Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Census-designated place in Wisconsin, United States

Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Census-designated place

Looking south at downtown Ellison Bay on WIS 42

Ellison Bay

Location within the state of Wisconsin

Coordinates: 45°15′17″N 87°04′17″W﻿ / ﻿45.25472°N 87.07139°W﻿ / 45.25472; -87.07139
Country| United States
State| Wisconsin
County| Door
Town| Liberty Grove
Founded| 1872
Area

• Total| 2.662 sq mi (6.89 km2)
• Land| 2.662 sq mi (6.89 km2)
• Water| 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Population

(2020)

• Total| 249
• Density| 94/sq mi (36/km2)
Time zone| UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code|

54210

Area code| 920

Ellison Bay is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Door County, Wisconsin, United States, within the town of Liberty Grove and is located on Highway 42 along the Green Bay.[1][2] As of the 2020 census, its population is 249.[3] Sur La Baie, one of Wisconsin's largest and most expensive homes, is located nearby.

## History

[edit]

A Native American name for the bay was Joe-Sahbe Bay, after a son of the Potowatomi Chief Neatoshing, who was also known as Mishicott.[4] Joe-Sahbe means "Feather of the rolling cloud".[5]

The community was founded in 1872 by John Eliasen, a Danish immigrant.[6] Lumber and fishing were important businesses in the 19th century, replaced by fruit growing in the early 20th century, and today tourism is the main business.

## Education

[edit]

Gibraltar Area Schools serves the community. Gibraltar Elementary School and Gibraltar Secondary School are the two schools.[7]

## Demographics

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2023)

|

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

2010| 165| | —
2020| 249| | 50.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

## Attractions

[edit]

Important attractions include The Clearing, a private center for adult education that was originally established by Jens Jensen, a prominent landscape architect. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other attractions include the Mink River four miles south, Turtle Ridge Gallery,[9] a cooking school, former Church turned Asian art gallery turned coffee shop, and pottery studios.

### Ellison Bluff

[edit]

Ellison Bluff County Park includes a scenic hiking trail, a picnic area, and a fenced catwalk. The bluff area has wildflowers and trees. One cedar was found to be over 250 years old.[10] Rough-winged swallows hunt for insects along the bluff. Other birds seen at the park include American redstart, great-crested flycatcher, broad-winged hawk, wood thrush, scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireo, and pileated woodpecker.[11] 170 acres of the park is protected as the Ellison Bluff State Natural Area.[12]

* Accessible walkway

* Rocky outcrop

* View

## 2006 explosion

[edit]

On July 10, 2006, an explosion leveled the 136-year-old Pioneer Store, killing two vacationers and injuring 13 others. The blast also burned down one cottage and damaged another. It is believed a propane gas leak caused the explosion, which may have resulted from a contractor damaging unmarked underground propane lines.[13]

* Explosion remnants

* Pioneer store in 2011 after reconstruction

## Climate

[edit]

|  Ellison Bay

Climate chart (explanation)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

−12

−11

−16

105

107

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [14]
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

2.5

1.9

3.8

3.4

3.6

4.1

3.8

3.8

4.2

3.1

2.2

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

## Gallery

[edit]

* Post office

* Looking north in downtown Ellison Bay

* Northern part of the bay

* Ellison Bay, below, taken by a crewmember of ISS Expedition 38, February 22, 2014

* Sunset over the bay

* 1908 postcard depicting Ellison Bay

* c. 1919 postcard depicting Ellison Bay

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ellison Bay, Wisconsin". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. ^ Ellison Bay, Wisconsin
3. ^ "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
4. ^ Indian ancestry comes alive by Jeanette Heyroth, Mishicot News feature of Manitowoc Herald-Times Manitowoc, Wisconsin, March 16, 2003, page 29 and Romance of Wisconsin Place Names by Robert E. Gard and L. G. Sorden, New York: October House, Inc. 1968, page 37
5. ^ The Wisconsin Archeologist, Volume 19, No 2, page 51
6. ^ History of Door County, Wisconsin by By Hjalmar Rued Holand, Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing, 1917, pages 372–373 and Door County Links, Grand View Condominiums, (Archived September 19, 2013)
7. ^ "Gibraltar Area Schools, Gibraltar Area School District, (Archived July 14, 2014)
8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
9. ^ "Home". turtleridgegallery.com.
10. ^ Ellison Bluff County Park, co.door.wi.gov
11. ^ Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail - Lake Michigan Region by the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership, waypoint 8, Ellison Bluff County Park & State Natural Area
12. ^ Ellison Bluff (No. 378), Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
13. ^ "Explosion Kills Two Guests at the Cedar Grove Resort in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin; Likely Caused by Propane Leak"
14. ^ "NASA EarthData Search". NASA. Retrieved January 30, 2016.

## Sources

[edit]

* Around the Shores of Lake Michigan: A Guide to Historic Sites by Margaret Beattie Bogue (1985, University of Wisconsin Press)

## External links

[edit]

* Video tour of Ellison Bluff County Park

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ellison Bay, Wisconsin.

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Door County, Wisconsin, United States

County seat: Sturgeon Bay

City|

* Sturgeon Bay

Towns in 1915; the borders remain the same today except for annexations by the City of Sturgeon Bay and the four villages.

Villages|

* Egg Harbor
* Ephraim
* Forestville
* Sister Bay

Towns

* Baileys Harbor
* Brussels
* Clay Banks
* Egg Harbor
* Forestville
* Gardner
* Gibraltar
* Jacksonport
* Liberty Grove
* Nasewaupee
* Sevastopol
* Sturgeon Bay
* Union
* Washington Island

CDPs|

* Baileys Harbor
* Ellison Bay
* Little Sturgeon

Other
communities|

* Brussels
* Carlsville
* Carnot
* Detroit Harbor
* Fish Creek
* Gills Rock
* Idlewild
* Institute
* Jacksonport
* Juddville
* Kolberg
* Maplewood
* Namur
* North Bay
* Northport
* Peninsula Center
* Rosiere‡
* Rowleys Bay
* Salona
* Shoemaker Point
* Valmy
* Vignes
* Washington
* West Jacksonport
* Whitefish Bay

Footnote|

‡Partially located in Kewaunee County

* Wisconsin portal
* United States portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Israel
* United States

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