A Bridge Eye View: Stories from 40 Years of Tending Sturgeon Bay’s Bridges

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (March 17, 2025) – The final presentation of the 2024-2025 Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series will be held both in person and online on Thursday, April 3 at 7pm,featuring A Bridge Eye View: Stories from 40 Years of Tending Sturgeon Bay’s Bridges, by Sonja Polster with special guest Rose Pipkorn.

Sonja Polster’s husband Bill and Rose Pipkorn tended the Michigan Street and Bay View bridges from the late 1960s to early 2000s. Join us for an evening of storytelling from these bridge tenders and gain a deeper understanding of this important role in our community.

Register for April 3 Online

Each Fall, Winter and Spring, the Door County Maritime Museum hosts experts and interesting characters from around the country for the Maritime Speaker Series (presented in partnership with series sponsor the Door County Medical Center). The Maritime Speaker Series offers an assortment of monthly programs – from historical topics to current issues affecting the Great Lakes and the economy that relies on them.

The Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series programs are held the first Thursday of each month, October through May, beginning at 7pm, on the second floor of the Museum in Sturgeon Bay, as well as online. There is no cost to attend; we suggest bringing a donation of a non-perishable food item, or if watching online, we ask you to donate to your local food pantry.

More information, and a link to register for online presentations, is available at https://dcmm.org/seaperch/maritime-speaker-series/.

Additional in-kind support for the Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series is provided by Bridgeport Resort.

For questions about the Maritime Speaker Series, please email Andrea Stromeyer, Educational Programs Coordinator, at astromeyer@dcmm.org. 

Door County Maritime Museum: Where Great Lakes History Comes Alive!

The Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. preserves Great Lakes maritime history, primarily focusing on Door County, Wisconsin, and provides interpretive and educational opportunities for current and future generations. The Museum operates three locations, including the Door County Maritime Museum along the working waterfront in Sturgeon Bay; the iconic Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor; and the Death’s Door Maritime Museum in Gills Rock. As one of northeast Wisconsin’s top tourism destinations, averaging 95,000 visitors annually, the Door County Maritime Museum serves as a cultural and educational resource for all 72 counties in Wisconsin. For more information, please visit www.DCMM.org or call (920) 743-5958.