Sep 2022
Soaring into Our Twenties
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a three-day “Soaring into Our Twenties” celebration Sept. 22-24, featuring a celebration of Major Bong, half-price admission to the Bong Center, bikes, Betties, bags, barks and beers. The event kicks off with an invite-only Homecoming event for the Bong Center family, staff, museum members and volunteers Thursday night from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday features half-price admission to the museum; a Vintage Military Weapons show will be…
Find out more »Nov 2022
South Vietnamese Veteran Speaker
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center hosts Dr. Ha H. Tuong, who presents his experiences as an Army of the Republic of Vietnam soldier during the Vietnam War. Born and raised in South Vietnam, Dr. Tuong was the eldest son of parents who came from North Vietnam. He served in the ARVN until the end of the war. He fled the country as a "boat person," then moved to refugee camps in Malaysia before finally setting in Minnesota. He…
Find out more »Dec 2022
Superior Singers Present: Still the Greatest Story Ever Told
Superior Singers is a 23-member community choir under the direction of Brian G. MacDonell. "Still the Greatest Story Ever Told" features a blend of new and traditional Christmas carols with modern arrangements.
Find out more »Feb 2023
Escape the Bong 2023
The fifth iteration of the escape-room event arrives with two all-new rooms and the return of two classics. New this year and exclusive to the Bong Center are “Escape and Evade,” where participants are "shot down" in the jungles of the South Pacific. They must evade the Japanese by using the help of the locals to make their escape. The second new room is “The Hornet’s Nest.” The scenario is that a U.S. Navy submarine has been stolen by the…
Find out more »The Corsair and the Story of Korean War Heroism (Postponed)
This event has been postponed. The speaker is unable to attend due to travel conditions. The event will be rescheduled for a later date. The 1950s were a time of great racial division in America, but when Jesse Brown, the Navy's first black aviator, was shot down over North Korea, his wingman Tom Hudner did the unthinkable to save him and crashed his own plane into the same mountain. The Bong Center is pleased to welcome Experimental Aircraft Association Program…
Find out more »Mar 2023
Rosie the Riveter Day
Rosie the Riveter served as an icon to encourage women into the workforce during World War II and she continues to be a symbol of female strength and empowerment. During this event at the Bong Veterans Historical Center, different storytelling genres will be incorporated to explain how women changed the landscape in male-dominated industries. The day will feature an online Rosie Look-a-Like Contest with the winner announced at 3 p.m. by Border Town Betties. Women in the Workforce reenactors in…
Find out more »Apr 2023
Twin Ports Festival of History 2023: Warrior Stories
Warrior Stories is an afternoon of veterans sharing their stories of service with beer by Warrior Brewing. The second annual Twin Ports Festival of History runs March 30 to April 4 at multiple venues in Duluth and Superior and features lectures, tours and more. The event aims to provide those with an interest in history an opportunity to listen and discuss topics with authors and historians of local, regional, national and international renown. The event is sponsored by the UMD…
Find out more »The Corsair & the Story of Korean War Heroism
The recent movie Devotion was based on a true story. When Jesse Brown, the Navy's first black aviator, was shot down over North Korea, his wingman, Tom Hudner, did the unthinkable to save him and crashed his own plane into the same mountain. The incredible tale is presented by EAA Program Director Chris Henry.
Find out more »Gotta Be Superior Brand Launch Party
The City of Superior’s Tourism Development Commission is hosting a launch party to give the community a chance to hear from their contracted marketing team at SWIM Creative and talk about the Gotta Be Superior brand. Commissioners will be there to speak and answer questions about what’s next for Tourism in Superior. Catch a glimpse of what the newly branded Superior Tourism Information Center will look like and see some options for Gotta Be Superior Merch.
Find out more »May 2023
Memorial Day Weekend Picnic & Salute to Military
This is a free community celebration with military vendors, military vehicles on display, a police K-9 demonstration, free museum tours, an M-60 tank, kids' activities, the USS Wisconsin inflatable submarine, live music, Border Town Betties, and much more. Picnic lunch to be served between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Find out more »Jun 2023
Flag Day
Learn all about the American flag. This educational event will include the History of our Flag Exhibit, flag folding education, proper burning ceremony and more.
Find out more »Sep 2023
Twin Ports Unites with Ukraine – Fundraising Kickoff
The Superior Rotary Club will hold a press conference to kick off the “Twin Ports Unite with Ukraine” campaign. This humanitarian campaign is operating in conjunction with Rotary Clubs in Ukraine and Europe to raise money for the people of the war-torn regions. Superior Rotary is working to meet a goal of $40,000 for needed water purification systems, electric generators and medical supplies.
Find out more »Nov 2023
The War: Vietnam
Dr. Ha H. Tuong will be sharing his ideas about the many chances that were available to prevent the Vietnam War from expanding. He will give a broad picture of sociopolitical events drawing from his book The War, published in 2020.
Find out more »Feb 2024
Unlikely Helping Hands
The Bong Center will host its first 2024 speaker series program, titled Unlikely Helping Hands. Pam Ekholm, from the Wisconsin Historical Society will be speaking about how our agricultural communities were saved by WWII German Prisoners of War.
Find out more »USMC Sgt. James Joseph Hubert’s Long Journey Home
This program’s topic will be "USMC Sgt. James Joseph Hubert’s Long Journey Home" from WWII as told by his nephew Jay Hagen. Mr. Hagen is the Veterans Memorial Hall Program Manager and will be presenting all aspects of his uncle’s service & sacrifice, his 73 years MIA (Missing In Action), his eventual recovery and repatriation home to Duluth in 2017.
