Door County, Wisconsin is located on a beautiful peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. On an 80-acre orchard in the county is one of the Midwest’s most respected art galleries in the little town of Fish Creek. The gallery is housed in an old fruit barn that was built in 1918. Artist Irene Haberland fell in love with the trees on the land and decided to make it into a local gallery with the help of her daughter Anne. Irene kept a back section of the barn full of antiques and Anne travelled to art fairs and universities all over the Midwest, bringing back artwork to put on display.
In 1969, the grassroots art gallery, now known as Edgewood Orchard Galleries, opened its doors. Irene recounted opening day saying “We had no lights, but we had champagne.” Over the next few years, lights were added and wooden crates were traded out for actual display pedestals. The gallery is now owned by Anne and her husband Minnow’s daughter and son-in-law Nell. Today, the gallery changes its exhibits monthly and is home to work by over 150 artists. Many mediums are represented including paintings, sculpture, glass, clay, wood, and jewelry.
Since its inception, the fruit barn has been updated and restored by owner and architect Minnow Emerson, Anne’s husband. He added some lasting touches that still stand today such as a bricked courtyard, arbor, and a gorgeous leaded glass portico. In 2005, J.R. Jarosh joined the Edgewood Orchard team and began to create an outdoor oasis surrounding the barn. The area is filled with wildflowers, sculptures, and benches along a pathway. For the Gallery’s 40th season in 2008, Jarosh was able to open the sculpture garden to the public. Visting the garden during the Fall season as the leaves fell was absolutely breathtaking.
The gallery space has grown from one restored fruit barn to two buildings, each with two-stories of purchasable art of all mediums. If you decide to take a piece of art home with you, visit the wrapping room where your new piece will be carefully wrapped and packed up to make a safe trip home. New exhibits and special events are added and held frequently. There are even flameworked glass demonstrations and chances to meet the artists behind the artwork.
Edgewood Orchard Galleries are open daily from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. May through October and by appointment November through April. There is no admission fee and parking is available on site. You won’t want to miss this hidden gem in Fish Creek!