MANITOWOC, WI (WFRV) – Dozens gathered at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Thursday to celebrate a new honor from the National Parks Service.

The designation as a World War II Heritage City pays tribute to the more than two dozen submarines that were built here at the height of the war and ahead of schedule.

The honor also recognizes the many ways Manitowoc keeps that history alive through its maritime museum. The mayor said this was an honor for the Americans who participated in the war abroad and here along the lakeshore.

“Thousands of men and women from Manitowoc helped the war effort by building 28 subs,” Mayor Nickels told the crowd. “This designation is for them.”

City officials say this designation will allow them to draw even more visitors and create even more opportunities for northeast Wisconsinites to show their pride.

For more on Manitowoc’s submarine-building history, click here.