Center of the Universe

My universe anyway.

This spring we had our property surveyed.  

As near as we can tell, and based-upon our surveyor's check of the county records, the joint hasn't been surveyed since the Government Land Office moved their chains along our south and west property lines back in 1836.  We know that because our southwest corner and the northwest corner are corners of the quarter section.

The SE marker is buried under County Road D; nevertheless we found it with a metal detector and pounded a spike in the road.  We found this official marker buried at the NW corner. 

One of the tasks performed by our surveyor was to locate the exact center of our property.  I had a reasonably close reckoning of where it was located generally but did not have it precisely marked.

It is now.  And my plan is to install some sort of monument there for people to puzzle-over long after I am dead and gone. 

Yesterday morning was quite calm so Doggo and I seized the opportunity to run out to the center and send the DJI Neo up for a quick reconnaissance of the principle compass directions and an ascent and descent from its firmware operating ceiling of 120 meters. 

Click on aerial images for a closer look. 

 

That's me and Ruby in the center

The Center

View North

View South

House and outbuildings left of center

 View East

View West - somehow went missing.

And the climb to altitude and return to terra firma. 

 

Restoration

This photo was taken the spring of 1995 the year following our purchase of the farm.  That's the original barn in the background and the well house (pump house) in the foreground.  I took the photo below of the same view just the other day.

An interesting historical factoid about this place is that the original house never had running water or indoor plumbing.  Pictured is the pump house.  It happens to be the newest of the original buildings and likely was constructed about the time rural electrification arrived.  Evidence supporting this theory?  The studs in the building are dimensional lumber milled precisely 2X4 inches (none of them sixteen inches on center), the siding was wood Dutch lap board and the surviving electrical work in the building dates to the period of the late 1930s to early 1940s.  As near as I can tell power arrived along our stretch of road sometime between 1937 and 1942.  

The shallow well in this building and an additional one in the yard were properly plugged, abandoned and registered with the county more than twenty-five years ago.  Inside this building is the original pump-jack and electric motor that delivered water via an overhead pipe to the barn.  Indeed, the livestock had running water.

In any event, about the time we constructed the house the pump house received a facelift.  The asphalt siding had been previously removed and it got a new roof.  I constructed new casings and installed replacement windows.  It got a couple of paint jobs too.  Because we have indoor plumbing we store garden tools and potting supplies in it.  Alas, over the last few decades the aging process persisted and by the time last winter rolled-around we were pondering our options for a deteriorating shed.  

The original log house was sold to someone from Chicago who disassembled it and hauled it away shortly before we purchased the property.  We hired a guy to dismantle the barn and clean-up the site.  No money changed hands in exchange for the salvage of the original posts, beams and siding.  Our house was constructed on the barn footprint.  We previously restored the original granary which dates to the Belgian settlement of the mid to latter 1800s.  Our sad-looking pump house is the second and last of the original buildings on this farmstead.  Our choices included:  Total demolition and removal.  Demolition, removal and replacement with an Amish-manufactured shed.  And partial demolition and restoration in-place.  

Weighing costs and other considerations we opted for the latter.  It was much more than a cosmetic  facelift so I'd characterize it as a complete facelift, tummy tuck and boob job.  The interior is unchanged thus preserving the old; but the exterior is new.  It's maintenance-free too.  And I gotta say, we're tickled with the results.

The only thing left for us to do is spread gravel around the base to keep dirt splatter off the siding; and tidy-up the interior.  That white cedar may have to go too.  That's worth pondering. 

If anybody in the neighborhood is looking for a talented handyman I gotta guy you should meet. 

 

Click on images for a closer look

Built To Last

Located at the southwest corner of Third Avenue and Kentucky is one of Sturgeon Bay's more prominent lat 19th-century commercial buildings; the Hay Hardware Building.  I paid a call last week for an annual eye exam at Door County Eye Associates and always enjoy the tasteful blend of old architecture and a new professional suite replete with modern technology.

Hardware merchants Charles Tifft and John Hay expanded their business in Ahnapee (Algoma) to Sturgeon Bay in the 1880s.   Hay moved to Sturgeon Bay to manage the store.  The business grew in popularity with Door County farmers supplying everything from heavy agricultural supplies, nails, paint and fencing.  As the business grew, Tifft and Hay built the brick building at what was then the primary business corner of downtown at the intersection of Cedar and St. John Streets.  It opened in September of 1889.

