Gills Rock, Wisconsin

Gills Rock is an unincorporated community located on Highway 42 at the northern tip of the Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin, United States.[1] It is within the town of Liberty Grove and was formerly known as Hedgehog Harbor.

Gills Rock, Wisconsin
Unincorporated community
Aerial view in 2020
Aerial view in 2020
GillsRock is located in Wisconsin
GillsRock
Gills
Rock
Location within the state of Wisconsin
Coordinates: 45°17′24″N 87°01′18″W
Country United States
State Wisconsin
CountyDoor
TownLiberty Grove
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code920

History

This area is known to the Potawatomi as Wah-ya-qua-kah-me-kong, for "head of the land" or "land's end".[2] Today the area is named for Elias Gill, a local 19th century landowner.

Gills Rock has a strong history and tradition of commercial fishing, which continues to this day.[3] Death's Door Maritime Museum is located there.[4] The area is also popular with scuba divers who explore the many shipwrecks in and around Death's Door, the narrow strait connecting Lake Michigan to Green Bay, also known as Porte des Morts. The Pilot Island Light is located on Pilot Island near Gills Rock.

Gills Rock is also the departure point of a ferry to Washington Island.[5]

The town is the birthplace of fictional character Gwen Raiden from the TV series Angel.

Education

Gibraltar Area Schools serves the community. Gibraltar Elementary School and Gibraltar Secondary School are the two schools.[6]

Climate
Table Bluff (At the northern tip of the Gills Rock area)
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
66
 
 
−4
−9
 
 
60
 
 
−8
−10
 
 
62
 
 
0
−4
 
 
112
 
 
3
0
 
 
86
 
 
9
3
 
 
77
 
 
13
10
 
 
96
 
 
18
16
 
 
73
 
 
19
16
 
 
109
 
 
17
14
 
 
119
 
 
10
7
 
 
110
 
 
6
5
 
 
66
 
 
4
1
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [7]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
2.6
 
 
25
16
 
 
2.4
 
 
18
14
 
 
2.4
 
 
32
25
 
 
4.4
 
 
37
32
 
 
3.4
 
 
48
37
 
 
3
 
 
55
50
 
 
3.8
 
 
64
61
 
 
2.9
 
 
66
61
 
 
4.3
 
 
63
57
 
 
4.7
 
 
50
45
 
 
4.3
 
 
43
41
 
 
2.6
 
 
39
34
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Images
  • Looking north at downtown Gills Rock
    Looking north at downtown Gills Rock
  • Sign on Wisconsin Highway 42
    Sign on Wisconsin Highway 42
  • Welcome sign
    Welcome sign
  • Island Clipper ferry
    Island Clipper ferry
  • Gust Klenke's garage
    Gust Klenke's garage
  • Fish tug Gem near Gills Rock, photo taken March 1973
    Fish tug Gem near Gills Rock, photo taken March 1973
  • Fishing village at Gills Rock, published 1941
    Fishing village at Gills Rock, published 1941

References
  1. "Gills Rock Populated Place Profile / Door County, Wisconsin Data".
  2. Romance of Wisconsin Place Names by Robert E. Gard and L. G. Sorden, New York: October House, Inc. 1968, page 47
  3. "Door County Pages". Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2007.
  4. "Death's Door Maritime Museum".
  5. Washington Island Ferry
  6. "Gibraltar Area Schools, Gibraltar Area School District, (Archived July 14, 2014)
  7. "NASA EarthData Search". NASA. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
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