Eagle Bluff, Wisconsin - Harbour Lights HL249 HL249 $65.95 Item #HL249 A limited edition of 6,600. The bustling 250-mile long shoreline of Lake Michigan near Green Bay was a bountiful trade community, only accessible through the dangerous waters of 'Death's Door', or Door County. Vessels were often wrecked on submerged shoals and reefs, while attempting to navigate unmarked shipping lanes and perilous straits.

Eagle Bluff lighthouse was one of 10 lighthouses erected in Door County. This yellow-brick beacon, erected in 1868, features an integrated 1 and a half story keepers quarters and a 43-foot tower, built diagonally into the corner of the house. A 3 and a half order Fresnel lens beamed its light over the bay, warning mariners of the craggy headland.

The first lightkeeper, Henry Stanley and his family, tended the light at Eagle Bluff for 15 years. Then, for the next 35 years, William Duclon, his wife Julia and their seven sons made their mark at this station, never failing to keep the flame illuminated.

Peter Coughlin was the final keeper at Eagle Bluff. His 8 years of service, ending in 1926, marked the conclusion of lighthouse keepers at this post. Automation took over. Despite the lack of electricity, even today, the beacon continues to shine with the use of solar power.

In 1960, the Door County Historical Society undertook a restoration project at Eagle Bluff. Members of the Duclon family participated in the restoration, contributing photos, documents, artifacts and information. Walter Duclon, the youngest of the Duclon boys was just over a year old when the family moved to this lonely outpost. Through 80 years old at the time of the restoration, we was most helpful in recalling in great detail how the house was furnished. Today, an authentic museum shows the life of a lightkeeper as it was in the early days. Located in Peninsula State Park, Eagle Bluff is still an active aid to navigation and is listed with the National Register of Historic Places.