Some might say nobody knows a place like a native, but in a location like Door County, "local" might be harder to define.
Certainly, someone like Virginia native and Minnesota resident John Fraser Hart fits the bill. After all, he's spent countless days in Door County over the past 50 years.
Now, the respected geographer -- a professor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis -- has translated his love for Door County into words in "My Kind of County: Door County, Wisconsin," published this month in hardcover by The University of Chicago Press in its series produced in collaboration with The Center for American Places at Columbia College Chicago.
Hart was introduced to Door County in 1952 when his father-in-law, a Milwaukee journalist, built a summer home there. And the rest, as they say, is history.
"I guess you could say that I married into Door County, because my wife's family have had property there since before World War II, and my father-in-law built our summer home in 1952. Its core is the old log schoolhouse from North Bay."
It was, says Hart, love at first sight.
"How could anyone fail to like Door County as soon as they saw it?"
What really draws Hart back to Door County again and again is the people: the farmers, the visitors, the fishermen.
"I think that the people who have made Door County are fascinating, and they have taught me an enormous amount," he says. "I also think that personal stories help to ‘humanize' geography."
And although there is interesting information on a wide range of subject matter in "My Kind of County" -- from geography, to history, to agriculture -- Hart's focus on those people is what gives the book its heart and soul.
We learn about the fishing life in Door County via Dennis Hickey and his family of fishermen. Ace Schmidt puts a human face on the area's dairy industry. And Dale Seaquist opens a window on Door County's famous cherry orchards.
Although there are various kinds of interesting maps at the back - remember, Hart is a geographer - he was careful to ensure that his book was accessible to the general reader.
"I argue that writing is such hard work that it is foolish not to produce written work that is as interesting as possible," he says. "I try to share my interest in and excitement about what I have learned, and aspire to make my writing as interesting and instructive as possible."
And he is so successful that even if you initially think you won't pay much attention to the maps, you'll find yourself drawn to them as you read. Hart had initially integrated the maps into the text, but they were moved to the back during the production of the book.
"I was disappointed that the book designer segregated my maps into a Jim Crow section at the back of the book, because I think they are an important part of my story," says Hart.
"I would argue that the book is pure geography, because the subjects you mention (history, etc.) are subsumed under the geography of the county. Geography is far broader than most people realize, and I think it is fascinating if it is properly presented."
Fortunately, Hart's own many color photos remain scattered throughout the book.
If you can't feel Hart's passion for the variety and richness of Door County life from reading the book -- and you ought to be able to -- just ask him to pick a couple favorite sights...
"If there were only a top two or three I probably would not have written the book," he says. "The second half of the book talks about people and places that I found fascinating, and I must leave it to each reader to choose for him or herself. I simply cannot play favorites, because I love them all."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
