hours: Projects already completed include adding new restroom facilities, a maintenance building, tower repainting, repairing of a copper roof and restoring outbuildings such as the unusual, six-sided limestone oil house, a privy and barn. The Cana Island Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and owes a great deal to the efforts of volunteers. By Door County Pulse, Peninsula Pulse – July 17th, 2020 The Cana Island hay wagon takes visitors across the causeway, which is completely underwater this year. Baileys Harbor, WI 54202, Hours: The latter, now in The Ridges Sanctuary, were built to safely guide ships into the harbor, while the former went up as a navigational marker, according to Hal Wilson of the Door County Maritime Museum, which maintains the lighthouse. Wilson said part of the project has been delayed by wet weather, but the roughly 1,900-square-foot structure should be finished sometime in October. The focal plane of the lens is 75′ above the base of the tower and approximately 82 ‘ above lake level. No food or beverages are allowed on Cana Island. Cana Island is an island in Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. Cana Island is a unique little island that’s bounded by the waters of Lake Michigan on just three sides. Once funds were appropriated, a Lighthouse Board crew began clearing about three acres at the eastern end of the low island. The tower is open to climb from May to October from 10am-5pm through the Door County Maritime Museum. Located near Bailey's Harbor in Door County, the 200-yard causeway is flooded with about three feet of water, making it difficult for travelers to walk to the island. The island is part of the Town of Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin . Door County Maritime Museum & Cana Island Lighthouse Ride a haywagon across the rustic stone causeway to take in the beauty of this remote island and its majestic lighthouse. The Fresnel lens is in good working shape, even though Wilson said errant geese have crashed through windows in the tower twice and slightly damaged some of the many pieces of ground glass that make up the lens. Open Daily, 10am - 5pm The causeway leading to Cana Island is a natural feature, although at times foot bridges have connected the island to the mainland. During the famous Alpena Gale in October 1880, storm waves actually swept through the house. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, Keeper Warren Sanderson and his family experienced several very dramatic times when storms flooded the area around the lighthouse with water several feet deep. The Cana Island Lighthouse is approachable by a narrow causeway-parking is along Cana Island Rd. “The birdcage couldn’t be seen from the north, so it really needed to be replaced,” said Wilson, a 24-year veteran of the Coast Guard who retired as a chief boatswain’s mate after a stint at the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard Station. April - June 10am-5pm Keeper Oscar H. Knudson built the stone wall at the edge of the lawn around the lighthouse. Photo by Julie Piggush. Take a step back in time to 1869 when the lighthouse was first opened. The popular lighthouse will be open until the end of October and will be featured in the Fall Door County Lighthouse Festival, Oct. 12-13. A causeway connects Cana Island to the mainland, where a public parking area is available. Take a flight to Cana Island Lighthouse through the eye's of an Eagle. No structures (arches, canopies, tents, etc.) Open Daily May 1 - October 31, Mailing Address: 120 N. Madison Ave. Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-3416, © Door County Maritime Museum • Website by Tweak Social Media & Marketing. Even though the wagon was a good two feet above the water, my pants became soaked during the outing. on the roadway. Wilson, who grew up on the shores of southern Puget Sound in Olympia, Wash., has been the manager of the Cana Island Lighthouse since April 2018. Located between Fish Creek and Ephraim, that park sees nearly 1 million campers, hikers, bikers, birders and other tourists annually. During the famo… It has been called “the invention that saved a million ships.”. The birdcage, built in 1852, still stands today on a small island, but is not open to the public. Much of that wood was loaded on ships that docked in Baileys Harbor on the east side of the peninsula. The lighthouse and tower are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May through October. Wilson said his favorite part of working at the Cana Island Lighthouse is climbing to the top of the tower and gazing out on the surrounding water and the neighboring peninsula, where deciduous trees are now beginning to change color. When I traversed the causeway via wagon on a recent trip, waves were rolling over the narrow causeway from several directions because it was a windy day. This navigational aide is one of only three of its kind remaining in the U.S. For more, see dcmm.org. Because Lake Michigan is near record height levels, the causeway that connects the mainland to Cana Island is now covered with about 18 inches of water. One of the loveliest spots was Cana Island with its impressive lighthouse . Wear boots or shoes you can get wet, as you never know when things will change. Access to the island is via a