Our History

Settlement in Baileys Harbor began and the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse (commonly referred to as the Birdcage Light House) was built on the southeastern shore of Baileys Harbor. Soon time would tell that the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse did more damage than it prevented. Positioned out on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Lighthouse poorly identified the dangerous shallow shoal stretching across the opening of the harbor. Our community needed to find a more effective alternative for important maritime navigation.

To recover from the losses seen with increased shipping and poor navigational aids, the Cana Island Lighthouse and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights were erected and activated. The Cana Island Lighthouse served an important purpose of communicating with ships, where they were located. The Baileys Harbor Range Lights presently located within The Ridges Sanctuary aided in the direct navigation into Baileys Harbor. Safely navigating ships into the harbor was critical for the import of goods and the export of lumber and limestone so abundantly sourced from the Baileys Harbor area.

Eight lighthouse keepers, all appointed by the federal government, served at the Baileys Harbor Range Lights. The lighthouse keepers held a prestigious and important role of ensuring the lighthouses remained functional 24/7. The final lighthouse keeper to reside at the Baileys Harbor Range Lights was Henry Gattie, a Belgian immigrant. Henry spent 27 years serving the Range Lights until they were ultimately automated in 1923. Henry and the previous lighthouse keepers were very resourceful and utilized the 30 acres surrounding the Range Lights for growing food, raising livestock, and even growing hops.

The Baileys Harbor Range Lights were automated with acetylene gas. Because of their automation, the Range Lights no longer required a full-time resident keeper to ensure they stayed lit. Lighthouse keeper, Henry Gattie, was restationed to Cana Island Lighthouse, and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights sat empty until 1930 when the Upper and Lower Range Lights were electrified. Logging continued in the area surrounding the Baileys Harbor Range Lights and the import and export of goods was still active in Baileys Harbor.

After the Baileys Harbor Range Lights were electrified, ministers of the Baileys Harbor Lutheran Church and their families lived there until the mid 1950s. During this time, the facility hosted scrap metal drives for WWII, hosted catechism classes for local students, and served as a community space for decades.

Albert Fuller, founder of The Ridges Sanctuary became the curator of botany at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Hard hit by the Depression, the museum canceled lecture programs, field research and museum publications. Using an infusion of federal funds, Fuller began designing ecological exhibits in hopes that the dioramas would nurture conservation efforts. At the same time, Fuller conducted field work, collecting specimens to add to the growing Herbarium at the museum. Fuller spent a considerable amount of time at the “Range Light Forty” that at the time was federally owned and managed by the US Coastguard. Fuller returned frequently for fieldwork, referring to the ecosystems as a “paradise for a botanist.” In addition to the 24 species of the royal orchid family that grew within the parcel, he also found his beloved queen, the showy lady’s slipper.

The United States Department of Commerce deeded the 40 acres surrounding the Baileys Harbor Range Lights to Door County. The County Parks Commission agreed to take it over and manage the area for the good of the county. At first it was thought that a trailer park would best serve the interests of the community and plans were made to “improve” the land in this manner. The work began quickly. Trees were felled and bucked in preparation for campers. Clearing also began for proposed roadways on ridge tops and swales were being filled. Community members Olivia Traven and Anna McArdle investigated the noise and were appalled to see the project underway. This began the protest that reached county to the state.

 In early 1937, Albert Fuller learned that the county planned to build a trailer park on the land and the botanist, typically described as reserved and soft-spoken wrote, “I set up a howl that was heard over all of Door County.” He advocated tirelessly for the preservation of the area through articles and field trips. Often accompanied by his friend and fellow conservationist, Jens Jensen, he gave countless presentations to residents of the area, including Emma Toft, Olivia Traven, William Sieker and George Sieker. It was Fuller’s inspirational presentations which sparked a grass roots movement throughout Baileys Harbor and the greater Door County community to protect the original 40 acres.

By October, this mighty community of conservationists and preservationists did what they set out to do, protect the “Range Light Forty” from development and preserve the “Sanctuary” as Wisconsin’s First Land Trust. An agreement was made between the conservationists and Door County to lease the land under a 99-year lease. On October 4^th, 1937, The Ridges Sanctuary was officially formed as an organization to continue the conservation movement of land protection, research and education under the banner of the original mission statement:

The first officers of this new conservation organization were Frank Oldenburg president, Anna McArdle vice-president, Olivia Traven secretary, and Emma Toft treasurer. The officers were supported by the first board of directors: Jens Jensen, Albert Fuller, John Matter and Frank Oldenburg, George Sieker, and A.B. Gochenour. Many of these names are found all throughout Baileys Harbor and Door County for the influence they had on the communities we now know and adore. Jens Jensen robustly supported the efforts of The Ridges Sanctuary while developing and managing his school in Ellison Bay called The Clearing Folk School.

Soon after the founding of The Ridges Sanctuary, land acquisition began. The first to donate land to the fledgling organization was Ferdinand Hotz, a diamond merchant from Chicago. Hotz donated 40 acres to The Ridges which sparked the opportunity for more acquisitions in the area. Negotiations began to purchase other parcels. Small steps were being taken to “protect the native plant and animal life” on The Ridges and to “preserve the same in its natural or aboriginal state.” 

In addition to the conservation efforts early on, the organization set out to promote conservation through education and research. A summer schedule of programs focusing on conservation was lined up. Emma Toft worked closely with the local schools for educational programs, and plans were made to have guides available at The Ridges. The trail system was initially defined, and discussions began regarding the management of the “Range Light 40” that they were now leasing from Door County. Much of the early discussions surrounded what to do with the old rickety boardwalk between the Upper and Lower Range Lights. Albert Fuller and Emma Toft were in favor of replacing the boardwalk, though they knew it was “an improvement that Jens Jensen did not exactly approve of.” Growth in programming, solidification of management practices, and robust land acquisition played out over the next few decades.

