Gills Rock is an unincorporated community located on Highway 42 at the northern tip of the Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. It is within the town of Liberty Grove and was formerly known as Hedgehog Harbor.
History This area is known to the Potawatomi as Wah-ya-qua-kah-me-kong, for "head of the land" or "land's end".Romance of Wisconsin Place Names by Robert E. Gard and L. G. Sorden, New York: October House, Inc. 1968, page 47 Today the area is named for Elias Gill, a local 19th century landowner.
Gills Rock has a strong history and tradition of commercial fishing, which continues to this day. Death's Door Maritime Museum is located there. The area is also popular with scuba divers who explore the many shipwrecks in and around Death's Door, the narrow strait connecting Lake Michigan to Green Bay, also known as Porte des Morts. The Pilot Island Light is located on Pilot Island near Gills Rock.
Gills Rock is also the departure point of a passenger ferry to Washington Island. The vehicle ferry to Washington Island departs 2.25 miles (3.5 km) to the east, in Northport.Washington Island Ferry
In popular culture The town is the birthplace of fictional character Gwen Raiden from the TV series Angel.
Education Gibraltar Area Schools serves the community. Gibraltar Elementary School and Gibraltar Secondary School are the two schools."Gibraltar Area Schools, Gibraltar Area School District, (Archived July 14, 2014)
Climate
Images
References
Bogue, Margaret Beattie. Around the Shores of Lake Michigan A Guide to Historic Sites (1985, University of Wisconsin Press)
External links Google Maps - Aerial View Door County Chamber of Commerce - General Information