Mid-August up here has its own feeling. The days are still warm and the water is still worth jumping into, but something has shifted. The crowds are starting to thin just enough that you can feel the county breathing again.

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In today’s edition:

A few things worth knowing about this week.

A family's tribute. Earlier this month, two young kayakers, 20-year-old David Thalman and 20-year-old Franceska Warick went missing near Washington Island. Their bodies were recovered on August 3. It was a tragedy that hit close to home for everyone on the Island.

David's family has responded with something meaningful. They have partnered with Washington Island Fire Rescue to launch the David Thalman Memorial Search and Rescue Boat Campaign with the goal to raise the remaining $30,000 needed to fund a new search-and-rescue vessel.

To donate, visit The David Thalman Memorial Search and Rescue Boat Go Fund Me Page.

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Go vote. Today is primary day in Wisconsin. This is not the place for politics, but it is the place to say: whatever your views, show up. Local elections matter more than people realize and Door County is no exception.

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A shipwreck makes history. The F.J. King, a 19th century ship that sank near Cana Island in 1886 while traveling from Michigan to Chicago, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The ship was built in 1867 and spent nearly two decades traversing the Great Lakes before going down in Lake Michigan off Liberty Grove. A team of citizen scientists discovered the wreck just last summer after nearly five decades of unsuccessful searches.

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Door County Baseball League. The race at the top took a dramatic turn this weekend.

Sister Bay beat Kolberg 3-2 on Sunday to pull ahead of the pack and now sit alone at 11-2, one game ahead of both Washington Island and Kolberg who each dropped to 10-3. Island lost a tight one to Maplewood 8-7, which tightened things up considerably.

With one regular season game left, Sister Bay controls their own destiny for the top seed heading into the playoffs.

This one came in from a reader named Stuart.

Stuart's family has been vacationing in Door County since 1924. He has spent 62 summers up here. That alone is remarkable. But there is more to the story.

His grandfather bought a barn in the 1920s, had it moved about 500 feet and converted it into a cottage overlooking Green Bay. The family called it home every summer until 1967, when the State of Wisconsin designated the land a state park.

After a recent renovation, the barn reopened and Stuart was able to walk inside. His grandfather's barn, now transformed, brought back a lifetime of memories.

Stories like Stuart’s are exactly what this section is for, and a 100-year connection to Door County deserves to be told.

If you have a Door County story worth sharing, please share it and tell me what makes this place so special for you.

One of the best things about Door County is that shopping up here does not feel like shopping. It feels like wandering.

A gallery in Fish Creek, a boutique in Sister Bay, an orchard in Ephraim.

The county is full of places worth slowing down for, and our complete shopping guide covers them town by town so you know what is worth the stop before you get there.

Get the Door County shopping guide here.

Last week we asked about your favorite Door County destination and the results were close at the top.

Ephraim and Sister Bay tied - each with 24% of the vote - which makes sense to me... although, I do have a soft spot for Fish Creek.

Every week we spotlight a recently sold home and an active listing to give you a feel for what the Door County real estate market looks like. Whether you are actively looking or just dreaming, this is your weekly peek at what is changing hands.

JUST SOLD: Sturgeon Bay

More than 200 feet of pristine Green Bay shoreline, positioned perfectly for sunset views. That is the headline and it earns it.

A three bedroom, three bath home in Sturgeon Bay sold at $1,100,000. At 3,020 square feet, the home has two sunrooms designed to capture those special Door County sunsets.

FOR SALE: Sturgeon Bay

There is something about a house that has been loved by the same family for generations that you can feel before you even walk through the door.

This four bedroom, three bath home in Sturgeon Bay is listed at $474,900. Built in 1910 on a half-acre lot along a quiet tree-lined street, the house has a wraparound front porch, and apple and pear trees that have probably been producing longer than most of us have been alive.

Every trip up here ends the same way for us. We (unfortunately) hit the road and are about twenty minutes down 42 when it hits. We are not ready to be done.

