The community was first recorded as Graham in 1855 but, in 1857, the state legislature organized it as the town of Ottumba.

[9] In 1891, Charles Mitchell Whiteside, a member of the Wisconsin Assembly, sponsored a bill that merged the community of Sawyer with Sturgeon Bay.

Sturgeon Bay was one of a number of cities in the Midwest to assist with production during World War II.

[15] The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.

Stevens Hill is a populated place within the city of Sturgeon Bay, just to the northeast of the downtown.

[17] It is within Big Hill Park, which is 13.2 acres in area and is used for mountain biking, picnicking, and sledding.

The community has one movie theater, Sturgeon Bay Cinema 6, and a professional regional theatre, the Third Avenue Playhouse.

Every year the town hosts Steel Bridge Songfest, where nationally known musicians and songwriters perform.

Past performers include Jackson Browne, Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's and Pat MacDonald of Timbuk3.

It exits the city to reach its northern terminus at Potawatomi State Park.

[28] Additionally, four private organizations maintain a total of 723.1 acres (292.6 ha) of parks and other areas preserved for natural and historical purposes within and adjacent to the city.

[29] The community is served by Sturgeon Bay High School and has a satellite campus of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

The team of the Sturgeon Bay Schools is the Clippers, named after the type of boat.

[31] Sturgeon Bay has a medium-sized port, and has received vessels as long as 1000 feet and a deadweight tonnage carrying capacity of 64,457 metric tonnes.

[32] A major shipbuilding and repair facility and the Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay is located at the port.