Cherryland Tourism

The beginnings of Door County tourism preceded the cherry industry boom by several decades. The natural beauty and cool temperatures made the area an attractive destination for urbanites in search of a respite from the summer heat. As transportation improved, visitors from Chicago and Milwaukee regularly arrived in Door County via steamships. However, cherries provided a countywide marketing opportunity, and as the desirability of Door County cherries grew, so too did the idea to take advantage of the crop’s success through cherry tourism.

A woman stands admiring a cherry tree in full bloom.
Cherryland promoted the natural beauty of the cherry orchards, and the annual blossoming of the trees proved a popular tourist draw. Photograph by Ferdinand Hotz of his wife, Clothilde, in May 1919, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society (Img #94781).
An image of a sticker, black with cherry clusters and white lettering reading, "Cherry Land Door County Wisconsin."
Cherryland sticker.

In 1927, the Door County Chamber of Commerce began producing stickers emblazoned with “Cherryland–Door County, Wisconsin.” These stickers were widely distributed across the county and marked the beginning of a cherry tourism boom. Through events, festivals, and cherry products like the Cherryland T-shirt, Door County capitalized on the Cherryland nickname.

Events like the Cherry Blossom Festival, with a parade through downtown Sturgeon Bay, drew thousands of visitors to the natural beauty of the flowering cherry trees. A Cherry Blossom Queen and her court were chosen annually, as well as a Pie Baking Queen. In 1928, the Door County Cherryland Airport in Sturgeon Bay opened, due in part to the large crowds expected for that year’s Cherry Blossom Festival.

As the term Cherryland grew in popularity, its usage extended far beyond the cherry industry. The Cherryland Open, a popular golf tournament which attracted amateurs and professionals alike, began in 1956 as a way to extend the tourism season past Labor Day. At its peak, 200 golfers participated in the tournament.

Door County residents also embraced the term Cherryland, incorporating it in the naming of local organizations and businesses, like the Cherryland Horsemen and Cherryland Transport. It also proved useful in business marketing. Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay, famed for its goats on the roof, prided itself in being located “in the heart of Cherryland” in newspaper advertisements during the 1950s.

By the 1960s, both cherry growing and cherry tourism diminished, though cherries continue to draw visitors to Door County. Today, the county has approximately 2,000 acres of cherry trees and at least eleven active orchards.

Written by Emily Irwin, July 2017.

A color postcard of two automobiles crossing a toll bridge. There are cherries on branches at the top of the postcard. Caption reads: "In Door County 'Cherryland,' The Nation's Largest Cherry Producer."
A c. 1920 postcard with cherry illustrations and the Cherryland nickname. Image from the Wisconsin Historical Society (#38328).
A colorful postcard showing a map of Door County and promoting tourist activities in the region, titled: "Door County — Wisconsin's Air Conditioned Peninsula Playground."
This 1966 postcard celebrates the tourist attractions of Door County, including its more than 250 miles of shoreline. Image from the Wisconsin Historical Society (#112459).
A man pours a large pot of freshly picked cherries into an evaporated milk carton. The carton rests on a sign reading, "Cherries, Pick Your Own." Cherry trees are visible behind him.
Pick-your-own cherry orchards became popular with tourists looking to experience Cherryland tourism. Photograph by Andrew John Mueller in 1967. From the Wisconsin State Historical Society (Img #83737).
A young boy struggles to carry a full pail of cherries in an orchard, another filled pail rests on the ground.
A young boy struggles to carry a pail filled with cherries at a cherry orchard. Photograph taken for Wisconsin’s Department of Tourism, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society (Img #79142).
Two boys standing behind a wagon or truck bed loaded with buckets full of cherries. A woman wearing a hat is standing by a building in the background.
Two teenage boys buy cherries by the pail directly off the truck. Photograph by Thayer Photography, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society (#129351).

SOURCES

“C.C. Advertises “Cherryland” By Using Stickers,” Door County Advocate, 5 August 1927, 1.

Jo Anne Gilbert, “Apples Started Fruit Industry,” Door County Advocate, 21 October 1958, 18.

Katie Dahl, “Where All the Beauty Is,” Door County Living, 2009: https://doorcountypulse.com/where-all-the-beauty-is/.

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant Advertisement, Door County Advocate, 23 August 1956, 1.

Door County Visitor Bureau, “Apple & Cherry Orchards and Farm Markets of Door County,” Door County Visitor Bureau (pamphlet).

Ephraim Historical Foundation

Research for this object and its related stories was supported by the Ephraim Historical Foundation in Ephraim, Wisconsin.

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