Find out more »One event on Feb 10, 2024 at 10:00 am
One event on Feb 11, 2024 at 10:00 am
Escape the Bong 2024
One event on Feb 10, 2024 at 10:00 am
One event on Feb 11, 2024 at 10:00 am
Four different themed escape rooms are available during this sixth-annual event: Escape and Evade, The Hornet's Nest, Mama B's and Papa T's Speakeasy and Blackbeard's Bounty.
Find out more »May 2024
The Twin Ports during the Cold War
Learn more about the crucial role that the Twin Ports played during the Cold War era — nuclear weapon storage, round the clock radar monitoring and pilots on 24 hour alert. Robert Peterson worked at the SAGE building and will be speaking to share some little known facts about this historical time.
Find out more »Aug 2024
Spy Pilot
Based on newly available information, the son of famed U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers presents the facts and dispels misinformation about the Cold War espionage program that his father was part of. One of the most talked-about events of the Cold War was the downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960.
Find out more »The Real U-2 Story
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center kicks off their new speaker series with internationally renowned speaker Gary Powers Jr.'s session titled "Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident and a Controversial Cold War Legacy." This event is sponsored by American Legion Post 435. Refreshments will be provided. Book signing immediately following the talk. The downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960 was a major event…
Find out more »Sep 2024
Post Office in the Pacific Opening Day
A new, interactive display that contains memorable mail from World War II (and is based on actual descriptions and layouts of military post offices in the Pacific Theater) opens during this event. The show will run for the next year.
Find out more »Guardians of History: The Secret Service
Having served over 39 years in the Secret Service and protecting both President Bushes and their families, Carl Wahl will share the history of the Secret Service, with a special look at assassination attempts and motives. The conversation will also take a brief look at the protection of U.S. Currency through current security features of money and anti-counterfeit measures that are employed.
Find out more »Rock the Bong
Roots in Blue performs during this event. They're an ensemble that is committed to honoring veterans and active-duty members, communicating esprit de corps and motivation and inspiration. The band will be located on the ground floor with limited seating. Viewing will also be available from the mezzanine level.
Find out more »Oct 2024
Evolution of Armor in the U.S. Army
Brigadier General (Ret.) Ron Hein, who had a distinguished military career that spanned over 37 years, speaks about the evolution of armor in the U.S. Army from WWI to the present day. Brig. Gen. Hein has been inducted into the Minnesota Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and into the Minnesota National Guard Court of Honor.
Find out more »Nov 2024
Captives in the Heartland: Wisconsin’s WWII POW Stories
Pam Ekholm, archives assistant at the Wisconsin Historical Society, shares her research into the many prisoner-of-war camps that were located throughout the state of Wisconsin during World War II. She will be sharing POW stories with Bong Center visitors, concentrating on those camps located in northern Wisconsin.
Find out more »Jan 2025
Spotting the Fakes: Distinguishing Real Currency from Counterfeit
An interactive program where retired Secret Service agent Carl Wahl teaches attendees how to determine if a bill is counterfeit. He will go over how genuine currency is produced, discuss the exacting standards in the manufacturing process and the anti-counterfeit measures that the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing employs. He will also discuss the fourth-largest counterfeit case in U.S. Secret Service history that occurred in Minnesota in 1995. Attendees are encouraged to bring a magnifying glass, if possible.
Find out more »Feb 2025
The Red Arrow Returns to Buna
Florian Waitl, the Command Historian of the Wisconsin National Guard, presents. Waitl recently returned from a trip to Papua, New Guinea, where he was filming footage for an upcoming documentary that follows in the footsteps of the WWII 32nd Division. The 32nd Division, largely made up of men from Wisconsin and Michigan, was one of the most effective and longest-serving combat units of WWII. Refreshments available.
Find out more »Apr 2025
A Nurse’s Experience in Afghanistan
Nita Peterson graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force through the ROTC program. During her 5 years as an active duty nurse, she was stationed at Nellis AFB, NV and Whiteman AFB, MO. She also served a 6-month deployment to Craig Joint Theater Hospital at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan in 2010. Nita will discuss being a nurse in Afghanistan and all that…
Find out more »Storytelling Workshop
Participants will learn how to find, shape and tell stories. This workshop is open to people from all walks of life. Registration is required.
Find out more »May 2025
Man vs. Machine: An Infantryman’s Development of Tactics and Weapons Throughout History
Bryan Kastelic served in the U.S. Army Infantry from 1987 to 1997, both as an active-duty serviceman and in the Wisconsin National Guard. His presentation provides a look at the parallel development of anti-tank tactics and weapons as armor developed through history. This presentation combines PowerPoint and hands-on examples of anti-tank hand grenades, landmines, AT rifles, projectile weapons and remote-piloted vehicles and tactics since World War I to present conflicts.
Find out more »Family Fun Day
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center hosts Family Fun Day, featuring the public debut of their brand-new flight simulator, awarded by Students in Aviation. This event raises funds for the Flora Oveson Female in Aviation Scholarship, which supports students at the Lake Superior College School of Aviation. The scholarship honors Flora Oveson, a passionate pilot and founder of the Bong Book Club. Suggested Donation: Just $1 for a “Fun Pass,” good for all activities and helping launch a future…
Find out more »Dance Attic
Siggy's Musical Garden (the parent nonprofit organization of Superior Porchfest) presents the Americana duo, who are also promoting their new children's book Living with a Bear.
Find out more »
