I caught this passenger waiting for the last boat out, through the doorway of the Rock Island boat house, Door Peninsula, Wisconsin. Several passengers were actually waiting on the dock, but I waited until I could frame just one person in the limestone doorway.
Rock Island is the last large island at the end of the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin. The island is fairly isolated, only reachable by boat. Besides this limestone boat house, which is so well-preserved that from the shore it appears to be a new building, there’s a rustic campground, a restored lighthouse and a few smaller old buildings. It’s a great place to hike and explore, but be prepared to bring your own food and water – there are no stores on the island.
To get to Rock Island, we took a car ferry run by pirates to Washington Island, drove across the island to the far side, then caught a passenger ferry to Rock Island. The waterway around the tip of the peninsula, with rocky shoals and strong currents, was once so hazardous a passage that is was nicknamed “Death’s Door” which lead to the name for the area, Door Peninsula. The addition of several lighthouses and modern navigation tools have lessened the danger of sailing though Death’s Door, but the name was already stuck.
Rock Island Boat House from the shore. This is the first thing one sees when approaching the island. The limestone structure is so well-preserved that my first thought was “Why did someone build a new boat house on such a remote island?”
From the inside, the building better shows its age. Built in 1928, the boathouse, with its Great Hall atop, is one of the remaining buildings of the Chester Thordarson estate. Thordarson, a wealthy industrialist, built a large estate on the island to entertain visiting dignitaries. Only a few buildings remain.
© ♥ Huffygirl 2012
Thanks for the trip. That first photo sucked me in. Beautiful.
Thanks Suzanne.
Its a great building!
Thanks Gilly. It’s a fun place to visit on a nice summer day.
Awesome! Does anyone live on this island?
No, the land belongs to the state now . There is a state park with rustic camping there, and in the summer, people can sign up to be guest docents and live in the lighthouse, for a week at a time I think. The boat house and great hall above are open to visitors, as is the lighthouse. The other old buildings are locked up. I’ve added a link at the end about visiting Rock Island.
You got me with the first photo.These are beautiful pictures.I don’t know if I would stay there for a week but I sure would like to visit.I just wish I could take photos like you.Blessings.
Thanks Lexiesnana. I don’t know how long the lighthouse keepers stay, but it seems like they told us it was about a week. It was a fun place to explore. I hope you get there some day.
Great atmosphere in the “Solitary” picture. That boathouse looks splendidly mysterious. I was thinking what a good background Rock Island would make for a riveting mystery novel.
You’re right Sandra, it would be a good place for a mystery novel. If you decide not to write it, let me know and maybe I’ll do it. They even have an old cemetery there, which would be a great place to hide the body. No one would find it for quite awhile, at least 3 or 4 chapters, I think
Oh no, not my story. Take it away, HG!
Okay, I will then. Maybe I’ll finally start my novel.
Beautiful picture!
Thanks John. You should go visit there sometime!
Pingback: Weekly photo challenge: Solitary « The (Urban-Wildlife) Interface
Thanks for the pingback and for stopping by.
I enjoyed how you include not only the photograph challenge but other photos and an interesting narrative of Door Penninsula. Nice!
Thanks Bella. Maybe you’ll visit there someday now? We don’t have mountains out here, but still a lot of nice things to see.
Love the boat photo. These are all excellent images.
Thanks Angelia, and thanks for stopping by.
Award winning photo! So interesting to learn about new places. A car ferry run by pirates–arrr . . . what an an adventure!
Thanks Lisa. I have to say though the pirates were pretty mild-mannered. Writing this has made me want to go back there, but it does involve a lot of boats.
great pics…especially like the first one.
Thanks Ann. It’s a beautiful place to visit.