National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Director Emeritus Honored with 2024 C. Patrick Labadie Award for Historic Preservation

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The National Museum of the Great Lakes is pleased to announce that our Director Emeritus, Chris Gillcrist, received the prestigious 2024 C. Patrick Labadie Award for Historic Preservation from the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History. This award is presented annually to an individual who has significantly contributed to preserving Great Lakes maritime history. Its namesake, C. Patrick Labadie, is a dedicated advocate and preserver of Great Lakes history and artifacts.

Gillcrist’s nearly 25-year tenure with the Great Lakes Historical Society has been marked by visionary leadership and dedication to maritime heritage. His efforts began with reimagining the Society’s original museum in Vermilion, Ohio, and culminated in the creation of the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. This achievement included the acquisition of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker (rechristened to its original namesake from the Willis B. Boyer) and restoring it into a permanent museum ship. 

Under Gillcrist’s guidance, the museum has seen substantial growth and development. His unwavering commitment to historical programming continues to enrich the understanding of Great Lakes maritime history for audiences nationwide.

The C. Patrick Labadie Award was presented at the Association’s Awards Dinner on Saturday, September 7, in Buffalo, New York. The event is part of the 2024 Annual Meeting & Maritime History Conference, co-hosted by the Buffalo Harbour Museum and the Buffalo Maritime Center. 

Additionally, Carrie Sowden, our Director of Archaeology and Research, and Paul LaMarre III, our Board Vice Chair, were honored for their dedication to Great Lakes artifact preservation in 2022 and 2009, respectively.

“We are incredibly proud of Chris and his contributions to preserving our region’s rich maritime history,” said Kate Fineske, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “His passion and leadership have left an indelible mark on our institution and the wider Great Lakes community.”