Preserve, Educate, and Inspire

Historic Preservation Matters.  Horseshoe Bay Farms Matters.  We save historic properties because of a desire to preserve the memory of the efforts of the many people who have shaped our landscape.  A concerted effort will be made to restore the Farms’ heritage as a vital link to our cultural, aesthetic, and economic legacies – the things that make us who we are.  The beauty of our peninsula resonates in these structures of our past.

Repository for Equipment and Local Artifacts.  Our memories are the wellspring of knowledge which make us who we are and define who we aspire to be.  History is our community’s collective memory.  The decisions made by generations past have created the world in which we now live.  Horseshoe Bay Farms will serve as a place to preserve Door County’s heritage – beginning with the buildings themselves, but also as a repository for historic tools, farming artifacts from the past, and as a place to remember the stories of farming in Door County.

Educating the Next Generation.  Young people need to experience learning that is rooted in what is local – the unique history, environment, and culture that define a community.  A strong sense of place creates the context through which a student can better understand issues that are regional, national, or global in nature.  Children need to know from where they come before they can envision where they will go.

Horseshoe Bay Farms will educate students in Door County’s heritage, using our agricultural past as the basis for the study of mathematics, social studies, and science.  Numerous studies demonstrate that place-based education is strongly linked to academic achievement as students become more motivated, ask better questions, and become observers of the world around them.

Home for Community Events.  Horseshoe Bay Farms is already a launching point for the Door County Triathlon and a regular stop for curious tourists who love to explore our rural heritage.  Our campus will also become a home for countless other community events.  Working in partnership with our local charities, we envision plein air painting events, community gatherings, and possibly even a new farmers market.  This iconic treasure will be shared with the people of Door County as a resource for generations to come.