March 17, 2020 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes is pleased to announce the opening of an online, interactive exhibit meant to capture the vibrancy and importance of the Maumee River and the Port of Toledo over time. The Port of Toledo: Then & Now online exhibit can be accessed for free by visiting nmgl.org/portoftoledo.

“We began planning the exhibit about six months ago after years of discussion around opportunities which would allow us to engage more people in our museum’s mission of preserving and making known the history of the Great Lakes,” said Carrie Sowden, who led the exhibit’s curation and is the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Archaeological Director. “Little did we know our timing would coincide with a health pandemic, making the virtual experience even more relevant by offering increased access to a public now predominantly homebound.”

The exhibit’s landing page showcases a Port of Toledo map with icons indicating the location of various photos taken throughout history around the Maumee River. The exhibit will be updated every few weeks with new images and stories. Visitors can click to learn more about each individual image and leave comments or share their own memories.

“For parents looking for interesting learning opportunities for their children at home, this offers a great way to integrate history with the beauty and the changes of a port that’s influenced lives and shaped a community,” states Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Education and Visitor Experience Director. “The Maumee River has played an important role for Toledoans and those living in Northwest Ohio to live by, work on and play in.”

The initial exhibit focuses on the Port of Toledo “Then”. Still to come, the museum will explore the Port of Toledo as we know it now by showcasing collected and crowd-sourced images mirroring the historic story of the “Mighty Maumee”. Finally, in September, the National Museum of the Great Lakes will open a temporary exhibit in the History Walk Gallery of Promedica’s historic Steam Plant Headquarters, bringing together the beauty of the online exhibit with images and the incredibly real experience of artifacts.

November 7, 2019 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes today revealed their 2019 Holiday Card for purchase. For the past fifty-one years, Director Emeritus, Alexander B. Cook has painted a watercolor that is used exclusively by the organization to create the holiday card that is then sold to the public to benefit the museum. The museum estimates that the sale of holiday cards featuring Alex Cook’s watercolor has raised over $100,000 for the organization over the past fifty years.

“At age 95, Alex Cook is like the energizer bunny of marine artists,” said Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the museum. “His paint brushes are never more than a few feet away from him at all times.”

This year’s image features two Great Lakes Towing Company tugs in the foreground with an Interlake Steamship freighter in the lock. Cook said, “I have loved tugboats since my earliest days in St. Joseph, Michigan, and I thought this year I would include two Great Lakes Towing Tugs because of the company’s wonderful gift of the Tug Ohio to the museum.”

Gillcrist noted that the cards have become somewhat of a collector’s piece over the years with dozens of people ordering cards year after year. Cards can be ordered online at nmglstore.org or by calling 419-214-5000 extension 200. The cards are shipped in packs of ten cards and envelopes for $16.95 plus shipping and handling.

October 25, 2020 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) is launching a new initiative, All Aboard for History!, meant to provide third through sixth grade Lucas County students the opportunity to forge a deeper connection to Great Lakes history. The 5-year initiative will allow up to 8,000 local students to take advantage of a complimentary visit to the museum or bring the museum’s programming to their classroom.

“The National Museum of the Great Lakes is committed to ensuring school systems throughout the Toledo metropolitan area have access to quality, curriculum-based experiences promoting social studies and history,” explains NMGL Executive Director Chris Gillcrist. “We want to make sure kids have access to first-hand experiences which build their interest, knowledge, and passion around the Great Lakes and its historical significance.”

The museum has secured two $10,000 gifts to launch the program—with the initial gift coming from Key Bank and a more recent gift from the Cleveland Cliffs Foundation. Operating on the Great Lakes since 1855, and currently building the East Toledo iron plant set to open next summer, Cleveland Cliffs representatives say they are thrilled to encourage more students to learn about Great Lakes history, as well as the social and economic impact of one of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystems.

“The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation has a long history of supporting quality educational initiatives within the local communities in which we operate to help prepare youth for their future,” says Ania Ediger, Manager, Government Relations and Specialist, Environmental Legislative Affairs.

Teachers interested in taking advantage of this free learning experience and individuals and corporate entities seeking to donate to the program can learn more by visiting nmgl.org/all-aboard or calling 419-214-5000.

