Many groups of varying backgrounds have called Door County home. Often, this means they have brought elements of their culture that are essential to their identity from their native country or community. One of these elements is faith, or religion. Some popular religions that are widely followed in Door County include Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Methodism. These are generally recognized and are widespread across the country. However, the chapel in front of you depicts a lesser known religion: Moravianism.
Moravians do consider themselves Christian, and are a branch of the Protestant Church. They are actually one of the oldest Protestant denominations in the world, predating Martin Luther’s Reformation by nearly 100 years!

Followers of the Moravian Church, or Unitas Fratrum, believe in the core tenets of Christianity, with a particular emphasis on the centrality of Jesus Christ and the importance of living a life of love and service. The widely recognizable Moravian Star represents the star of Bethlehem, which guided the Wise Men to Jesus in the New Testament.

The first church in Door County, which the Heritage Chapel is a ¾ model of, was actually Moravian. The Ephraim Moravian Church was established in 1853 by Rev. Andreas Iverson. Iverson, a Norwegian immigrant, founded the church as a religious community, and many of the historic buildings in Ephraim, including the church itself, are over a century old and still in use. And because of its religious roots, Ephraim was a dry town until 2016!