During the economic depression of 1894 the two men parted company and John Hay assumed full ownership of the Sturgeon Bay business as Hay Hardware.  Around the turn of the century a matching brick addition as built at the rear to house a tin shop for the hardware business.  Prior to the opening of the Michigan Street Bridge in 1931 this building was downtown Sturgeon Bay's business anchor.  It operated continuously as a hardware store for ninety years before closing in 1979.   

Constructed of local stone and cream-colored brick the structure is a classic commercial design featuring an ornate corbelled brick cornice. decorative brick pilasters, six bay facade with limestone sills and lintels.  The building retains its original storefront and layout and showcases the original interior structural old-growth white pine timbers tied-together with iron rods and bolts.

                           When was the last time you saw square nuts that large?

Nowadays, the building persists as a contributor to the Third Avenue Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

And following my cataract surgery It has become brighter, clearer and more colorful  to behold.

Kermis

Kermesse, or kermis, or kirmess, is a Dutch language term derived from 'kerk' (church) and 'mis' (mass) that became incorporated in French and English. Its origins are originally associated with the mass said on the anniversary of the founding of a church (or the parish) and in honor of the Patron Saint.  Such religious celebrations were regularly held in the Low Countries, in Central Europe and also in Northern France, and were accompanied by feasting, dancing, drinking and sports. 

The Dutch-American Village of Little Chute, Wisconsin, has celebrated Kermis annually since 1981 with a street festival. The Wallonian settlements in Door and Kewaunee Counties have celebrated Kermis with traditional Belgian dishes and events for as long as anyone can remember.  

Traditionally, Kermis around here stretched over several calendar weeks as each small settlement - Namur, Brussels, Rosiere, Little Sturgeon, Forestville, Lincoln, Duvall and Casco celebrated the harvest and the life-giving bounty of food. 

The 2026 Belgian Kermiss Festival took place Sunday at the Belgian Heritage Center in Namur.  This historic harvest festival dates all the way back to 1858.  This event serves as the center's largest annual fundraiser; plus it's a terrific way to get your Booyah fix. 

 

The historic church, school and convent serve as the repository preserving the history and culture of the largest Walloon Belgian settlement in the United States.

 

 

Anyway, there were demonstrations featuring old school mechanized farm machinery powered by early gasoline engines. Cool stuff. 

 

 

 

But this caught my attention. 

 

Driven by the power takeoff on a modern Deere tractor this is technically a diesel-powered ice cream maker. 

 

 

Cherry Camp

 

After Horseshoe Bay Farms discontinued its elite Holstein breeding operation in 1925 the farm transitioned to focus on orchard production.  As hundreds, upon hundreds, of acres of cherry trees reached full maturity there arose a seasonal challenge; harvesting millions of pounds of cherries.  The technology of the time required thousands of hands picking cherries one by one and just like today local labor was in short supply.  Frank Murphy, who owned Horseshoe Bay Farms in Egg Harbor came-up with a novel solution.

Cherry Camp.

Functioning as a part-time summer job and youth camp bringing local teenagers together with other 13 to 17 year-olds from across Wisconsin and as far away as Chicago. 

The original Horseshoe Bay Golf Clubhouse, located right on the shore of green Bay, was converted into a dormitory.  The clubhouse featured a mess hall and a canteen where campers could purchase soda pop, treats and snacks.  As an exclusively all-boys facility, following a day's labor, most campers stripped-down, soaped-up, and jumped into the waters of Green Bay to clean-up.  The dorm also featured an outdoor basketball court, baseball field, horseshoes and a boxing ring.

As co-owners the Cowles family held longstanding seats on the Green Bay Packers Board of Director.  Consequently, Packers players, supplemented with local high school coaches,  served as chaperones and camp counselors.  

The daily routine began with reveille and calisthenics.  Following breakfast, trucks transported the kids up the bluffs to the orchards.  Campers had to pick 7.5 pails of cherries each day to cover their room and board.  Profits of every pail picked beyond that went directly to the teenage camper.  Lunch was at the orchard and quitting time was 4 PM.  Following supper, candy bars were awarded to the day's highest pickers.  Each day closed with the Pledge of Allegiance, retiring of the colors, taps and lights out. 

