A Wisconsin veterans group is bringing back a Christmas tradition that once filled Lake Michigan with boats carrying Christmas trees.
The Patriot Racing Project will use its historic schooner, Utopia, to bring about 30 Christmas trees from Menominee to Sturgeon Bay on Saturday. The trees will be sold to raise money for the nonprofit, which uses sailing to help veterans build friendships and find a sense of purpose after military service.
The trip will recreate the famous Christmas tree ship tradition linked to the Rouse Simmons, a schooner that sank in Lake Michigan in 1912. The Utopia will make the journey under sail, marking what the group says will be the first sailing Christmas tree ship in more than 100 years.
According to WBAY, the trees will be sold for $50 each at the dock near the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay. Some will also be sold outside The Red Room, a bar on Third Avenue.
The trip is part of a larger effort to keep Wisconsin’s maritime history alive while giving veterans a place to connect with one another.
Utopia Schooner Brings Back Wisconsin’s Christmas Tree Ship Tradition
The Utopia is a two-masted schooner built in Sturgeon Bay in 1946. The boat was designed by Fred Peterson and built for long trips across the open ocean. Its strong design makes it well suited for sailing through rough waters.
Jack Gage, founder and president of the Patriot Racing Project, said the boat was made with challenging sailing conditions in mind.
“But you can definitely see, on a deeper glance of this boat, is that almost every single part of it was designed with open ocean and heavy seas in mind,” Gage said.
The Patriot Racing Project received the Utopia as a donation from its private owners in Manitowoc. The schooner is now moored at the Door County Maritime Museum dock.
Gage said he has wanted to bring back the Christmas tree ship tradition for years. The upcoming trip will be a chance to connect the past with the present.
“Sailing Christmas tree ships have not sailed under sail for over 100 years. So, this would be the first sailing Christmas tree ship in over a century,” Gage said.
The Utopia will cross the Bay of Green Bay to reach Menominee, where the crew will collect the Christmas trees before returning to Sturgeon Bay.
The crew will use modern weather forecasts to help plan the trip. The U.S. Coast Guard is also aware of the journey and will be on call.
Other boats have taken part in Christmas tree deliveries over the years. The Susie Q brings trees from Two Rivers to Manitowoc, while the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinac has sometimes delivered trees to Chicago from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The group was formed to help veterans reconnect with the teamwork and purpose they experienced during military service. Through sailing, racing and restoring classic boats, veterans can build friendships and work together toward shared goals.
The Christmas tree trip will also help the group test its plans for future deliveries.
Gage said this year’s journey will be limited in size so the crew can learn more about the work and support needed to make the trip successful. The group hopes to expand the effort in the coming years. Green Bay has also expressed interest in receiving Christmas trees through the project.
Sam Perlman, deputy director and development manager of the Door County Maritime Museum, said the money raised from the tree sales will go directly to the Patriot Racing Project.
“Hopefully, all of the trees that Utopia brings will get sold because all of those trees are a benefit for the Patriot Racing Project,” Perlman said.
The Red Room is partnering with the group and will sell some of the trees outside its bar on Third Avenue. The Utopia’s arrival will also be part of a busy holiday day at the Door County Maritime Museum.
Santa and Mrs. Claus are scheduled to arrive at the museum around 11 a.m. aboard a U.S. Coast Guard boat. Families will be able to meet them in the Bridge Room and bring their Christmas wish lists.
The event will include scavenger hunts and cookie decorating. Kevin Osgood, president and CEO of the Door County Maritime Museum, said Santa will also greet the Utopia when it arrives at the dock.
Families will have the chance to take home a Christmas tree from the schooner.
The museum will also open its 15th annual Maritime Festival of Trees on Nov. 14. Between 35 and 45 local groups, businesses and individuals will decorate and donate trees for display throughout the museum.
The decorated trees will remain on display through Dec. 30. Raffle winners will be selected during the museum’s Jingle Mixer holiday event on Dec. 10.
Patriot Racing Project Helps Veterans Find Connection
The Christmas tree ship trip is also a reminder of the Patriot Racing Project’s main goal: helping veterans find connection through sailing.
The nonprofit gives veterans a chance to work together on boats, learn new skills and take part in a shared activity. The group also focuses on restoring classic vessels.
In August 2025, the project worked with the Door County Maritime Museum as it continued its efforts to restore historic boats. Its flagship vessel, the Stjarna, had been restored by veterans working with project leaders.
The Utopia has also become an important part of the group’s work. In June, the schooner brought veterans aboard for a sailing trip as part of the nonprofit’s mission to strengthen the community through sailing, per WBAY.
For veterans, the teamwork found on a boat can bring back a familiar feeling from their time in the military.
Osgood, a Navy veteran and Utopia crew member, said the bond between service members can remain strong long after they leave the military.
“That teamwork and camaraderie among veterans, you miss it when you get out. No matter how long it’s been,” Osgood said.
He also explained how that connection carries over to sailing the schooner.
“That brotherhood, sisterhood, I’ll do anything for the person next to me…definitely has an application when you’re sailing a 70-foot-plus schooner in the waters of northeast Wisconsin. It’s honestly been lifesaving,” Osgood said.
Gage said the Patriot Racing Project began a little more than three years ago. Support from the community helps the group keep the boat running and make its programs available to veterans for free.
The Utopia is also receiving support to preserve its place in local history. In September, the Patriot Racing Project received a $74,200 grant from Destination Door County’s Community Investment Fund, according to NBC 26. The funding will help pay for repairs and updates, including new sails, paint, varnish and improved systems.
Related: An 89-Year-Old Rhode Island Veteran Serenaded His Ceremony With a Patriotic Song
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