Without the work of George Evenson, much of what you know about Door County could have been lost in history. Evenson passed away on Sunday at the age of 93. A graduate of Sevastopol High School, local preservation was important to Evenson both historically and environmentally. He served three governors on the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program Board and was also a member of the Nature Conservancy Board. Evenson purchased St. Mary’s Church in Namur from the Diocese of Green Bay for a dollar, later helping the structure become the Belgian Heritage Center. Belgian Heritage Center Board Member Bill Chaudoir says Evenson was proud of the history of Door County. 

He served as the president of the Door County Historical Society, overseeing land and lighthouse preservation. He also lent a hand preserving other sites in the county, including Crossroads at Big Creek, The Farm, the Door County Granary, and the Hanson House. Laurel Hauser, the Executive Director of Crossroads at Big Creek and the President of the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society, says she learned a lot from Evenson.

Funeral services will be held this Friday at 2 p.m. at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Valmy. You can read the full obituary here.