“Reporter Told of Pirate Cave 100 Years Ago” from the April 16, 1963 Door County Advocate
Reporter Told of Pirate Cave 100 Years Ago
In 1863 a reporter for the Manitowoc Tribune took a sailing trip to northern Door county. The following is his account of his impressions of Door county 100 years ago.
(From the Manitowoc Tribune.)
Having long since conceived a desire to visit the “regions beyond,” and circumstances favoring the project, we took passage on the Sea Bird, August 1st. Leaving Manitowoc harbor, and making the customary stops at intermediate points, our staunch little steamer, in a few hours, brought us along side the pier at Wolf River, when we were met by a friend, according to appointment. The next morning found us enroute for Sturgeon Bay, where we arrived in good time. This beautiful Bay sets into the main land some eight miles, terminating within a mile or two of Lake Michigan. A canal at this point is already talked of, and the consummation of such a project would materially aid our lake commerce. The village of Sturgeon Bay, county seat of Door Co., is pleasantly situated on the north side of the Bay, and already gives signs of future prosperity and importance.— Here we made up an excursion party, consisting of Rev. Wm. Stephens, and B. M. Fullmer, the district attorney (formerly Capt. Reed of Manitowoc.) Deputy Sheriff Squire, and your humble correspondent. We chartered a small schooner, went on board, and spread sail for Death’s Door. Stopping over night at Fish Creek, we reached our destination the next day. This passage is at the terminus of the peninsular which divides Green Bay from Lake Michigan, and derives its singular cognomen from the historical fact that many years ago some eighty canoe loads of Indians were drowned in its waters by a sudden squall, thus annihilating a whole tribe of aborigines.
We spent nearly a week in hunting, sight-seeing, etc. Among the various objects of interest seen by us was Hoosie’s Bluff, a magnificent pile of rocks about two miles below the Door, near to Eagle Harbor. In this Bluff we saw the “Hole in the rock.” It has the appearance of a window in a huge castle wall, midway between base and turret story, and from its verge, inside, a cave drops down twenty feet. Of this mysterious cavern it is said that about forty years ago an adventurous sailor climbed the mast of his vessel, passed out on the yard, thus reaching the “hole,” when his curiosity was gratified with discovering a large quantity of musket barrels and knives, giving evidence that, a long time before it was the resort of pirates or robbers.
Nearly the whole of the east shore of Door Co., from the Door to fifty miles south, is literally a “rock bound coast,” with here and there a towering bluff, or a splendid harbor, and thick heavy forests everywhere stretching back into the interior, presenting, altogether, beautiful sublime scenery as beheld from the deck of a passing boat.
Thursday found our party on Washington Island, which is some five miles from main land. This Island contains about 17,000 acres of land, most of it good tillable soil, and 5,000 acres may yet be taken up under the Homestead act; it has three harbors, considerable business, is on the steamboat line of travel to Buffalo, and has perhaps, two hundred inhabitants. In the evening we held a Union war meeting, to the edification of loyal men and discomfiture of copperheads. Sunday afternoon we saw three Government boats in Washington harbor, viz: the revenue cutter Coquette, and two steamers. One of the latter was once commanded by Gen. Meade, of the Potomac army; the first mate of the former had been pilot on board the famous rebel pirate Sumter, and his employment and promotion by the Government is justly considered a disgrace and insult to the service.
Our voyage terminated Tuesday morning, we having spent a night of darkness, storm and peril on Green Bay, and finished up with an exciting race before a furious gale of wind, some of the time scudding under bare poles at the rate of ten knots an hour. Mounted on a trusty steed we left Sturgeon Bay in the afternoon, making the entire distance to Manitowoc, overland route by Wednesday evening.
On the whole, our impressions of Kewaunee and Door counties are quite favorable. The sturdy spirit of the Northwest is steadily pushing forward various branches of trade, developing immense agricultural resources, and slowly, but surely, laying the foundation of a great commonwealth.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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