Thu, Sep 6:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Took the 11:00 ferry to Washington Island this morning.  A beautiful day, but on the chilly side.  Explored around the island and stopped for lunch at The Granary.  There were about 8 local guys sitting around talking and drinking coffee.  They were funny to listen to, with their Swedish or Norwegian accents.  I asked them why there were no deer around, which brought a lot of laughter and discussion.  Apparently, they’re everywhere.  We’ve seen sand hill cranes and turkey, but no deer.  Took the 4:00 ferry back and crashed.  Was going to cook up some sweet corn and have that with sliced tomatoes for dinner.  We're too full from lunch.  Mid-60s today.

Our ferry arrives.

Boarding begins.

Arriving at Washington Island.

Stopped to check out this tower.

We had to climb up a series of stairs to get to the top of the bluff.  Over 100!  And then we had to climb the tower!  I was hoping there would be a medic up there with oxygen or something. 

On the other side of the island you can catch a passenger ferry to Rock Island.  Part of the island was purchased by Chester Thordarson in 1910 where he built his summer estate.  The boat house was part of that estate.  It's now part of the Rock Island State Park.  A few years ago we took our backpacks and camped over there for a few days.  The boat house is neat.  I used to play the piano in there and we'd play cards or do puzzles.

This is the ferry that takes you over there.

Jacobson's Museum

There's a pretty little inland lake here.

This is Jacobson's summer cottage.

Pretty Little Lake

Stavkirke

This beautiful, all-wood church was patterned after the Bergund, Norway, church built in 1150 A.D.

They used Viking shipbuilding techniques.  "Stav" means pole or support, and there are 12 center staves, or masts, as well as heavy beamed, ship-like construction throughout the structure.  It is truly beautiful

This ship hanging from the rafters is a replica of a mackinaw schooner, popular for fishing and transporting goods across the lake in the mid-1800s.

This beautiful door has wrought iron fastenings.  The panels on each side of the door are hand carved.

The ceiling and rafters.  It smells so good in here with all the wood.