Random Ramblings in Door County (AP)

I've been thinking about Mr. Strong's posts - especially the one about independence. In my long thought train (what I call it when one thought links to another, to another, to another, etc. until you're at a totally different topic - you understand how you made the leap, but anyone else not in your head is having a REALLY hard time following) here's what I came up with:

• Why is it that the US Coast Guard is the branch of service that I always forget about? Why do they not warrant as much attention as a member of the Navy or the Marines? What is the history here? - I know that today they are a part of the Department of Homeland Security - but that department didn't even exist before Sept. 11.
• I starting thinking about how in the Man __ Nature seminar we were talking about public lands and who is responsible for them and how they are maintained. Lots of Coast Guard stations are connected to lighthouses and the ones in Door County are open to the public on a single weekend in June - other than that it depends on who now owns them. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is in Peninsula State Park, Cana Island is now a county park and Chambers Island Light is owned by the Town of Gibraltar - so all three entities are different - state, county and town. How'd that happen & why?
• As I was wondering about these things, I was looking on my shelf for some easy reading at the beach and came across this book which gave some answers but left me wondering about the "why"? Additionally, I starting thinking about shipwrecks...