The Baileys Harbor Open Space Preservation Fund was established to purchase the old Nelson Hardware building and adjacent garage and develop it into a community space.

We are excited to announce that we have raised just over $500,000 in pledges thus far and now have a generous, anonymous, donor who has stepped up and is matching every dollar for the next $250,000!

We need you to help to get to our goal of $1,100,000.

We welcome gifts via credit or debit card. Please click here to begin a credit card transaction.

We are pleased to accept pledges and gifts via check. If you’re interested in making such a gift, please download our pledge form here.

We have established the fund at the Door County Community Foundation in order to make all donations a charitable contribution. Your donation can help ensure that this centrally located property can become an open green space for our community to enjoy for many generations to come.

To make a gift of highly appreciated assets or a gift through your Donor Advised Fund at the Door County Community Foundation reach out to the Community Foundation for additional assistance.

On April 20, 2021 at the Town of Baileys Harbor Annual Meeting – the town voted 255 to 32 to purchase the properties.

The purpose of the fund is to create a public-private partnership between those citizens that care about preserving and investing in the Town of Baileys Harbor and the Public funds and resources of the Town itself. This is an opportunity to help our community and taxpayers be able to afford the purchase. The Town has negotiated a fair market value purchase price of $1,950,000 to purchase the Nelson’s property. The details of the offer include a $100,000 down payment this year and the Nelsons would then extend a $1,850,000 promissory note to the Town at 3.375% interest with a balloon payment in 2027. (annual payments of $110,000 2022-2026, with a balloon payment of $1,700,000 in 2027). We are looking to raise private funds to assist in the purchase and make improvements to the property (remove buildings and develop park). Our goal is to raise at least $1,100,000 ($600,000 towards the purchase of the property and $500,000 for the creation of a park and an extension of the marina).

The Town of Baileys Harbor has a long history of private citizens investing in infrastructure and properties to improve the town for current and future generations. Our Town Hall was built by a private citizen and donated to the Town. We believe that it is our generation’s turn to invest in the future of our community.

Thank you for your consideration and for all you do for our community,

The Baileys Harbor Open Space Preservation Fund Committee

David Eliot, Carrie Baldwin Smith, David and Sally Smith, Paul Salm