For this month's episode of Archive Dive, we look back at how Superior celebrated the end of World War II.

There was a marked difference in the way the city recognized VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May 1945 and the more celebratory affair in August when VJ (Victory over Japan) Day was announced. In May, churches opened and work in the shipyards continued. The day was filled with prayer and resolve to work harder. The August announcement triggered a day of wild celebration. The only restaurants that remained open ran out of food and Tower Avenue was covered with paper.

In this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by Teddie Meronek, a historian and retired librarian, and Briana Fiandt, curator of collections for the Richard I. Bong Veterans Memorial Center, as they dive into the history and discuss the impact of the war locally.

Besides stories of celebration, other topics mentioned in the episode include prisoners of war from Superior returning, POW camps in Wisconsin, what happened to some of the shipyards, women working in the shipyards, Richard Bong's death, plans for a new grain elevator, early discussion of what eventually became the Blatnik Bridge, what life was like in 1945, a unique advertisement from Roth’s department store, and more.

New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you’d like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at [email protected].