 This was not a vacation experience; it was back-breaking work.  Climbing ladders and hauling pails of cherries in the July sun was not a leisurely summer day.  Nevertheless, the organized camp experience combining hard work with summer adventure away from home likely left some fond memories.

The boom years for cherry camp extended from the early 1940s thru the 1950s.  The camp operated at peak capacity during these decades often drawing 100 teenagers each July and August.  With the introduction of mechanical limb shakers and automated harvesting equipment in the 1960s the need for the manual picking of cherries was eliminated.  The need for seasonal teenage labor disappeared and so did cherry camp. 

It is worth noting that girls picked cherries too alongside the boys - but under a different arrangement. Local girls commuted daily to the orchards to pick alongside the camp boys.  The children of families visiting for the summer also earned summer cash making cherry picking a rite of passage for generations of teenagers.

                                                       Photo Credits - Horseshoe Bay Farms 

Oldtime Baseball

While the Door County Baseball League holds itself out as one of America's oldest, continuously operating, amateur baseball leagues it doesn't hold the pole position.  It's pretty close, though.

Founded in 1914 the National Amateur Baseball Federation is the absolute oldest.

Followed by the Boston Park League founded in 1929.

Who is the absolute oldest is a matter of some controversy and dispute as a consequence of amateur vs. semi-pro, reorganizations and continuity. 

The Door County league was founded in 1931 and does hold an unbroken record of never missing a season.  It survived the Great Depression, managed to continue playing for the duration of World War II and the COVID pandemic.  Not many amateur leagues can make that claim.

So, even though it's not the oldest, this year is its 95th season of uninterrupted, small town  amateur baseball.  Which is a big claim considering the county's population (give or take) has grown from 18,000 people in 1930 to 30,000 people nowadays.

Photo - Kolberg Braves 

So if your visiting on a weekend and want to hop in the Mule with us and drive down the road about a mile to Kolberg for some Sunday afternoon baseball there's a good chance you and your sweetie can catch a Kolberg Braves home game.  Admission, a couple of beers and a hotdog might set you back $20 (all-in) so it's a bargain by any measure.

That's what made America Great!  

You can learn more here.

Another Springtime Event

A previous settler had the foresight to plant lilacs around the original homestead.  That house was sold to someone who coveted the logs before our time. 

Nevertheless, over the last century the ancestral (and ancient) lilacs persist having grown into a massive 20 foot tall hedgerow. 

They’re putting on a show right now and the scent is incredible!

I cannot recall lilacs on this scale ever.

 

Further evidence of spring.....

 

 

 

 

Remembering The Fitzgerald

Today is the anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on the big lake they call Gitche Gumee.

 

Did you know that the Mighty Fitz had Sturgeon Bay connections?

 

Two crewmen, sons of Sturgeon Bay (Door County), perished in the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975.  Oliver J. "Buck" Champeau - Third Assistant Engineer, age 41 and Russel G. Haskell - Second Assistant Engineer, age 40.

 

You can learn more about the story here at the Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse Preservation Society.  We Are Holding Our Own, is a highly personal temporary exhibit that opened in October at DCMM honoring the 50th anniversary of the wreck.  If you're here for a visit be sure to check it out as it will run thru the end of 2025.

Another Sturgeon Bay connection is this ice-breaking tug. 

The USCG tug Naugatuck was the first Coast Guard vessel to respond on the scene of the missing freighter.  The crew recovered life rings, jackets, life boat oars and other debris over their three days on the scene.

photo ChatGTP

The (former) Naugatuck is still working on the Great Lakes now as the Jimmy L of Sarter Marine Towing in Sturgeon Bay.

When she is not at work you can find her berthed along the west waterfront adjacent to the Oregon Street bridge.  Jimmy L is presently operated under charter by Great Lakes Towing Company.

Last, but not least, there is the Arthur M. Anderson, sister ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  The Anderson was the last ship to have contact with the Fitzgerald before the sinking and the first on the scene in a vain search for survivors.

I snapped these photos from the water in the port of Green Bay. 

 

 

The Anderson is still in active service and from time to time it is spotted in Sturgeon Bay.