We must… and I mean must… hit up Door County Coffee and Tea in Carlsville. It has become our tradition. A coffee, something from the bakery case, and a bag of beans to bring home so the trip does not end when we cross the county line.

The cafe is worth a visit on its own even if you are not leaving. The roasting facility is on site, which means the coffee is as fresh as it gets anywhere in Wisconsin. And the shopping is dangerous if you love coffee-related anything.

The Door County Fair runs Wednesday through Sunday in Sturgeon Bay. Five days of stock car racing, carnival rides, arts and crafts, agricultural exhibits, live music from local bands, and the kind of old-fashioned county fair experience that has been running since 1871.

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Perseids Meteor Shower at Newport State Park. Newport State Park in Ellison Bay is Wisconsin's only designated International Dark Sky Park, meaning the stargazing is as good as it gets. On Wednesday night, astronomers from UW-Madison will be on hand for a presentation of this spectacular meteor shower.

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Island Fair on Saturday starting at noon. The Washington Island version of a summer fair is one of the most charming events the island puts on all season. Worth the ferry ride if you can swing it.

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Howard and the Bluegills play Simon Creek Vineyard Saturday. Live music on a Saturday afternoon in mid-August. This is exactly what summer in Door County is supposed to feel like.

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Evenings in Ephraim Concert Series on Monday. One of the most lovely summer traditions in a beautiful setting. Bring a chair and plan to stay until the light is gone.

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Check out our full list of events on The Best of Door County Calendar.

Since Stuart's story took us inside Peninsula State Park this week, here is something worth knowing about the park itself.

Peninsula State Park was established in 1909, making it one of the oldest state parks in Wisconsin. When the state began acquiring the land, it was not empty. Families had been farming and living on that land for generations, and creating the park required relocating a number of longtime residents.

At its peak, more than 30 private residences operated inside what became park boundaries. Some families held on for decades as the park developed around them, meaning that for more than half a century, people lived year-round and seasonally inside one of Wisconsin's most visited state parks.

Stuart's family was part of that history. So were dozens of others. The park we visit today was built on land that was home to real people with real stories, and it is worth remembering that every time you walk those trails.

Tuesday should hit around 77 degrees with a slight chance of afternoon rain.

Wednesday brings a 70 percent chance of rain, the wettest day of the week. Plan accordingly if you have outdoor activities on the calendar.

Thursday clears out nicely at 76 with rain chances dropping back to 20 percent.

The weekend is a mixed picture. Friday looks clean at 72 and dry. Saturday, the first full day of the Door County Fair, is looking at a 65 percent chance of rain and a high of only 69.

Sunrise Tuesday is at 5:50 a.m. Sunset comes around 8:10 p.m. Just over 14 hours of daylight. The slow lean toward fall is real now but there is still plenty of summer left if you want it.

Over the past few weeks I have been sharing my top five bands of all time. Genesis at number two. Styx at number three. Fleetwood Mac at number four.

This week we get to number five: The Police.

Synchronicity came out in 1983 and is one of those albums that sounds like it was recorded in the future. Every Breath You Take, Wrapped Around Your Finger, King of Pain. Sting was doing things that nobody else in rock music was attempting at the time.

I have seen The Police and Sting perform more times than I can count and the rock reggae combination never gets old.

Lucy and her dad were spotted hanging out at Happy Coffee in Sister Bay recently, which is exactly the kind of Door County morning that makes people keep coming back.

Lucy, welcome to the newsletter.

We want to see your pets enjoying Door County.

Send a photo with your pet's name, the village you were in, and anything worth knowing about the moment. The best ones end up right here.

A 100-year family connection to Peninsula State Park.

A shipwreck on the National Register.

A heartfelt rescue boat campaign worth supporting.

The Door County Fair starting Wednesday.

And Lucy at Happy Coffee in Sister Bay.

That is a week worth paying attention to.

See you up here,
Brian