HORSESHOE BAY FARMS VISION + IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
The mission of Horseshoe Bay Farms Inc. is to act as responsible stewards through preservation, rehabilitation, and activation of historic Horseshoe Bay Farms to secure its future for generations to come. Horseshoe Bay Farms is an exceptionally large and intact agricultural campus in Egg Harbor, WI consisting of 12 historic structures on an 8-1/2-acre portion of a former stock raising farm and orchard. The campus was designed and constructed between 1918 and 1920 as a state-of-the-art showcase of innovation and efficiency, and it was added to the State Register of Historic Places in 2011 and to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. In order to save this important part of Door County’s history, Horseshoe Bay Farms Inc. (HSBF) acquired the property, began efforts to stabilize and preserve the historic structures, and initiated a master planning process. Open to the public for the first time in its over 100-year history, HSBF is committed to shaping a cultural institution that serves the entire community as a center of learning and culture, carries the Horseshoe Bay Farms spirit of innovation into the future, and reactivates this heritage site while honoring its legacy. Working in collaboration with HSBF, our interdisciplinary design team is creating a forward-thinking road map to a shared vision generated through historic research, extensive community engagement, and impression-based methods of field investigation.
Location: Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
Client: Horseshoe Bay Farms, Inc.
Status: Plan Completed in 2020
Area: 8.5 acres
Team: TEN x TEN, AWH Architects, New History, Wigen Consulting
Awards: 2022 ASLA Minnesota Merit Award for Planning + Urban Design, 2022 ASLA Wisconsin Honor Award for Communication
MISSION STATEMENT
As a Center for Sustainable Stewardship, the Farm teaches by example the principles of care for the site, land, and history, serves the Door County community as a center of learning and culture, and supports innovation as a hub for development and exchange of stewardship practices. Bridging the past with the present, and science with art and culture, Horseshoe Bay Farms continues to serve the community as an important civic landmark where its history can be celebrated and shared. This master plan responds to current developments in the regional context, including imminent plans for a multi-modal, all seasons Beach-to-Beach trail and the recently completed comprehensive 20-year plan for the Village of Egg Harbor.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. Be stewards of the site, land, and history
2. Serve the community as a center of learning and culture
3. Be a hub for learning and exchanging new and developing ideas
4. Provide access and programs unique to this site
5. Be an incubator for innovation
6. Adopt plans and practices that are sustainable for the future
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The community members of Egg Harbor and stakeholders who have personal connections Horseshoe Bay Farms are deeply invested in the memory of the farm and its significance to the county. From community conversations and collage exercises, to online surveys and site walks, the feedback and support of the community has been an essential source of guidance for the master planning process. The consistent themes from engagement included:
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
stakeholders want a place that serves as a connector and that unites all of Door County
AUTHENTIC CHARACTER
stakeholders want a place that feels authentic to Egg Harbor and to Door County
SUSTAINABILITY + INNOVATION
stakeholders want a place that embodies sustainability addresses future challenges of Door County
FOOD SYSTEMS
stakeholders have a strong interest in learning about food production
1.0 MASTER PLAN
Horseshoe Bay Farms is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the community, tackling issues such as local water quality, invasive species management, and resilient farming practices. In addition to agricultural research and innovation, the Farm can share knowledge through continuing education courses and public lectures, empowering the community.
SITE ACTIVATION
The activation of the Farm’s historic features and landscape is central to the overall vision for the future of the Farm. Experiences at the Farm will include agricultural production and education, exploration of cultural history, celebrations and events, and engagement with the outdoors. These activities all bring renewed life to this place, celebrating Horseshoe Bay Farm’s mission and the meaning of sustainable stewardship.
2.0 SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLAN
PHASING PLAN
Central to the master plan is a sustainable financial strategy that can help to realize all of the exciting programs and propositions that the master plan proposes. This plan is optimistic yet pragmatic, introducing a phased approach with a diverse range of revenue opportunities that guarantees financial success in the long term.
3.0 INTERPRETIVE PLAN
A long succession of inhabitants with different ways of living off the land has created a complex and interwoven story of production at Horseshoe Bay Farms. From Indigenous people to European settlers, pioneer entrepreneurs to agricultural innovators, and families who lived and worked on the Farm full time to seasonal migrant workers, all pursuits of different enterprises and passions have left their mark upon this place for today’s visitors to discover.
FARM TRAIL INTERPRETIVE LOOP
This walking loop connects many different spaces across the site, telling stories of the Farm and the many people who helped to shape it, while also connecting this history to HSBF’s current mission of sustainable stewardship. The long history of people and production, the power of place, and the endurance of stories make the Farm a special and unique destination for anyone wanting to learn more about Door County.
SITE RECONNAISSANCE + EXPERIMENTATION
The complex material history of this site - the unique geology, agricultural remnants, extensive stone walls and intact series of barns - led us to employ unconventional techniques for recording and uncovering the unique qualities of the site. These impressions have informed the site interpretation and helped to capture the ephemeral nature and embodied power of place.