Jens Jensen passed away on September 30^th, 1951. Both at The Clearing and The Ridges, his efforts would be missed. Many noted that he would have been the first to say, “Carry on, the work of preservation is still unfinished.” Even near the end of his life, Jensen could enjoy the “smiles of nature” as he called things natural. Emma Toft shared this story after Jensen’s passing: “Jens Jensen lay on his deathbed when Emma came to see him. She brought with her a small picnic basket covered with a red and white checkered napkin. She gently set the basket on Jens’ chest and slowly removed the napkin. Out jumped a tiny baby skunk onto Mr. Jensen’s chest! A wide grin broke out on Jens’ face. Emma said she had hoped Mr. Jensen could give her one of his beautiful smiles the last time she would see him alive – and he did. Shortly after her visit, he died.”

Jens, Emma, Albert, Olivia and countless others represent our foundation and legacy. Sharing a deep love for nature, they led with courage at a time when conservation was sometimes misunderstood. The Ridges is indebted to our founders, and proudly continues to deliver on their legacy and vision to inspire the conservation of Nature.

Roy Lukes, teacher at the Door-Kewaunee County Teacher College in Algoma, came to know Murl Deusing through his summer nature movies at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall and Harold Wilson, a bird bander from Ephraim. The three spent much time together banding birds, once most notably in late June of 1963 on Jack Island in Green Bay north of Ephraim. On their ride back to Ephraim, Harold and Murl were discussing the possibility of establishing a full-time tour guide at The Ridges Sanctuary for the following summer. Emphatically the two gentlemen looked at each other, turning to Roy and asking if he wanted a job next summer. This led to a number of communications between the three, resulting in Roy accepting the guide’s job starting in June of 1964. Roy’s earliest challenge would be to find a place to sleep during his work, which was promptly resolved by utilizing two rooms upstairs at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.

In early 1965, The Ridges Board of Directors decided to approach the U.S. Coastguard with hopes of obtaining the Upper Range Light as a residence for Roy to reside in. it was President Wilson’s pleasure to announce at the annual meeting that the Coastguard had agreed to lease the Range Light to The Ridges for five years.

Plans were developed over the coming months to host a dedication in August 1968. The biggest hurdle to overcome was to obtain a suitable piece of native Door County dolomite to mount the plaque too. A large crowd turned out to celebrate the dedication and witness the unveiling. The Door County Advocate reported on the events and noted that the site was the first in Wisconsin to be dedicated as a National Natural Landmark. They also noted that the plaque was mounted on a seven-ton chunk of Niagara dolomite taken from Europe Bay State Park.

After a frightening lightning storm that nearly destroyed the Range Light residence, Roy Lukes talked with the U.S. Coast Guard personnel about the electrical problems following the event. One of the members jokingly stated, “We heard that the government is planning to tear the old range light residence down!” Naturally Roy did not take it as a joke because this was his home. 

A few months later, Roy returned home from school and noticed that his home smelled of cigarette smoke. Knowing that the only other people that had access to the Range Light were the Coast Guard, Roy went up to the tower to see what they had been up to. It was at that moment that Roy noticed that the beautiful 100-year-old ground and polished Fresnel lens used for magnifying the beam of light out towards Lake Michigan had been removed. Roy raced down to the Lower Range Light and recognized the same thing; the red Fresnel lens had been removed from the tower. The Baileys Harbor Range Lights were officially deactivated nearly 100 years (to the day) of activation and were to be replaced with a new metal-tower directional lens.

Plans were well underway to disassemble and relocate an old log farmhouse from the farm of Orville Kaye in southern Door County to The Ridges Sanctuary for use as a nature center. The purchase of the cabin was made for $150, and $450 was spent to disassemble and deliver the logs to the building site on the corner of Highway 57 and County Q. On October 5^th, 1974, a crowd of enthusiastic Ridges members gathered for the dedication of The Nature Center. 

Around the same time, The Ridges Sanctuary received notice from the Department of the Interior regarding enlarging the National Natural Landmark (NNL) to include the adjacent Mud Lake Wildlife Area and University of Wisconsin’s Toft Point Property. This expanded the NNL to over 3,000 acres.

The Door County Historical Society learned sometime in the mid-1970s that the old log homestead of the Marshall Family located in Peninsula State Park was going to be burned or razed. Sensing the historic value of the cedar log building they received permission to dismantle and move it. Having not found a use for it after a few years, they offered the building to The Ridges, and it was accepted. The Ridges had hopes of expanding educational programming and realized this would be the perfect opportunity to expand with more classroom space. Due to lack of funds, the building was placed in storage until the summer of 1982, when the organization was ready to build it in place. Although it still took a considerable amount of time and money, the building was completed in the summer of 1983 and dedicated on July 16, 1983.

The Ridges Sanctuary celebrated 50 years as a conservation organization set out to protect and preserve the Sanctuary. With the celebration well underway, The Ridges Sanctuary Board of Directors emphatically announced the donation of 11.9 acres from Mr. and Mrs. Edward Vogel, officially bringing the Ridges land holdings to 1,001.9 acres! This exciting announcement solidified a goal suggested by Jens Jensen to acquire 1,000 acres in 50 years.

Naturalist Roy Lukes retires from The Ridges Sanctuary.