Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (October 19, 2026) – 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 April, 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.
The next presentation of the 2026-2027 Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series will be held both in person and online on Thursday, November 5: Great Lakes Influence on the Cold War. Presenter: Kevin Osgood, President/CEO, Door County Maritime Museum.
DCMM President & CEO Kevin Osgood reports on the critical role Great Lakes shipyards played in the Cold War. Many think the role of shipbuilding for defense ended, or significantly slowed after WWII, but that was not the case. From experimental navy ships built 100% from plastic, to fast moving special forces craft, and even guided missile destroyers, the shipyards of the Great Lakes helped not just the United States, but several European democracies defend against the Soviet Union.
In addition to being the CEO of the museum, Mr. Osgood is also a U.S. Navy Cold War veteran who sailed on missions with ships built on the Great Lakes.
More information, and a link to register for upcoming online presentations, is available at https://dcmm.org/seaperch/maritime-speaker-series/.
2026-2027 Maritime Speaker Series schedule:
- October 1: World War II in Our 1950s Living Rooms: NBC-TV, the U.S. Navy, and “Victory at Sea”. Presenter: George Ferencz, UW-Whitewater (retired)
- November 5: Great Lakes Influence on the Cold War. Presenter: Kevin Osgood, President/CEO, Door County Maritime Museum
- December 3: The Extraordinary Life & Times of Georgia Green Stebbins. Presenters: Barb & Ken Wardius
- January 7: Hjalmar Holand. Presenters: Brennan Christianson, DCMM Collections Coordinator and Joe Taylor, Door County Museum & Archives
- February 4: This One’s No BS! Totally True-ish Stories from the Sea Services. Presenters: Captain Jack Gage, Founder of Patriot Racing Project (USMC) and Kevin Osgood (USN, USCGAux)
- March 4: Plum Island’s Restoration Initiative. Presenter: Mary Beth Volmer, Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands
- April 1: How Joseph Harris Built the Canal. Presenter: Kathryn Spoerl, Joseph Harris Sr.’s granddaughter
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.
ALL CONTENT © 2026 BY DOOR GUIDE PUBLISHING
