Friends of Door County Museum and Archives

09/02/2026

Painting on rocks in Door County is nothing new. We believe this rock was painted sometime in the 1870s by John Rasmussen, a Sturgeon Bay sign painter.

The painting depicts one of the first buildings constructed here, around 1850. Oliver Perry Graham came from Washington Island and built the first structure. Soon after, his younger brother Robert and sister in law Josephine joined him. They established several businesses, including a sawmill, store, and fishing operation. They are considered the first permanent settlers of Sturgeon Bay.

08/06/2026

https://doorcountypulse.com/county-board-approves-3-3m-museum-and-archives-project/

Nearly 20 years after Door County officials first began discussing how to find more room for the Door County Historical Museum, construction is set to begin next month. On Tuesday, […]

07/24/2026

Come take a hike with the museum's resident rock nerd, Joe Taylor, along with John Newman from the Wisconsin DNR, as we explore how the Ice Age shaped Door County.

We'll meet at the Potawatomi State Park Nature Center tomorrow (Friday) at 3:00 p.m. for a short introduction to the area's geology before heading out on a hike to see some of the fascinating features left behind by the glaciers. We hope to see you there!

06/30/2026

06/30/2026

06/24/2026

Crankin' with the Curators!

In our ongoing quest to advance science, preserve history, and occasionally enjoy dessert, we're conducting a very important experiment on Wednesday, July 1 at 11:30 AM.

Our mission: determine whether cream, sugar, ice, and salt can somehow be transformed into ice cream without the aid of electricity.

We need volunteers willing to spend a few minutes "on the crank" to help power this groundbreaking research. No previous ice cream engineering experience required.

As with all good scientific endeavors, participants will be rewarded with a sample of the results. That's right, if you crank, you get ice cream.

Join us as we recreate a favorite summertime tradition and prove once again that our ancestors were pretty clever people.