Baileys Harbor History

05/25/2026

The Historical Society is celebrating our nation's 250th anniversary the Baileys Harbor Way! Stop by the Toft House at 8061 Hwy 57 to view our display honoring some local veterans and a look back at 4th of July celebrations going back to the late 1800s and through the years. The Toft House Visitor Center is open daily, 10 am - 4 pm

05/17/2026

In partnership with the Baileys Harbor Community Association, the Toft House will open for the 2026 season on Friday, May 22 from 10 am - 4 pm, and will continue daily through October. Our display theme will celebrate the United States' 250th anniversary of independence, the Baileys Harbor way! The 2026 displays honor local veterans and look back on 4th of July activities in Baileys Harbor. In addition, new installations feature the early days in Baileys Harbor, including a portion of the Baileys Harbor Community Mural. Make plans to visit us sometime soon.

05/05/2026

Get ready baseball fans! Sunday, May 10 marks opening day for the Door County Baseball League. Baseball has been a mainstay on the summer calendar here in Baileys Harbor for more than 125 years! Did you know that the Baileys Harbor A's were originally named the Baileys Harbor Foresters? Roland "Fritz" Woldt is shown here behind the plate.

05/01/2026

Our thanks to the Door County Historical Museum for adopting a section of the Baileys Harbor Community Mural.

Who knows where the most recent addition to the museum's collection is from? Hint: this is just a very small piece of it.

04/27/2026

Another section of the Baileys Harbor Community mural has been installed at the Nelson Shopping Center at 3449 Hwy 42, Fish Creek. The entire mural was originally installed on the Nelson Hardware building in Baileys Harbor. The mural was removed and stored at the time Nelson's building was demolished and the area converted to green space.

04/24/2026

Maxwelton Braes Golf Course has been a destination in Baileys Harbor since 1929. The course has remained very similar to its original design executed by architect Joseph R. Roseman. This photo from 1939 shows the front nine holes on the west side of Hwy 57 (bisecting this image from bottom left to top right) and holes 10 - 18 on the east side of the highway. The course is tentatively scheduled to open on Sunday, May 3.

04/04/2026

Happy Easter to Everyone! This religious holiday brings many followers to church. Learn about the early history of Baileys Harbor Immanuel Lutheran and St Mary of the Lake Catholic churches. You'll find video presentations that share the history and photos of these local landmarks on our website's video page:

In keeping with its mission to preserve and disseminate knowledge related to the history of Baileys Harbor, we partner with community members to offer free,

03/27/2026

It's that time of year when you see vehicles pulled over on the roadside, not because they have mechanical problems, but because they are accessing the local streams. Soon fishermen will arrive to participate in the Baileys Harbor Annual Brown Trout Tournament, too! Check out these resources from our partner, the Baileys Harbor Community Association, for more information. https://www.facebook.com/BaileysHarborBrownTrout/
https://baileysharbor.com/browntroutinfo/

03/16/2026

The hardy souls in Baileys Harbor are doing their best during this historic blizzard! This postcard is a unique item in our collection.