Events

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, was a fitting place to commemorate the memory of those who lost their lives in the sinking of the Edmond Fitzgerald, which began its ill-fated final voyage from Superior, WI 50 years ago. The Sons of Wisconsin visited the museum on Saturday, November 8th, to mark the occassion. On a more upbeat note, the museum is a fitting homage to much of Wisconsin's maritime history, featuring a gargantuan working ship's engine and a docked submarine (the museum is on the shores of Lake Michigan!) that we were able to tour from aft to bow (the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built 28 such submarines during World War II). Afterward, we enjoyed the sights of Manitowoc, including its historic domed Courthouse, as we traveled to our luncheon venue.

On Friday and Saturday, September 19th and 20th, 2025, the Sons of Wisconsin visited St. Croix Falls and the beautiful Interstate State Park. Our event started with a meet and greet open to prospects at a local establishment on Friday night, followed by a tour of Interstate State Park on Saturday, which was celebrating its 125th anniversary that day. We enjoyed several different hiking trails, including the terminus of the Ice Age Trail, a historic trail that spans hundreds of miles from the border of Minnesota to Lake Michigan. After an exciting day, we enjoyed a beer keg at St. Croix Falls' Lions Park, followed by dinner at another local venue. 

After a private members' meeting on Friday, June 20th, the Sons of Wisconsin hosted a picnic luncheon on Saturday, June 21st, to inaugurate the summer and showcase one of the gems of our state park system, Wildcat Mountain State Park, and the natural beauty that the driftless region of Wisconsin has to offer. 

Lunch included burgers and brats over a park grill, which we enjoyed at a reserved pavillion near a cliffside overlook. The wives of our members made several fixings, including delicious pasta salad and brown butter chocolate chip cookies. It was a weekend to remember!

The Sons of Wisconsin attended the South Milwaukee Memorial Day ceremony at the city's War Memorial. 

The ceremony included a reading of all the names of those from the community who lost their lives in service in one of the nation's wars. 

After attending the ceremony, we joined the mayor and other local leaders at the public luncheon.

The event started at the Père Marquette statue (pictured) at Père Marquette Park in downtown Milwaukee. After meeting, we walked a two-mile loop exploring historic locations, which included:

• The site where Père Marquette ostensibly camped after discovering Milwaukee in 1674

• The sites of the Milwaukee Bridge War of 1845 (check out our Substack Article on this topic!)

• Old St. Mary's—The oldest Church standing in Milwaukee (1846) 

• Cathedral Square Park, Milwaukee's original Civic Center (1836)

• The historic Milwaukee City Hall (1895)

• Milwaukee's iconic River Walk

After our historical tour, the men in attendance shared lunch and drinks at a downtown Milwaukee German restaurant.

The Sons of Wisconsin paid our respects at the grave of the late Senator from Wisconsin, the Honorable Joseph R. McCarthy.

This public event involved cleaning the grave site, which had been vandalized, officer speeches, and a luncheon.