Did You Know: Sturgeon Bay’s Long Boating History

STURGEON BAY, Wis. – The northern Wisconsin town of Sturgeon Bay is not only known for its fantastic fishery – it’s also known as the Cape Cod of the Midwest. Here are a few more fun facts about the host town for the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Covercraft Stage Five Presented by Abu Garcia.

Knocking on Death’s Door

Sturgeon Bay is located on the Door Peninsula – roughly 155 miles north of Milwaukee – and received its name from the sturgeon-shaped bay. Because of its location on the shores of Green Bay, it became a hub for trading and transporting goods after the construction of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in the early 1800s.

Before that canal was created, boats were routed north of Sturgeon Bay through a water passage known as Ports des Morts (“Death’s Door”). During the 1700-1800s, when people primarily relied on ships and vessels to transport goods, this area was the only water passage for ships to travel to the town of Green Bay.

Many different legends and tales have been told about how many casualties actually occurred and how it received its nickname “Death’s Door.” During the era of wooden ships, this passageway was especially treacherous and several shipwrecks did occur. The wind speed, water current, severe thunderstorms and rocky shoreline all played into the multitude of lost boats.

Shipwrecks became such a worry that in 1881, a channel was created at the base of Sturgeon Bay, which allowed ships to cut through the Door Peninsula and avoid sailing around the treacherous tip. This channel helped put Sturgeon Bay on the map.

There are more than 275 shipwrecks in the waters of Door County, and some of those are in less than 60 feet of water. Consequently, wreck diving is thing here!

You can also cross Death’s Door, but it’s recommended that you take that trip in a big-water boat or ferry as the waters still remain rough and unpredictable.

Battleship Builders

It’s only fitting that a town with an incredible fishery is also a world-renowned shipbuilding hub. From small bass boats to massive vessels, Sturgeon Bay has provided everything in between.

During World War II, the town had three shipbuilders with contracts for the United States Navy. During that time, those builders produced hundreds of ships that were used around the world during the war. Workers relocated to Sturgeon Bay from all over the country to help build these vessels.

Peterson Building, Inc. – one of the ship builders in Sturgeon Bay – caught the attention of the Navy after World War II. Their versatility to be able to make ships out of many materials granted them the contracts to build minesweepers for the Navy. They were once known as “the builders of minesweepers of the world.”

Besides building vessels used for war, many other boating companies built commercial boats and ships. Sturgeon Bay Boat Works was founded in 1918 and built commercial fishing boats, rowing skiffs, and small wooden yachts. The company later went on to become Palmer Johnson Yachts.  

Today, the town still has one shipbuilding company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, which does the construction and repair of large ships and small freighters.

During the wintertime when the locks are closed and the lakes start to freeze, around 20 freighters will come in for repairs. People will gather to watch the fleet come to dry dock and the locals say that it’s truly a sight to see.