Washington Island Observer

Washington Island Observer Locally-owned newspaper committed to providing local news, community information, and advertising.

Washington Island is a year-round island community located approximately five miles off the northeast tip of the Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin. It has its own town government and supports its own school district. The island, which can be reached by boat and by air, has a landmass of approximately 35 square miles and a year-round population of slightly more than 700.

This growing season, Gathering Ground hosted five lucky interns in their Ground School!At the end of the season, each in...
10/06/2025

This growing season, Gathering Ground hosted five lucky interns in their Ground School!

At the end of the season, each intern reflected on their experience & shared their thoughts with the Observer.

We will be featuring one reflection in each of the next five issues. The first featured was Muriel Reese, a junior at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI!

To subscribe to our paper & to read about each of these intern’s unique experiences, go to washingtonislandobserver.com.

Photographed here are all of the interns at a bonfire on their last night of the internship. Front: Muriel Reese, Allie Card. Back: Cole De Bruin, Xander Beneda, & Soren Sandburg.

Wanna hear an interesting tidbit? Forty years ago, the Island had another store—& many squirrels! Jennifer Gates discove...
10/04/2025

Wanna hear an interesting tidbit? Forty years ago, the Island had another store—& many squirrels!

Jennifer Gates discovered evidence of a grocery store competing with Mann's, plus everything about squirrels in Laurel Gordon's "Island Exchange" from 1985. What a time to be alive!

To subscribe to our paper & learn more fun Island tidbits (big & small) on the regular, go to washingtonislandobserver.com!

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The community is making our gym a reality! From a large (& very generous) donation from the Door County Community Founda...
10/01/2025

The community is making our gym a reality!

From a large (& very generous) donation from the Door County Community Foundation, to the humble yet honorable donations from kids like those who wrote these letters, & everything in between, every donation counts!

With a final goal set at $4.2 million, just $865,771.16 remains to make this dream a reality for the Island students & community.

You can help get this project across the finish line by donating in one of these ways:

Facebook https://www.facebook. com/.../Bradley.../61567620403358/..
The Foundation Website https://
www.bradleyjordanfoundation.org/
Nicolet Bank account

To subscribe to our paper & read the full article, go to washingtonislandobserver.com.

Your eyes do not deceive you; Christmas did occur on Friday, September 4th! 🎅🏼🎄😀 Let us explain…It was discovered that s...
09/27/2025

Your eyes do not deceive you; Christmas did occur on Friday, September 4th! 🎅🏼🎄😀

Let us explain…It was discovered that some of the young women who worked on the Island as J-1 visa students had never experienced Christmas, which turned into a full-blown Christmas-in-September extravaganza! 🤩

A feast was served featuring chicken, salmon, roast ham, corn flake potatoes, homemade rolls, green beans, roasted carrots, Mexican pin-wheels, & cherry coke Jello—a family specialty of Emily Ellis, plus savory Chinese dumplings made by Jade Zha (Feicui Zha) & Elowen Zhang, both from China, both never having experienced Christmas! 😋

We are so lucky here in Door County to get the opportunity to learn about so many different cultures from our amazing J-1 students. 🥰

To subscribe to our paper & read the full article, go to washingtonislandobserver.com.

Can you believe this beautiful specimen hasn’t sold yet?? You still have a chance! 😀 (Using our same pitch from our firs...
09/23/2025

Can you believe this beautiful specimen hasn’t sold yet?? You still have a chance! 😀

(Using our same pitch from our first try):

Did your kid ask for a copier for Christmas? It may be early, but it’s gonna be the hot toy this year! Just wait!

If you said yes, then 1) you’ve got a weird kid and 2) we’ve got you covered!

If you said no, it’s less likely, but maybe YOU want one for yourself! Or maybe someone you know does! Or someone else’s kid!

I think we’ve pretty much covered all the bases here…so if you said yes to ANY of the above questions, please email The Observer at [email protected] or call 920-847-2661 with your best offer! 😀

Have you ever seen a 40-foot Hot Wheels Track?? Well now you have!This glorious structure was a big hit with the childre...
09/19/2025

Have you ever seen a 40-foot Hot Wheels Track?? Well now you have!

This glorious structure was a big hit with the children at the Washington Island Classic Car Show which took place on September 6th as part of an annual fundraiser for Island Radio & the Jordan Foundation.

Hosted by Andy Johnson & taking place at the Door Golf Resort, a variety of vehicles from Washington Island & other Wisconsin communities were proudly displayed by their owners at this event which was a hit for both adults & children.

To subscribe to our paper & read more about this Washington Island-tastic event, go to washingtonislandobserver.com.

Thank you to all who attended. We hope to see you again next year!

