Think & Drink Series: Fatal Crossing – The Disappearance of NWA Flight 2501
June 4 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
On June 23rd, 1950, Northwest Airlines Flight 2501, carrying 58 passengers, vanished over Lake Michigan. Despite intensive searches at the time, the wreck was never found, and the cause of the disaster remained one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries.
Join author and historian Valerie van Heest, who will be presenting virtually, as she recounts her decades-long quest to solve the mystery of America’s “lost airliner.” Working in partnership with the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association and renowned author Clive Cussler, Valerie’s team discovered numerous shipwrecks, but the plane remained unseen. However, this search led the team to an entirely different discovery: the stories of witnesses, personnel, and families left behind.
About the speaker: Valerie van Heest is the 2025 Great Lakes Historian of the Year—the first woman to receive this honor—and an inductee in the Women Divers Hall of Fame. An author of eight books and a veteran of over 800 lectures, Valerie has dedicated her career to underwater archaeology and museum exhibit design, to bring submerged history back to the surface.
Doors and cash bar open at 6:00 PM. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase at the limited bar. The presentation and livestream will begin at 6:30 PM. To access the livestream of this event, please register here: https://forms.gle/
Please note: Although these events incorporate a thematic drink pairing, there is no requirement or emphasis on alcohol consumption. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol and/or drug abuse, please reach out to the National Substance Abuse Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
