DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — The wreck of the Little Harbor Launch is something special. The Wisconsin Historical Society says it's the only site of its kind in the entire country just offshore, along the Door County coast.
- The Little Harbor Launch wreck off the coast of Door County, northwest of Sturgeon Bay
- Tamara Thomsen of the Wisconsin Historical Society explains the roll the launch played in Door County History
- Sam Pearlman of the Maritime Museum talks about why launch vessels are important to Door County
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen of the Wisconsin Historical Society says it’s the first launch shipwreck they’ve ever explored.
"Probably the smallest shipwreck in Wisconsin waters that we know of to date. It’s a small launch," Tamara Thomsen said.
The boat, known as the Little Harbor Launch now holds a special place in history. It has officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
NBC26 SPOKE WITH HISTORIANS ABOUT THE LATEST SITE ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND GOT AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE DIVE THROUGH FOOTAGE FROM THE WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY:
Historians believe it was built sometime between 1890 and 1930, though when or why it sank in the Bay of Green Bay just northwest of Sturgeon Bay remains unclear.
"It’s the only one that’s been listed as a shipwreck in all of the United States. There are other launches that have been listed, but those are ones that have been restored," Thomsen said.
The national designation recognizes the Little Harbor Launch’s significance in Door County history, as a vessel that played a pivotal role in both commercial work and daily civilian life.
Thomsen says, it helped everyone get around from fishermen and cherry pickers, to some of the county’s very first tourists.
"So this is sort of the beginning of the tourist age in Door County," Thomsen said.
Historians say it wasn’t just helpful, it was essential.
"With three hundred miles of coastline here in Door County, those kinds of vessels were very important," Sam Pearlman, Deputy Director of the Maritime Museum said.
Pearlman says Door County’s maritime history isn’t just part of the scenery, it’s the foundation of the community
"All Door County history is maritime history. When you’re surrounded by water as much as we are, everyone who’s come here, comes here by or because of the water," Pearlman said.
The Wisconsin Historical Society says the wreck’s location is being kept private for now to help preserve it during the listing process. Once that’s complete, the site will be shared for shipwreck enthusiasts to explore.
