Piers

Two commercial piers were built in Juddville in the late 1800s primarily to take advantage of the cord wood business that was thriving in Door County at that time. The first, the Minor & Blakefield pier, was built in 1877. The second, the Lundberg & Settersten pier, was constructed in 1881.

During the latter part of the 19th century, local residents would clear their property of trees to sell the harvested wood, often with an additional goal of creating a field for farming.  They would haul the wood to the docks using horse or oxen drawn wagons to be shipped by schooner or steamship to cities like Milwaukee, Chicago, and Green Bay.

In Door County in 1880, there were at least sixty docks dedicated to shipping lumber, showing how important this industry was to the economy of the peninsula at that time. Some of these piers were over 1,000 feet in length.  (Source: Dannhausen Jr., Myles. “Clearing the Virgin Forests: Door County’s Logging Past”. Door County Living, May 1, 2005. https://doorcountypulse.com/clearing-the-virgin-forests/)

The Minor & Blakefield Dock

The Minor & Blakefield pier, located on the north end of the Peninsula Players property where the current Peninsula Players Road ends at the shore of Juddville Bay, was near completion on June 7, 1877. Minor and Blakefield were two successful Fish Creek business partners. Shipping was to commence from the pier as soon as the road leading to it could be prepared for the expected commerce. (Source:  “Local Matters:  Marine Matters”. Door County Advocate, June 7, 1877, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000783)

On March 15, 1878, Minor & Blakefield, were authorized by the state of Wisconsin to build the pier. The pier was to be built “… running in a westerly direction a distance of four hundred feet or more, and to be used for loading and unloading of steamboats, vessels and other watercraft.” It’s not clear why the pier was built before the state authorized its construction. (Source: “Laws of Wisconsin”. Ch. 174, p. 346. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1878/related/acts/175.pdf)

E.S. Minor, one of the two business partners building the dock, became a very well known and respected citizen of Door County. He was a civil war veteran who ultimately became a six-term U.S. Congressman and two-time mayor of Sturgeon Bay. (Source: “Edward Sloman Minor”. Find a Grave website. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131869998/edward-sloman-minor)

A newspaper item on February 7, 1878, indicated that it did not take long for the new pier to attract harvested lumber requiring shipping. “Large quantities of wood and cedar are being got out at the pier of Minor & Blakefield, at Juddville, this winter …”. (Source: “Local Slivers”. Door County Advocate, 2/7/1878, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000818)

On June 13th, 1878, the Door County Advocate printed, “Minor & Blakefield have shipped several cargoes of wood and bolts from this place (Fish Creek) and Juddville. The most of this firm’s business is being done at the latter point.” This newspaper item also highlights the initial success of the new pier. (Source: “From Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, 6/13/1878, p. 3.  https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000836)

The following Door County Advocate item from January 16th, 1879 provides further evidence of the pier’s early success: “Mr. Minor, of Minor & Blakefield, informs us that large quantities of wood have been cut and got out at Fish Creek so far this season. At Juddville, their new pier, more of this commodity has been got out the present winter than was shipped all of last season. There will no doubt be lively times down there next summer.” (Source: “Local Slivers”. Door County Advocate, 1/16/1879, p. 3.  https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000867)

In August of 1880, large quantities of wood had been cut from nearby woods but not moved to the dock because there was a lack of animal teams to haul the wood. (Source: “Northern News Items: Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, 8/12/1880, p. 3.  https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000949)

On January 12 of 1882, the Door County Advocate indicated wood, ties, etc. were being stacked up at the pier and banking ground to the point where it was thought there would be no room left for these items by the time that ships could navigate after the spring thaw. Also around this time, the dock was only being identified as the pier of F. G. Blakefield, possibly because E. S. Minor was becoming more active in politics. (Source: “Local Correspondence: Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, 1/12/1882, p. 2.  https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001023)

In 1883, the cord wood business for F.G. Blakefield began to wane:

There was not a lot of additional news reported in the local newspapers about activity on the Minor & Blakefield dock after 1883. That may have been due to another Juddville pier that was built in 1881 by Kesander Lundberg and Charles Settersen just a half mile further south, at the west end of Juddville Road.

By 1886, F.G. Blakefield had become financially insolvent and petitioned to be discharged from all of his debts. He moved to Madison, Wisconsin where it appears that he was able to start over in business. There he opened a fish depot. (Source: Creditor Notice (sixth column). The Independent, 4/2/1886, p. 3.  https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=fae15343-a5c5-4172-8e8f-939ee2361de1/wsbd0000/20120522/00000515)  (Source: “Around the County: Fish Creek. Door County Advocate, 1/6/1887, p. 2. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001283)

In recent years, scuba divers have visited the site of the Minor & Blakefield pier and indicated that there are still portions of the pier structure visible underwater. Pieces of china have been found by divers at this site. (Source: “Northern Door County: Peninsula Player Road”. Green Bay Scuba LLC” website. https://gbscuba.com/dive-travel/local-shore-diving/)

Juddville-Pier

Lundberg & Settersten Pier. Randall and Williams / Illustrated atlas of Door County, Wisconsin
(1899)

The Lundberg and Settersten Dock

In 1879, the Door County Advocate reported that a new store would soon be built and stocked with merchandise in the Juddville area. The article also indicated that a pier was to be constructed in the approaching winter south of the Minor & Blakefield pier.  (Source: “From Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, 6/12/1879, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000888)

The pier was first built (in 1881) and owned by C.A.’s brother Kassander Lundberg and his partner Charles Settersten. (Source: “Around Home: Short takes”. Door County Advocate, 5/26/1881, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000990)

