Second Saturdays: Celebrating Veterans!

Explore Northeast Wisconsin’s culture and history all year round at Heritage Hill State Historical Park! Join us this winter and spring for Second Saturdays, a monthly program where we open the park for seasonal, thematic programming. Do hands-on history activities, complete the monthly scavenger hunt, and interact with our costumed historic interpreters and community partners. Come and experience Heritage Hill in new ways this winter and spring.

In November, we are celebrating veterans! Join us at Fort Howard to learn about the lives of soldiers and their families in the 1830s. Do some hands-on history as you march and drill, compare past military life with today, and write letters to modern-day servicemembers.

Then go back even further in history with representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution who will be sharing information about military life in the late 1700s, historical military records, and the upcoming U.S. Semiquincentennial, the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution that begins in 2026!

Schedule:

• 1:00 pm – Town Hall – “America’s Veterans – A Legacy of Service” Lecture
• 1:30 pm – Education Center – Brownie the War Dog: Veterans’ Best Friend Book signing!
• 2:30 pm – Fort Howard – Guided tour of Fort Howard.

“America’s Veterans – A Legacy of Service” a Lecture with presenter Meredith A. Renard.

Celebrate veterans among us as part of the legacy of service established in the cause of independence nearly 250 years ago. Since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, generations of veterans have championed and guarded America’s freedoms. Learn about the descendants of Revolutionary Patriots who migrated to Northeast Wisconsin after the American Revolution and carried on the legacy of their parents and grandparents by dedicating their lives and talents to community and country.

Meredith A. Renard is a member of the Wisconsin Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and serves as state chair of the DAR Project Patriot Committee, supporting U.S. service men and women. Locally, she is the chair of the Lineage Research Committee for the Jean Nicolet Chapter, NSDAR, and is a DAR-trained volunteer genealogist. A published author of articles about genealogy, Meredith speaks on genealogy research tips and techniques to various groups. She is a member of several genealogical societies and organizations throughout the country. A former Fortune 50 company executive, Meredith and her husband Robert live in Green Bay.

Brownie the War Dog: Veterans’ Best Friend

During World War II, families all over the country volunteered their pet dogs to serve in the Dogs for Defense Program. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the true story of a family and their beloved dog, Brownie, who served alongside the troops and returned home to become a companion to wounded vets.

Author KELLY NELSON has loved true animal stories ever since she was a little girl. Brownie the War Dog is her first book, inspired by a visit to the Veterans Home at King to seek care for her father, a veteran of the Korean War. Kelly lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Jason; children James and Brooke; dogs Ladybug, Mabel, and ZuZu; and cat, Lenny.

Illustrator AARON BOYD knew by age six that he wanted to illustrate children’s books. After graduating from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Aaron practiced his craft in children’s magazines and board games before illustrating his first picture book in 1999. Since then, he has illustrated dozens of books, including the Story of Civil Rights Hero John Lewis and Backwards Dog.

General admission applies and may be purchased the day of! Active Duty Military and Veterans are Free for the day!

A reminder that members are FREE too! To become a member or learn more, click here.