Two Tug Christenings—One Huge Weekend at the National Museum of the Great Lakes

(Toledo) On Friday, June 21, 2019, two tugs will be formally christened at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo Ohio. The first tug to be christened was donated to the museum by The Great Lakes Towing Company in 2018, and will be known as the Museum Tug Ohio. The National Museum of the Great Lakes has spent the last nine months restoring the tug. It will be a feature exhibit at the museum and the Maumee River’s second floating museum ship. The second tug to be christened is The Great Lakes Towing Company’s newest tug, also named Ohio. This tug will serve the maritime community as a member of The Great Lakes Towing Company’s fleet of tugs that operate across the Great Lakes and on the Maumee River. Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes stated “We believe this event is the first of its kind on the Great Lakes and perhaps beyond—the christening of a museum tug that shares its name with the tug built to take its place in the commercial towing fleet! The past meets the present and future all in one wonderful event!”

The addition of the Museum Tug Ohio represents only the second commercial museum ship on the Maumee River—the first being the Col. James M. Schoonmaker. Thirty years ago, the Schoonmaker (as the Willis B. Boyer) was introduced to Toledo as its first museum ship. “It’s been too long since a new museum ship came to Toledo” said Gillcrist. The addition of a museum tug fills a significant void in the permanent exhibit plan of NMGL.

The Great Lakes Towing Company’s new commercial tug represents the application of cutting edge technology in tug design. The new Damen 1907 Ice Tug was built at The Great Lakes Towing Company’s shipyard in Cleveland. In 2019, The Great Lakes Towing Company Ohio will celebrate 120 years of serving as an invaluable resource to the Great Lakes maritime community. President of The Great Lakes Towing Company, Joe Starck says, “The new tug is aptly named OHIO: She was built in Ohio, by an Ohio shipyard, for an Ohio-based company, will operate on Ohio waters and serve Ohio ports. In addition, her construction cost was supported by the Ohio EPA and she replacing the historical Tug Ohio. We memorialize the Museum Tug OHIO as we celebrate her modern successor that will continue to keep cargo moving, here in Toledo, for generations.”

The christenings will take place at the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ commercial dock located behind the building on the Maumee River. Guests and attendees will observe from the dock and patio behind the museum. Christenings of commercial vessels on the Great Lakes have a long and illustrious history. These events often drew thousands of spectators and VIP’s from the maritime industry from across the country.

The Sponsor of the Museum Tug Ohio is long-time NMGL employee and volunteer Mrs. Jane Smith. Mrs. Smith will break a bottle of beer over the bow rail of the Museum Tug Ohio instead of the traditional bottle of champagne. According to Gillcrist when the boat was christened the first time in Chicago in 1903, beer was used because the boat was going to serve the city of Milwaukee—the city that made beer famous! Gillcrist noted that Mrs. Smith was chosen as the sponsor because she best represents the volunteer spirit that makes projects like this one possible.

Included with the press kit is a Museum Tug Ohio Fact Sheet with details of the vessels 115-year history on the Great Lakes. During its career as a fire boat in Milwaukee it participated in some of the most important disasters in Milwaukee history. As a tug, it logged more miles of commercial activity than any other tug on the Great Lakes. “This tug tells a story that no other tug can tell” said Gillcrist. “How many tugs towed not one but two navy submarines on the Great Lakes!”

Tug Ohio Weekend Activities Schedule

Friday’s Activities

When: Friday, June 21, 2019—11:00 AM Where: National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front Street, Toledo Ohio. What: Christening Ceremony, tours of the Museum Tug Ohio and dockside viewing of new Tug Ohio (the public cannot tour the new tug, but a digital exhibit of its capabilities will be available).

Specifics:

• $25 per person includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes, and the Schoonmaker as well as tickets to the christening activities. (members of NMGL pay $20 per person)
• Tickets are available at www.nmgl.org for on-line purchase or by calling NMGL at 419-214-5000 x 0.
• Tickets to the event are limited and must be purchased prior to the event. No walk-up ticket sales available.
• The National Museum of the Great Lakes will be closed to all other visitors on Friday, June 21.

Saturday and Sunday’s Activities

When: Saturday June 22, 2019 (10 AM-5 PM) and Sunday, June 23, 2019 (12 PM-5 PM) Where: National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front Street Toledo, Ohio What: On board tours of the Museum Tug Ohio and dockside viewing of the new Tug Ohio (the public cannot tour the new tug, but a digital exhibit of its capabilities will be available).

Specifics:

• $17 per person includes admission to NMGL, and the Schoonmaker as well as admission to the Museum Tug Ohio.
• Members of NMGL are free.
• Tickets are available at the admission desk at the National Museum of the Great Lakes on Saturday and Sunday.

Press Contact Information: Press can contact Christopher Gillcrist of the National Museum of the Great Lakes at 216-956-9734 or through email at glhs1@inlandseas.org Gillcrist will provide contact information with a representative from The Great Lakes Towing Company upon request.