Lundberg-Store-and-Pier-Photo

The Lundberg and Settersten pier in the foreground was used heavily by ships transporting lumber from Juddville in the late 19th century. Wisconsin Historical Society, Ferdinand Hotz, Lundberg Home, Image ID: 97555

“Lundburg & Settersten are getting out the necessary timber for building a pier on the east shore of Green Bay, at a central point between the piers at Juddville and Egg Harbor. There are large tracts of hard and soft wood timber in that section.” (Source: “Throughout the County”. Door County Advocate, 1/27/1881, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000973)

A bill was introduced in the Wisconsin state assembly by E.S. Minor to secure authorization for Kesander Lundburg (Charles’ brother) and Charles Settersten to construct the new Juddville Road pier. The pier was to extend into Juddville Bay “a distance not to exceed four hundred feet, and to be used for general shipping purposes.” (Source: “Throughout the County.” section, Door County Advocate, 2/24/1881, p. 2. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000983)

On March 25, 1881, the State of Wisconsin approved the act authorizing the construction of the new pier submitted by Kesander Lundburg and Charles Settersten. (Source: “Chapter 216.” notice. Door County Advocate, 4/7/1881, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000977)

By May 26th, 1881, the new pier was almost completed. It was reported as “one of the most substantial and durable structures, of the kind on Green Bay or Lake Michigan. There is an abundance of water at the outer end and craft will find no difficulty in getting in and out. A large amount of wood and cedar has been banked at the pier and shipping has commenced before this. This structure will doubtless prove of great advantage to the people living in that vicinity.” (Source: “Around Home – Short Takes”. Door County Advocate, 5/26/1881, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000990)

In February of 1882, Lundberg & Settersten had received some cord wood at the Juddville pier from people who had cut the wood locally, but the “indifferent sleighing during the past winter has made it impossible to get out any great quantity, though a large amount is cut in the woods.” Note: the pier was still called the Lundberg and Settersten pier at this point even though it was reported earlier that Kassander Lundberg had bought out his partner Settersten. (Source: “Around Home: Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, 2/23/1882, p. 3 https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001029)

Later in 1882, a tragic accident resulting in the death of a team of horses occurred at the pier. “The team of horses recently drowned at Juddville belonged to K. Lundberg, and not to Lundberg & Settersten, as previously announced in these columns. They were left on the pier while the driver went to supper and during his absence backed off the structure and were drowned. The accident was witnessed from the shore, and a party of men immediately rushed to the scene, but when they arrived nothing was to be seen of the poor animals, they having been instantly dragged down to death by the heavy wagon to which they were attached. The water was about 22 feet in depth where the team was drowned. The harness and wagon were recovered.” (Source: “Around Home: Throughout the County”. Door County Advocate,  8/24/1882, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001055)

Also, at this time, Kessander Lundberg bought out Settersten’s interest in the pier. (Source: “Around Home: Personal Mention”. Door County Advocate,  8/24/1882, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001055)

The following newspaper item highlights the booming cord wood business in Juddville in late 1882: “Juddville promises to be about as lively a point this winter as any on the bay shore. A large amount of wood and other products of the forest will be banked at this point, to be forwarded to market over the two piers next season.” (Source: “Around the County: Gibraltar”. Door County Advocate,  12/21/1882, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001072)

An entertaining item in a 1884 newspaper informs about Alex Lundberg’s marital status: “At Juddville I found my old friend, Alex Lundberg, who is doing a fair business with wood, posts, ties, etc., and has a good trade at his store. Alex, is a bachelor girls, make note of this!” (Source: “Our Tramp Abroad”. Weekly Expositor Independent, 9/19/1884, p. 2. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=cd3db20e-8a52-445f-9fc5-8f2ec98b5f16/wsbd0000/20120522/00000436)

Here are some news items addressing activities, ships and captains connected to this pier in the 1880’s:

In 1889, a comment by Alex Lundberg suggest that his wood shipping business was starting to ebb: “A. Lundberg, of Juddville, was in the city. Tuesday evening on his way to Green Bay. “How is the wood market, Aleck?” was asked by the scribe. “It is not quite as good as it has been, although I am shipping right along,” was the answer.” (Source: “Personal Mention”. Door County Advocate, 7/27/1889, p. 5. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001416)

A sawing operation was sent to Juddville from Egg Harbor in 1893. “The sawmill owned by the Wis. Chair Co. has been removed from Egg Harbor to this place (Juddville), and is now busily engaged in sawing the logs which were banked here last winter. The mill employs, about a dozen men, and “will probably be here six weeks.” (Source: “In the County: Juddville”. Door County Advocate, 6/10/1893, p. 5. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=0a8b94b5-5745-457c-a604-522158934fc2/wsbd0000/20120718/00000020)

In 1894, Alex Lundberg started an effort to sell the general store and the pier. It looks like he may have run the Juddville general store and pier business off and on from then until around 1902 when he sold them to Myron Stevens. During the same time period he was working to get his new general store business in Fish Creek started.

Glenn Olson, whose family has had a presence in Juddville for many generations, indicated that in his youth (the 1940’s and 1950’s), he would come down to the old dock location at the end of Juddville Road and could still see parts of the pier structure extending above the water line.

In recent years, scuba divers have reported seeing remaining elements of the old pier structure underneath the surface of the water. There no longer is any evidence of the old pier above the waterline. (Source: “Northern Door County: Juddville Road”. Green Bay Scuba LLC” website. https://gbscuba.com/dive-travel/local-shore-diving/)