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Door County Maritime Museum
E-Newsletter

Oct. 9, 2008
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Greetings!
My tenure as interim director of the Museum now has an official date. As of Monday, Oct. 20, the musem will have a new Executive Director. Robert Desh, retired captain in the United State Coast Guard, will then become the fourth person to assme the helm of the Museum. A detailed biography on Bob will be included in the upcoming issue of the Mari-Times. His 36 years in Coast Guard has taken him to many places. He's assumed many assignments, but admits the Museum position is his "dream job."  
Bob is a native of Nebraska --"The great Sea-faring state," he calls it. He enlisted in the Coast Guard and rose to the rank of captain. He is married to a Door County native, Barbara (Schlise), from Forestville. He is eager to share his Coast Guard experiences and has agreed to serve as a presenter at one of the Friends Winter Spreakers Series programs.
desh photo
 
I know he'll do a great job and will be an excellent ambassador for the museum.
 
As for me, I'll be staying on at the Museum in a part-time capacity, assisting with volunteers, special events and some marketing. It's been a pleasure filling in this summer and while it was a lot of work, the chance to reconnect with the Museum family was a thrill.
 
 
New Director Bob Desh
See you around the Museum,
Jon Gast
Interim Director
Stoneouse to speak in Sturgeon Bay, Baileys Harbor
 
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The Museum is offering an excellent opportunity to hear one of the foremost authorities on Great Lakes Maritime history when Fred Stonehouse comes to Door County next week, Oct. 16-17.
 
As part of the outreach related to the "Freshwater Fury" exhibit, Stonehouse will talk about the United States Life-Saving Service during the time of the Great Storm of 1913. Stonehouse has authored more than 30 books and is a highly recognized by numerous maritime associations for his historical work. Museum Curator John Moga said he's seen Stonehouse's presentation on the Life-Saving Service and found it to be interesting and entertaining.
 
Stonehouse will speak Thursday evening, Oct. 16, in the Bridge Room at the Sturgeon Bay museum beginning at 7 p.m. The museum will be open from 6-9 p.m. to permit viewing of the exhbiit. He will again speak at Baileys Harbor on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Town Hall. Cost is $5 for members and $12 for nonmembers and includes an admission ticket to the Sturgeon Bay museum. Advance tickets are available at the museum office in Sturgeon Bay, 120 N. Madison Avenure. Call 920-743-5958 for more information.
 
New Date for Lighthouse Walk
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There has been some publicity out on our decision to move the Door County Lighthouse Walk from mid-May to mid-June. The 2009 Walk will take place the weekend of June 13-14. The primary reason for the change is financial. The event has been a profitable fundraiser for the museum in the past, but a number of factors have eroded the event's success in recent years. It was felt the event needed to tap into a new group of lighthouse enthusiasts, who found May to be a difficult time to visit Door County. Also, weather is particularly unpredictable in May. The colder weather and more liklihood of wind, has caused numerous cancellations of boat tours, which have become one of the more attractive elements of the weekend. We thing June will breathe new life into the event. As in past years, advance ticket sales will begin in early spring.