The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is working with the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society to find common ground on the future of the Potawatomi State Park Tower.  Recreation Partnership Section Chief for the Wisconsin State Park System Missy Vanlanduyt says the DNR is continuing to go down the path of deconstructing the tower but won’t make any concrete decisions until at least November.  She says everything is in a holding pattern until the Wisconsin Historical Society determines the historic significance of the tower, which may or may not impact any decisions. 

VanLanduyt adds that Dr. William Tingley, who was contracted by SBHS to determine the structural viability of the tower, has recently been authorized as a contractor but engineers for a restoration project would have to be state-approved as well.  The DNR has discussed several options on the tower with lawmakers and the SBHS other than deconstruction.  Other options given include restoration or repair of the tower while adding an accessibility component.  A master plan from 2018 included potential new observation towers built that would need approval through a new state budget.  Another option is to carefully deconstruct the tower and sell it to the SBHS for $1 where they can reconstruct it on non-public land.  Vanlanduyt also noted that the tower could remain standing as a visual representation after being secured with no public accessibility.