Wauwatosa’s Polar Bears

Learn about "A Military Mission in Arctic Russia, 1918-1919," which recounts the story of five Wauwatosa men who joined American troops in late 1918. Their mission involved guarding Allied supplies and countering communist revolutionary advances in North Russia, fighting in deep snow near Archangel, battling disease, and surviving an Arctic winter, an event known as the Polar Bear Expedition. Independent researcher Marguerite Helmers, who has over thirty years of university-level teaching experience and authored numerous academic publications, will present this program.

Wauwatosa Historical Society is a historical society in Milwaukee. We are dedicated to historical preservation, research, and education about our community's past. Our team facilitates experiences that spark curiosity and dialogue, including immersive programming and thought-provoking conversations. We offer opportunities to explore Wauwatosa's rich historical collections. Visitors can tour our historic houses, which include an intimate ceremony space and an old schoolhouse where first graders can experience ink and pens.