The National Museum of the Great Lakes is proud to be partnering with Toledo History Museum to display the “Wagush” Dugout Canoe. The canoe, on loan from Toledo History Museum’s collection, will be showcased in the museum’s lobby during the month of November in conjunction with Native American Heritage Month and the museum’s upcoming November 15 lecture featuring UW-Madison’s Professor of Archaeology Sissel Schroeder discussing the Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin.

Dugout canoes are boats made from hollowed-out trees by Native Americans across North and South America. Originally donated to the Toledo Zoo by the Whitmore family in the 1940s and later moved into Toledo History Museum’s collection, the “Wagash” canoe is thought to have been purchased in the 1820s by Luthor Whitmore, Sr. however there is no record of who built the canoe or who sold it to Mr. Whitmore.

The artifact will be on loan and displayed until the end of November. Visitors can learn more about dugout canoes through the micro exhibit and are encouraged to also register for NMGL’s free November 15 lecture Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin featuring UW-Madison’s Professor of Archaeology Sissel Schroeder. Offered as a hybrid event, participants can choose when registering to take part in a live-streamed watch party in-person at the museum or online via Zoom.

About Toledo History Museum

Toledo History Museum (THM) was founded in 2006 and in 2011 opened a Museum space on Collingwood Boulevard in the Milmine-Stewart House. In 2018 THM moved to it’s current location at the Valentine Building where they carryout their mission of preserving and promoting the history of Toledo, Ohio through exhibitions, outreach and education.