Appleport / Porth's Pier
Gallery
img
Appleport Pier and Emma Leighton shipwreck site plan
img
Historic photograph of Larson’s fishing dock at Appleport
img
Archaeologists and volunteers document the site.
img
Pier Planking
img
Steam engine found near wreck of Emma Leighton
img
Photograph of fishing house and dock at Appleport with small boats.
img
Pile of crib stones at Appleport Pier.
img
Crib stones at Appleport Pier
 
Details
Attraction
Location
Body of Water: Lake Michigan
Trail Name: Green Bay/Door County
Year Built: 1883
Nearest Address: 1196 Appleport Road
Nearest City: Rowleys Bay
County: Door
Zip Code: 54234
Latitude: N 45° 11.13636'
Longitude: W -87° 02.45082'
Attraction
Features
Open to public?: No
Mooring buoy?: No
Mooring buoy in place?: No
Snorkelable?: Yes
Dive guide?: No
Trails sign?: No
National Register?: No
Attraction
Description
Appleport was founded by Swedish immigrant Axel Appel in 1883. Appel immigrated to the United States with his family in 1872 and eventually settled in the town of Liberty Grove. Appel set up a farmstead and split his time seasonally between farming and lumbering. This income allowed Appel to start a business of his own. He purchased land on Lake Michigan for construction of his own pier. Due to the shallow depth offshore of Appel's land, a massive line of cribs was required to reach a deeper depth where cargo schooners could safely dock.

Stone crib after stone crib was sunk into the lake until the structure extended 1,300 feet from shore. After its initial success with 600 cords of tanning bark and 400 cords of wood being shipped out, business slowed down. During the winter, lumber was cut and gathered at the pier until it could be shipped out in Spring. In 1884, Appel decided to extend the pier by 200 feet, making it 1,500 feet long. Legal troubles developed for Appel when seventy thousand feet of pine timber brought by Otto Anderson went missing. Anderson had accidentally engaged in the illicit lumber trade that developed in the Great Lakes region at the time. Residents and others would remove trees from public lands without paying the federal government. Anderson believed that he had harvested lumber on his own property, but the government still held legal title to the land at the time the trees were felled. Federal authorities seized the lumber and sold it at auction to Sturgeon Bay Lumber Co. Wildfires then broke out and burned through Appel's remaining stockpiles of lumber.

Appel took the situation into his own hands when realizing that Anderson took his money for timber he wasn't legally able to sell. Appel demanded of Anderson that he return the money. Anderson refused to reimburse Appel so Appel had sent a constable to seize a team of oxen, a set of blacksmith tools, and several cords of wood from Anderson as compensation. Anderson was outraged at the seizure and wanted his property back. This resulted in several legal battles, which were determined in Anderson's favor. Appel sold the pier to Henry Charles Porth in fall 1884.

Henry Charles Porth was a Milwaukee businessman. He had the Pier complex and general store renovated and made arrangement for its management by Captain George Eisenhardt. The pier was extended another 72 feet and could berth two ships at once. The pier was used to supply wood from Door County to Milwaukee. So much wood was gathered that the residents of the Appleport area ran out of horse teams to move it. On 8 September 1885, the schooners Emma Leighton and Belle arrived to pick up timber at Porth's pier. A strong wind began howling from the east-northeast, driving heavy seas towards the exposed pier. The Emma Leighton cast off to anchor in safer waters offshore, but the storm increased in intensity. Emma Leighton dragged anchor until it crashed through Porth's Pier with enough force to carry away seven of the heavy stone-filled cribs that supported the pier decking, putting the pier out of commission. Emma Leighton's windlass was torn out before the ship grounded on shore. The Belle grounded as well.

Porth died of illness in 1886, and his wife Anna put Appleport up for sale. In 1887, Appleport was sold to George Bassford, Sr., who gave the pier complex to his three sons. The Bassford brothers repaired the pier and restocked the general store. They contracted with the schooner Tempest to carry lumber and passengers to and from Appleport. One of the Bassford brothers fell ill and could no longer assist with the pier so Appleport was sold again to lumberman John Anclam of Bailey's Harbor. Lumber continued to be harvested and shipped south. By 1893, the pier was no longer profitable as all the nearby lumber had been harvested. Anclam sold the pier to fishermen John Oleson who used it for commercial fishing. Over time, the pier degraded due to the impacts of storms and winter ice. A smaller fishing pier and shanty were constructed close to the lumber pier's remains. Near the end of the fishing era, then owners John Larson and family planted a cherry orchard to provide additional income. Languishing twine shacks at Appleport housed temporary workers who came to pick cherries. John Larson's son Everett continued to fish at Appleport until 1966.
 
Map
 
Nearby
Attractions (1)
Appleport / Porth's Pier
© 2026 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society