January 11 – May 5, 2019
Milwaukee is hundreds of miles from any ocean coast but the city has played a critical role in the development of commercial diving equipment. Diving Equipment & Salvage Company (DESCO) was formed in 1937 as the manufacturer of the newly designed diving equipment by Max Nohl and Jack Browne. On December 1, 1937, in the cold waters of Lake Michigan, Max Nohl succeeded in diving to a depth of 420 feet; breaking the record held by U.S. Navy diver Frank Crilley since 1915.