Most People Have No Idea Just How Unique This Village In Wisconsin Truly Is
By Ben Jones|Published September 06, 2021
×
Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Ephraim, Wisconsin, pop. 228, is a small village that’s like no other. Founded by Moravians, it’s tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan and somehow holds on to both its postcard-perfect beauty and its Scandinavian past. It’s a place like no other and it’s easy to fall in love with this little village. Here’s why.
Ephraim was founded in 1853 as a religious community – it was founded by Moravians and like most villages in the area, many of the residents have Scandinavian roots. The town is anchored by the picturesque steeples of the Ephraim Moravian Church and the Free Evangelical Lutheran Church-Bethania Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation.
From the time the village was founded until 2016, the village was dry. That's right - no alcohol was served in the lakefront restaurants here, which drew the ire of generations of unhappy tourists. Eventually, the prohibition was overturned by a referendum of residents.
The village is located on a calm protected harbor that has a beach and a park with incredible views of Eagle Bluff in nearby Peninsula State Park. The sunsets are absolutely gorgeous.
In the summer, the village holds a big Norwegian festival called Fyr Ball. It culminates with huge fires along the shore – it’s a spectacle that draws huge crowds.
Winters in Ephraim are beautiful but much quieter. They're so quiet, in fact, that for years the speed limit was raised during winter months. So many places were closed for the season that there was no reason to slow down!
There are more and more year-round businesses that are open, as well as some iconic seasonal spots like Wilson’s Ice Cream. This red and white shop has been serving huge ice cream cones for more than a century. At the bottom of your cone you will find a little surprise – a jelly bean!
Ephraim is a perfect place to stay when you’re visiting Door County because it’s centrally located and you can walk to a lot of things right in town. Book early though – the hotels and cottages fill up very quickly. Interested in exploring more Wisconsin villages? Here are some charming places to visit.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