Small maritime world around these parts.... 

Kermis

Kermesse, or kermis, or kirmess, is a Dutch language term derived from 'kerk' (church) and 'mis' (mass) that became incorporated in French and English. Its origins are originally associated with the mass said on the anniversary of the founding of a church (or the parish) and in honor of the Patron Saint.  Such religious celebrations were regularly held in the Low Countries, in Central Europe and also in Northern France, and were accompanied by feasting, dancing, drinking and sports. 

The Dutch-American Village of Little Chute, Wisconsin, has celebrated Kermis annually since 1981 with a street festival. The Wallonian settlements in Door and Kewaunee Counties have celebrated Kermis with traditional Belgian dishes and events for as long as anyone can remember.  

Traditionally, Kermis around here stretched over several calendar weeks as each small settlement - Namur, Brussels, Rosiere, Little Sturgeon, Forestville, Lincoln, Duvall and Casco celebrated the harvest and the life-giving bounty of food.  

I'm not of Dutch or Belgian descent - but we're celebrating our own Kermis here with With the last of our garden harvest and attending the annual Kermis festival at the local Belgian American Heritage Center in Namur.  Nothing better on a late summer afternoon than friends, neighbors, a couple of Trappist-influenced craft beers and some Belgian Church Lady food. 

Beginning in the mid-1800s and over three decades more than 5000 Belgian immigrants settled in several communities in the area.  To this day it constitutes the largest concentration of Walloon Belgians anywhere in the world outside of Belgium.  It's a national treasure.  But I digress.

Getting back to the subject of culinary traditions I happened-upon this short video published only a few years ago.  I'm sharing it as it is about the tradition of hog butchering in both English and Walloon.  Walloon is a national treasure around these parts as it's actually an endangered 'Romance Language' of the Langues d'oïl family - spoken primarily in the Wallonia region of Belgium.   

One of the elements of the past that is alive and well is a local favorite called Belgian Trippe.

Trippe (pronounced like: trip) is a sausage similar to a bratwurst but with a not-so-secret ingredient.  The thrifty Belgian settlers extended their pork sausage with the inclusion of cabbage.  Further seasoned with onion, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and ginger it is made locally by Marchant's.

It's pretty good stuff for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you won't find it anywhere outside of northeast Wisconsin.

Here's a newspaper clipping from 1963 with a recipe for 60+ pounds of the sausage for serving at a Kermis - or Belgian harvest festival....

click on image for a closer look

Glamping

Recently I burned about eight gallons of diesel brushing-out 3.5 miles of trails, a six acre wildlife opening and the ancestral campsite.  Campsite, you ask?  Yup; in the early years it was there we camped.  Eventually we purchased a park model trailer home, The Villa, adjacent to Potawotomi State Park and commuted back and forth from there to here and back.  Yup; we lived in a trailer park too.  And then eventually built a house (second home) and finally moved here permanently.

Over the years the Missus and I have been acquainted (and married) we've done a great deal of camping.  We've camped across the breadth of Canada, south to the Gulf of Mexico, all of the southwestern US, most of Wisconsin and we even took a Jeep trip off-road across the rocky mountains.

With two homes, a tree farm to maintain and the creep of maturity and eventually retirement the camping itch doesn't need much of a scratch.  Nevertheless, from time to time and on special occasions  we'll still pitch a tent, and cook over a fire or a camp stove.  We've saved all the camping gear and have our own private campsite down by Silver Creek.

I can bake a campfire dutch oven pizza, the best pudgie pie on the planet and have special kind of s'mores recipe in case you're interested. 

Anyway, the ancestral campsite has been cleaned-up.  A rough-cut with the Rhino bush hog...

Followed by a trim with a weed whacker...   

The original picnic table from more than three decades ago has been returned to its proper place.  I even added a Leopold bench for good measure.

We don't have electrical or water hook-ups.  But we have clear dark skies at night, no bothersome  drunken neighbors keeping you up until 2 AM and all the free firewood you need to roast a wienie and keep your tootsies toasty.  We even have a shitter.  You have to bring your own roll; butt the view is spectacular.  Pun intended.

Think of it as the first iteration of glamping.

Raising a toast to fun times out-of-doors and around the campfire.