STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Door County Historical Society is calling for a popular observation tower to be saved.
In February, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced plans to dismantle the tower at Potawatomi State Park. The nearly 90-year-old tower was closed to the public in December 2017 after park employees noticed decay in the wooden structure. Several assessments were then done on the 75-foot-tall tower, which revealed evidence of significant decay.
“To tear down Potawatomi Tower would truly be a disservice to the communities of Door County and the millions of visitors that peruse the peninsula every year,” the historical society wrote in a statement Monday.
In January, the DNR released a report that gave three options for the tower’s future: take the tower down and put it back together with new wood; repair the tower in place; or build a completely new tower.
Last month, State Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Allouez, and Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, wrote a letter to the DNR urging the agency to reconsider. They say that an engineer’s report presented the possibility of the tower’s main supports being saved using a new process. Cowles and Kitchens believe if the tower’s existing condition is preserved, it has a chance of withstanding a legal challenge. They also say the tower may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, which would also affect requirements.
The Door County Historical Society says it supports the option of repairing the tower in its current location.
