Late Summer Lineup of History, Local Flavor, and Community Connection
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (August 4, 2025) – The Door County Historical Society’s 2025 Dine & Discover series continues this summer and into the fall with two memorable evenings that combine local history, good food, and community fellowship in unique Door County settings.
On Monday, August 25, Capt. Robert (Bob) Desh, USCG (Retired), will be the featured speaker. Desh, a longtime maritime historian and retired Executive Director of the Door County Maritime Museum, will discuss the history and construction of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. Dug between 1872 and 1881, the canal dramatically changed shipping routes in the region by connecting the bay of Sturgeon Bay with Lake Michigan. The program will be held at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. The menu includes chicken parmesan, meat lasagna, Caesar salad, warm bread, cookies, brownies, coffee, and water. The presentation will follow the meal. The registration deadline is August 18.
The September program is one week earlier than normal – Monday, September 15, at The Lodge at Leathem Smith in Sturgeon Bay. This special evening will feature a presentation by Leathem Smith Stearn, grandson of the legendary Door County entrepreneur Leathem D. Smith. Stearn will share personal stories and historical context about his grandfather’s legacy, including the Leathem Smith Dock Company, the shipbuilding company that provided wartime employment during World War II. Smith’s innovative forward-looking designs, earned him the nickname “the Frank Lloyd Wright of the maritime industry.” He invented the self-unloading vessel and container shipping, both of which were lightning bolt innovations that revolutionized the shipping industry around the world and made international shipping what it is today.
For the program on September 15, the doors open at 5:00 p.m. for cocktails. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. and includes honey baked chicken, stuffed pork loin, mashed potatoes, vegetables, gravy, rolls with butter, cookies, and coffee. The registration deadline is September 8.
Each dinner program is $40 per person, with a discounted rate of $35 for Door County Historical Society members. Reservations can be made online at www.doorcountyhistoricalsociety.org, by phone at 920-421-2332, or in-person at the DCHS office located at 130 N 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay.
Everyone is welcome at all Dine & Discover events. These evenings offer a relaxed and engaging way to learn more about the people and events that shaped Door County’s past. Participation, membership, and donations help support the Door County Historical Society’s ongoing mission to preserve and share our local history for future generations.
ALL CONTENT © 2025 BY DOOR GUIDE PUBLISHING