causeway. In the 1970s, the Door County Maritime Museum, desirous of preserving a part of Door County’s maritime heritage, leased Cana Island from the Federal Government and opened the Island to visitors. © 2020 www.jsonline.com. Cana Island and range lights, Baileys Harbor. Wilson said both the keeper’s home and the attached lighthouse are made of Milwaukee Cream City brick. Wilson said the Cana Island Lighthouse was completed in late December 1869, but wasn’t lighted until the following spring. “It’s spectacular,” he said of the vista. Walk across the rock causeway from the Door County mainland to the island. That means most visitors now make the crossing on a hay wagon pulled by a tractor. Cana Island is "attached" to the mainland by a small causeway that may or may not have water covering it, depending on tides, rain, snowmelt and more. Near the Door County village of Baileys Harbor, the shining white Cana Island Light is one of Lake Michigan's prettiest. google.com Bounded by water on just three sides and attached to the mainland by a 60’ causeway, Cana Island is technically a peninsula. Cana Island Lighthouse & Tower remains one of the Door County’s premier tourist attractions despite the fact that the island is, once again, a true island. But Wilson said lighthouse aficionados can also walk across the causeway if they are willing to get a little wet. Door County, Wisconsin attracts large numbers of visitors because of its natural beauty and its ease of access from large population centers such as Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago. When the Lighthouse Board decided to replace rather than repair the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse, they chose to build the new lighthouse on 8.7 acre Cana Island between Moonlight Bay and North Bay. Keeper Ross Wright was one of the last civilian keepers of the light. Today, from the outside, no evidence remains of the tower’s brick construction. The tower was then painted white. Few of the many visitors to Cana Island today realize that the tower and dwelling were originally constructed of the same cream colored brick. Danna is an inhabited tidal island connected to the mainland by a stone causeway at the southern end of the Tayvallich peninsula, which separates Loch … Labor Day - December 10am-5pm, 8800 East Cana Island Road Congress appropriated funds in the spring of 1869. “The island is just a giant rock with a little bit of dirt on it. Wilson said autumn is an excellent time to see the lighthouse because the busy summer season has passed, when most of the nearly 50,000 people who visit come to the island. Ride a haywagon over the causeway to explore the island, including the 89-foot-tall light tower, oil storage house and lighthouse keeper's home. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, Keeper Warren Sanderson and his family experienced several very dramatic times when storms flooded the area around the lighthouse with water several feet deep. William Jackson, the first keeper, officially lit the light on January 24, 1870. Cana Island Lighthouse & Tower remains one of the Door County’s premier tourist attractions despite the fact that the island is occasionally, once again, a true island. If the water is warm enough and the winds fairly calm, some choose to wade. The last hay wagon ride over the causeway leaves from the mainland parking lot at 4:15 p.m. and the last tower climb begins at 4:30 p.m. Tours cost $12 for adults and $10 for youth ages 5 through 17 (children 4 and under are free). The causeway consists of three separate two-lane bridge spans, and two man-made causeway islands between them. The shallowness of the waters around the island cause storm waves to break offshore, but this only partially lessens their effect. Located near Bailey’s Harbor, Cana Island is an 8.7-acre island in Door County. Cana Island is open seven days a week, 10 am – 5 pm, weather permitting, through October. It also can be reached by paddlers. Because Lake Michigan is near record height levels, the causeway that connects the mainland to Cana Island is now covered with about 18 inches of … The Cana Island Light is east side of the island. Visitors pick their way over a rock causeway, sometimes through water, to get to the 1870 lighthouse, which is operated by the Door County Maritime Museum. The crew next erected an 18′ diameter tower that tapers to 16′ in diameter at the base of the watch room and rises 65’ above the foundation. For those who prefer to stay dry, the museum operates free haywagon rides to transport people to the island. The Cana Island buildings are open from 10AM to 5PM daily with an admission charge and an additional fee for the 97-step climb to the lighthouse tower and its stunning view of Lake Michigan. Be a modern-day lighthouse keeper, support the preservation efforts at Cana Island Lighthouse. The highlight of any Cana Island visit is climbing the 97 steps of the tower’s spiral staircase to reach the gallery deck, which delivers a sweeping view of Lake Michigan and the Door County peninsula. In the 1860s, the logging trade was booming in Door County and large swaths of virgin forest were being felled to provide timber for the rapidly growing cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In 1902, the deteriorating condition of the