Book Release: Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery

Author Jim Kennard and NMGL launch fascinating book about Great Lakes shipwrecks.
Proceeds benefit the museum and its underwater archaeology program.

TOLEDO, OHIO (March 27, 2019) – For decades, teams of shipwreck enthusiasts have been searching for sunken ships in the New York State waters of Lake Ontario. Using SCUBA equipment, simple depth finders, sophisticated side-scan sonar equipment and eventually with remote operated vehicles, they set out to unlock the secrets of the past.

The National Museum of the Great Lakes, is excited to announce the release of a new book titled Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery. This book contains the stories of these long lost shipwrecks and the journeys of the underwater explorers who found them, written by Jim Kennard, Roland Stevens, and Roger Pawlowski.

“Searching for ships in the Great Lakes demands hours spent on research; large expenditures for technical equipment; weeks, months and sometimes years looking for a wreck; plus a touch of madness that keeps a team together on an elusive quest.” said Jim Kennard, lead author. “The information that we have discovered over the years has provided us with valuable insight into Great Lakes maritime history.” Kennard continued, “The book is truly a first class product that we and the National Museum of the Great Lakes can be proud to offer the public. I expect that Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery will be of interest to readers for a very long time.”

Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery details the history and discovery of over 26 shipwrecks in Lake Ontario, many of which have connections to other communities across the Great Lakes including Toledo, Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago. The book includes over 150 illustrations, photographs and drawings including underwater photography of some of the shipwrecks. It also contains original artwork by artist Roland Stevens who was brought onto the team to document the view of the entire shipwreck when only small portions could be seen on camera.

“One hundred years from now, Jim Kennard will likely be considered one of the greatest Great Lakes shipwreck explorers in history,” Said Chris Gillcrist, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “This work documents his important discoveries that help the rest of us to understand and appreciate the majesty of Great Lakes history.”

Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery was funded in-part by a grant from the Ritter and Shirley Shumway Foundation out of Rochester, New York. All proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the National Museum of the Great Lakes and its underwater archaeology program.

The museum will host a series of four (4) Meet the Author/Book Signing events upon its release. The first two will take place on Wednesday, May 1^st at 4:30pm and 7:00pm as part of the museum’s Spring Lecture Series. The second will be on Thursday, May 2^nd at 6:30pm in Avon, Ohio and the fourth will take place in Rochester, New York at a date yet to be determined.

Pre-sale of the book is currently available at a cost of $21.95 at www.nmglstore.org.  NMGL members receive a 10% discount.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim Kennard has been diving and exploring the lakes of the northeast United States since 1970. He’s found more than 200 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, the New York Finger Lakes, and in the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Utilizing his background as an electrical engineer, he built a side-scan sonar system that located many of these shipwrecks. Significant discoveries include the two oldest shipwrecks discovered on the Great Lakes, the 1780 British warship HMS Ontario and the sloop Washington lost in 1803. In 1983 he found a unique horse powered ferryboat in Lake Champlain. All of these discoveries received worldwide attention in the news media. Discoveries made by Jim and his shipwreck teams have appeared in a number of publications including National Geographic. Sea Technology, Inland Seas, Wreck Diving, Skin Diver and several Rochester, New York publications. He’s appeared on Discovery Channel, CBC, BBC and FOX News.

In 2013, Kennard was selected as Fellow of The Explorers Club. Kennard received the Joyce. S. Hayward Award for Historic Interpretation from the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History in 2015 for documenting the stories of Great Lakes shipwreck on his website www.shipwreckworld.com.

Kennard graduated from Clarkson University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 1966. In addition to searching for elusive shipwrecks, Jim has been an amateur radio operator since he was 13 and started hiking at 65. He’s climbed over 100 peaks in the Catskill Mountains and all off the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks. A native of Peekskill, he lives in Fairport, New Yok with his wife Marilyn.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM
Founded in 1944, the Great Lakes Historical Society has been preserving our shared cultural history by publishing a quarterly journal Inland Seas^® since 1945; by operating a maritime museum since 1952; by offering educational programs to the general public since 1956; by conducting underwater archaeological research across the Great Lakes since 2001; and by managing the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship. The opening of the National Museum of the Great Lakes enables the Great Lakes Historical Society to continue its mission to preserve and make known the important history of the Great Lakes.

WHO:

Shipwreck Explorer and Author, Jim Kennard

WHAT:

Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery Book Release

WHEN/WHERE:

Wednesday, May 1 at 4:30pm and 7:00pm
National Museum of the Great Lakes
1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605

Thursday, May 2 at 6:30pm
Cambria Suites Avon
35600 Detroit Rd.
Avon, OH 44011