KEWAUNEE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s an iconic vessel, which has been part of Kewaunee’s harbor for 75 years.
After a COVID-19 closure last year, the Tugboat Ludington is open again for tours, and the boat also has a history, dating back to World War II.
Mayor Jason Jelinek tells FOX 11 stepping onto the Ludington is like stepping back in time.
“This is where all the crew would have sat, and ate their breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every day.”
And a trip to the lower engine room reveals a spool, with nearly a half-mile of steel cable.
“The cable is heavy, so it will go to the bottom, and it will actually drag across the bottom of the lake, and the sand and what is on the bottom will actually polish the cable. When it would get reeled back in. it would be shiny, like new.”
Jelinek says the Ludington’s cable was likely used after the boat was christened the “Major Wilbur Fr. Browder” in 1943 by the U.S. Army. The 115-foot long tug was heading to Europe to support the D-Day invasion in World War II.
“It was part of Normandy. This tug would have been pulling large cargo behind it. Munitions and things like that. So it was definitely an important part of the war effort.”
Jelinek says the tug was painted grey, and had a couple machine guns mounted on the deck. After the war, Jelinek says the vessel was transferred to Kewaunee where it served the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for decades under the name “Tug Ludington.” The city acquired the Ludington about 25 years ago, where it has transformed into a floating museum on the banks of the Kewaunee Harbor.
“In the last say maybe four or five years, the city has worked harder to make it more accessible,” said Jelinek.
After the pandemic closed the site last year, self-guided daily tours are now underway. Visitors use hand-held receivers to learn about exhibits on the boat.
“I’ve always been fascinated with tug boats, so it’s fun to see them. And I know they’re not being used as much as they used to be, so it’s nice to see this here,” said Chris Sadler, Stevens Point.
City leaders say the Tug Ludington can attract about 1,000 visitors throughout the summer season.
