Town of Liberty Grove

The land surrounding you was once owned by John Ellison.Johan Eliason, later known as John Ellison, was a Danish immigrant who founded this community in 1865. He purchased 8,000 acres of land including a mile of shoreline, and advertised in Europe and Scandinavia for settlers. To make the offer more enticing, he built a pier, general store, and post office. Ellison promoted himself as a "Dealer in Cordwood, Cedar Posts and Telegraph Poles."
The Town on the BayCommerce revolved around Ellison's pier. Farmers brought grain and cordwood to ship, fishermen dried nets and shipped their catch, and tourists sought relief from the summer heat of cities like Chicago.
The Farm on Ellison Bay HillAugust Johnson, a Swedish immigrant, purchased this land in the 1870s and cleared it for farming. He also built the first frame house in the community, which still stands today next to the barn. Three generations of his descendants have called this home.
John Ellison donated materials for building the German Lutheran Church in 1888. The congregation disbanded in 1904. Russell and Virginia Hanson saved the cabin from demolition in 1966, moved it to their land, and renovated it. Today, it is part of the Liberty Grove Historic Park.

(photo captions)
· View from the Dock,



Ellison Bay (Photo courtesy of Virginia and Russell Hanson)
· Summer tourists arrive at the Ellison Bay Pier from a steamship, circa 1915 (Photo courtesy of Augusta Erickson)
· Built in 1902, the Hotel Disgarden lodged tourists and businessmen and housed the post office, a doctor's and dentist's office. It still serves summer tourists today. (Photo courtesy of Dottie Sladky)
· In the 1930s, fish were packed in ice for trucking to cities like Chicago. (Photo courtesy of Len Apfelbach, M.D.)
· The August Johnson family in the first frame house in Ellison Bay
· August's grandson, Russell Hanson, and his wife Virginia lived here starting in 1943. They maintained the land in an open state and purchased additional property, which has preserved the spectacular view.
· After 1904, the German Lutheran Church log building served as a home for several families. This photo was taken circa 1935. (Photo courtesy of Virginia and Russell Hanson)

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  

Niagara Escarpment
Nature of Sister Bay
Village of Sister Bay
The Hotz Estate
Pilot Island Site
Anderson Dock
First Permanent Colony in Door County
Life on the Ledge
A State Park System is Formed
Island Paradise

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.