With more miles of shoreline, more state parks and more lighthouses than any other county in the United States, the Door peninsula is sure to enthrall you.

With its limestone bluffs, sand beaches and rural farms, Door County is a natural haven from the stress of daily life. The waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan give the peninsula more than 250 miles of shoreline, ensuring that you are never more than a few minutes from a relaxing water view.

The coastlines of Door County are dotted with more than 40 islands, many of which provide boaters safe and scenic anchorage. Ten lighthouses still guard the harbors and islands of the county. One of them, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, built in 1868, is open to the public. It is located in Peninsula State Park between Fish Creek and Ephraim.

Inland, sunlight filtered through birch, pine and cedar trees dapples thousands of acres of woodlands that are home to deer, raccoons, porcupines and other animals.

The county's many apple and cherry orchards provide a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. In the spring these orchards are awash in gentle pink and white blossoms. Later, the fruit they bear will become wine, cider, pies and other tempting treats.

Much of the farmland of northern Door County has been retired from use, and Mother Nature has made this land her coat of many colors. From the trillium of early spring to the hawkweed and cornflowers of fall, Door County's array of wildflowers dazzles.

All this natural splendor is located on a 75-mile long peninsula that was the first part of the state of Wisconsin seen by a white man.

Jean Nicolet, a French explorer, landed at Rock Island in August 1634. He later stopped briefly at Horseshoe Island and on the peninsula south of what today is Sturgeon Bay.

Today, Door County boasts a rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Washington Island attracted many Icelandic settlers in the early 1860s, and today is home to the largest Icelandic settlement in the United States.

Namur, just south of Sturgeon Bay on State Highway 57, is the site of one of the largest ethnic settlements in the country. Here two-story farmhouses of red brick characterize the Belgian architectural style of the community's early settlers. The homes actually are log cabins covered with fire-proof brick, an adaptation made by Belgian farmers following the Great Fire of 1871.

The fire, which claimed 800 people and destroyed 2,400 square miles in the Peshtigo area, jumped the waters of Green Bay and touched off fires in southern Door County. 

The Belgian community was devastated when the conflagration became a tornado of flame and deadly smoke. The small settlement of Williamsville, near Little Sturgeon Bay, was destroyed and all 80 residents died.

Residents of southern Wisconsin sent money to help the Belgians rebuild and restock their farms. Their determination and pride allowed them to create an even stronger community out of the ashes of tragedy. A monument to those who died in the fire is located at Tornado Park, north of Brussels on Highway 57.

Other ethnic settlements on the peninsula include the Scandinavian communities at and around Sister Bay and the Moravians at Ephraim.

Farming, fishing and logging were the primary occupations of the early settlers in the county. Today, tourism is Door County's main industry.

Visitors can learn more about the county's fascinating history by visiting some of the museums located throughout the county.

Besides its museums, the county boasts many other historic sites, including the Anderson Store at Ephraim; the log cabin of Asa Thorp, the founder of Fish Creek; and the Old Rugged Cross at the Friends Church in Sturgeon Bay, where a marker commemorates the site where the composer first introduced this beloved hymn.

Lighthouses are an important, even critical, part of Door County's colorful maritime history. 

Much of the county's more than 250 miles of shoreline is rocky. This presented ship captains with potentially deadly challenges. The need for lighthouses, as well as other navigational aids, became increasingly important as the county became a center of maritime commerce.

Door County has 10 lighthouses, more than any other county in the United States.

Before the advent of electric lighting, oil fires were the main source of illumination. In either case, the light is sent through a rotating magnifying lense, producing a far-reaching beam. Visitors can tour Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park. The facility has been carefully restored and furnished just as it was when lighthouse keepers and their families lived there.

The county's other lighthouses may be seen from the grounds or from a distance. Those lighthouses are: Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Baileys Harbor Rangelight and Lighthouse, Cana Island and Sherwood Point. Lighthouses on Chambers Island, Rock Island, Plum Island and Pilot Island are accessible by boat.

Special access to all the lighthouses is available for two days every May during the Door County Lighthouse Walk.