brickwork prompted the Lighthouse Board to encase the tower in steel plates. Plum and Pilot islands near Green Bay also have lighthouses, but the buildings were abandoned for long periods of time and are not in good condition, he said. The shallowness of the waters around the island cause storm waves to break offshore, but this only partially lessens their effect. Mark Smith, a volunteer with the Door County Maritime Museum, drives a tractor pulling a wagon filled with tourists on their way to the Cana Island Light Station. Both are popular spots for visitors, have been extensively restored and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sanibel Causeway The Sanibel Causeway is a causeway in Southwest Florida that spans the San Carlos Bay, connecting Sanibel Island with the Florida mainland in Punta Rassa. The crew built, on a rock foundation, a 42 ‘ x 20 ‘ story and one-half keeper’s dwelling, and an 8’ x 10 ‘ covered walkway connecting the dwelling to the light tower. Visitors can walk to the lighthouse, though recent higher water levels make it more of a wade than a walk. Make sure to climb to the top of the tower, especially if it is a … The light, now powered by electricity, is turned on automatically at dusk and off at dawn, and still shines out across the water to guide sailors as it has done since Keeper Jackson first lit the light in 1870. Hotels near Cana Island Lighthouse: (3.99 mi) Blacksmith Inn On the Shore (2.54 mi) Gordon Lodge (9.01 mi) Double S Lodge (7.61 mi) Bay Breeze Resort (9.14 mi) Wagon Trail Campground; View all hotels near Cana Island Lighthouse on Tripadvisor 8800 E Cana Island Road. The more adventuresome who plan to wade across the causeway are urged to use water-repellent footwear to avoid injury from rocks and sharp zebra mussels that have been deposited on the causeway. Cana Island is connected to the mainland by a causeway when water levels are low. Items to be used for the ceremony must be brought in by hand (no vehicles allowed across the causeway); and everything carried in, including garbage, must be carried out. More information: The Cana Island Lighthouse. The entire complex was built of cream-colored Milwaukee brick. Please call or visit the Web site below for details. The raising waters of Lake Michigan over the past couple of years now, at times, cover the causeway leading from the mainland parking lot to the island. The Cana Island Lighthouse (aka Cana Island Light) was constructed in 1869 and opened as a museum site in 1971. The third phase of the restoration effort includes building a new visitors’ center, which will feature interactive exhibits, a museum shop and admissions office. Developed by French physicist and engineer Augustin-Jean Fresnel, the first Fresnel lens of its kind was used in 1823 in the Cordouan lighthouse on France’s Atlantic coast. Cana Island’s cast iron lantern atop the tower has two levels, the watch room at the top of the tower surmounted by the lantern room containing the lighthouse’s lens, which is a third order Fresnel lens built in Paris, France. The high water over the past four years has left a narrow 200-yard causeway, between the mainland and the island, submerged. Several years ago, as Lake Michigan's waters rose, the Door County Maritime Museum, which owns and operates Cana Island, added a tractor that … Because it sticks out into the Lake, Cana Island is terribly exposed to both wind and wave. Come here planning to get your feet wet and dress accordingly. The lighthouse is located on the east side of the island on a section that juts into the lake, exposing the light to extreme weather. At other times, waters flooded the cellar and ran through the kitchen. He said the Cana lighthouse is special because it sits on an island that has been occupied almost continuously by keepers and their families (and a few others) since it was constructed a century-and-a-half ago. January - March 10am-4pm Triangular Cana Island is about nine acres in size. Whether Cana Island is really an island or just the end of the peninsula depends on the level of Lake Michigan. The Lighthouse itself is in the process of restoration, but it still is well worth the visit. Similarly, the Maritime Museum hopes to return the tower to its original state. May 1-October 31, 12724 West Wisconsin Bay Road “When the keeper left Cana Island in 1945, there was a gap,” said Wilson, who is aided in his work by Cooper, an affectionate and stocky 100-pound English chocolate Labrador who Wilson said believes he runs the island. “The plan is to take the home back to the late 1920s and early 1930s and then fully furnish it with period pieces of furniture that the keeper’s family would have used when they lived there,” he said. The dwelling and tower, however, were not opened to visitors. It was replaced 150 years ago by the 89-foot Cana Island Lighthouse and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights. Keeper Clifford Sanderson lived on Cana Island as a child and returned as a keeper. Stay up to date on events and other information: Door County Classic & Wooden Boat Festival, Donations to the DCMM Collections and Archives, support the preservation efforts at Cana Island Lighthouse, 30th annual Door County Classic & Wooden Boat Festival. 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