Photo Credit: Andy Johnson

FALL into what’s next at the Trueblood Performing Arts Center this year! (See what we did there? 😀) Here you go:Thursday...
09/15/2025

FALL into what’s next at the Trueblood Performing Arts Center this year! (See what we did there? 😀) Here you go:

Thursday-Saturday, Sept 18-20 - Washington Island Literary Festival (Times Vary)
Sunday, Sept 21 - Eric Lewis & Griffon Quartet 2:30-4:30 pm
Saturday, Sept 27 - Blind Old Dogs, 7-9 pm
Saturday, Oct 4– Kevin Jones, Paul
Heaton, & Dan Hansen 7-9 pm
Friday, Oct 10 - Behind the Curtain
Coffeehouse 7-9 pm
Saturday, Oct 18 - Behind the Curtain Coffeehouse 7-9 pm
Friday, Oct 24 - Island Band Concert 6:30-8 pm
Tuesday, Nov 11 - Veterans Day Program 10:30 am-12 pm
Saturday, Dec 6 - A Small Town Christmas Show 7-9 pm
Saturday, Dec 20 - Island Band Concert 6:30-8 pm

To subscribe to our paper & to learn more about some of these sure-to-be amazing performers, go to washingtonislandobserver.com!

Photographed here are Jodie DeSalvo & Colin Welford who played Peter Nehlsen's double piano on September 12th & ROCKED IT!!! 🤩

In 1972, Observer writer, journalist, photographer & storyteller extraordinaire, Dick Purinton, served aboard the Naval ...
09/11/2025

In 1972, Observer writer, journalist, photographer & storyteller extraordinaire, Dick Purinton, served aboard the Naval destroyer USS Hamner DD-718, which operated in the Tonkin Gulf of Vietnam.

Of all of Purinton’s stories from this time, perhaps, nay, without a doubt, the most unique is that every time their ship had to refuel, their Commanding Officer would play the song “Bell Bottom Blues” loud enough that even the sailors on the opposing ship 50 yards away could hear it.

Though it may seem like a bizarre song choice, the playing of “Bell Bottom Blues” wasn’t without intention, which was to boost the spirits of the crew members, each of whom, not by coincidence, wore blue dungarees with flared cuffs.

To subscribe to our paper & to read the full story of bright moments in dark times, told with Purinton’s signature flare, go to washingtonislandobserver.com.

The Art & Nature Center hosted a “Mushroom Walk” on August 21st, hosted by mushroom enthusiast Walker Rugely, a fun guy ...
09/09/2025

The Art & Nature Center hosted a “Mushroom Walk” on August 21st, hosted by mushroom enthusiast Walker Rugely, a fun guy who loves fungi. 😀🍄

Rugely led participants on an informative, highly engaging experience, laced with humorous quips, of course.

The walk took place in the woods at private property on Hemlock Road, with advance permission, of course. 😉

To subscribe to our paper & read the full article, go to washingtonislandobserver.com!

Jim Roses’ interview from Schoolhouse Beach on the Island Baseball Team (which started at 8:45am) is streaming on MPR ri...
09/05/2025

Jim Roses’ interview from Schoolhouse Beach on the Island Baseball Team (which started at 8:45am) is streaming on MPR right now!!!

It also can be heard on 89.7 FM (if you can get a signal).

We will be posting the full interview later, so stay tuned!!!

On August 3rd, Nathan Oertel, better known as “Nate the Great,” swam over 22 miles around Washington Island!!! 😱 Nate's ...
09/04/2025

On August 3rd, Nathan Oertel, better known as “Nate the Great,” swam over 22 miles around Washington Island!!! 😱

Nate's swim raised funds for the American Cancer Society, and was part of his training for taking on the English Channel next year.

He of course couldn’t have done it without his loyal cheering squad, who can attest to the fact that he really did swim that far!!!

To subscribe to our paper & read the full story, go to washingtonislandobserver.com!

Good luck swimming the English Channel Nate! You rock! 🤩

“Children should be seen & not heard” is definitely NOT a rule we abide by on the Island—they should be neither. JUST KI...
09/01/2025

“Children should be seen & not heard” is definitely NOT a rule we abide by on the Island—they should be neither. JUST KIDDING! 😂

See them, hear them, give them gifts—we hear they take cash, check or Venmo. 😉

The Washington Island Music Festival's Music Camp culminated on August 13th with the Concert for Children of all Ages.

Here the campers are performing the song Blowin' in the Wind by Stephanie Leavell.

To subscribe to our paper & read the full article & other exciting Island content, go to washingtonislandobserver.com. 🤗

Photo by Betsy Wallman

Address

1253 Main Road
Washington Island, WI
54246

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Monday 9am - 12pm
Tuesday 9am - 12pm
Wednesday 9am - 12pm
Thursday 9am - 12pm

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