PAST EVENTS
Third Friday Presents: Historic Shipwrecks and Rescues on Lake Michigan
Friday, March 15th at 7:00pm
Friday, March 15th at 7:00pm
Come and learn about the brilliant and brave rescues of the crews of two shipwrecks outside the Chicago Harbor and how one of the biggest maritime tragedies, helped win the second World War. Hear how the WWII F4F Wildcat fighter, became a display piece at O’Hare Airport.
Michael Passwater, author of Historic Shipwrecks and Rescues on Lake Michigan will dive into stories from his first book and will offer a sneak peek on some of the stories on his second book.
Michael Passwater, author of Historic Shipwrecks and Rescues on Lake Michigan will dive into stories from his first book and will offer a sneak peek on some of the stories on his second book.
CMM Debuts Two Temporary Exhibits
The Chicago Maritime Museum was thrilled to welcome visitors into our gallery on Thursday, February 22nd for the opening of our two new temporary exhibitions: The Trail That Leaves No Trace featuring the museum's canoe collection and The Philip R. May Collection which celebrates CMM's recent acquisitions.
Visitors were able to explore the exhibition with curator Madeline Crispell who led the group on a tour and discussed the objects on view. In the library, visitors can watch a segment of Director James Forni's documentary Mr. Canoe and see a sixteen-foot Peterborough canoe that came to the museum from Ralph Frese's own collection hanging from the ceiling.
In the South Gallery, you can explore more than a dozen objects collected by Philip R. May and his family, including naval memorabilia, nautical tools and instruments, and works of art.
Hung alongside the five possible Needham paintings covered in last month's newsletter is an 1898 painting of Goose Island by the French impressionist artist Albert Fleury that was donated to CMM by the M. Christine Schwartz Collection last summer and which is on view at the museum for the first time.
The Philip R. May Collection will be on view through April 19th and The Trail That Leaves no Trace will be on view through the end of this year. If you're interested in scheduling a curator-led or docent-led tour of the museum and exhibitions, you can reserve one here.
In the meantime, to learn more about the exhibitions from home, you can explore local coverage of the shows:
Visitors were able to explore the exhibition with curator Madeline Crispell who led the group on a tour and discussed the objects on view. In the library, visitors can watch a segment of Director James Forni's documentary Mr. Canoe and see a sixteen-foot Peterborough canoe that came to the museum from Ralph Frese's own collection hanging from the ceiling.
In the South Gallery, you can explore more than a dozen objects collected by Philip R. May and his family, including naval memorabilia, nautical tools and instruments, and works of art.
Hung alongside the five possible Needham paintings covered in last month's newsletter is an 1898 painting of Goose Island by the French impressionist artist Albert Fleury that was donated to CMM by the M. Christine Schwartz Collection last summer and which is on view at the museum for the first time.
The Philip R. May Collection will be on view through April 19th and The Trail That Leaves no Trace will be on view through the end of this year. If you're interested in scheduling a curator-led or docent-led tour of the museum and exhibitions, you can reserve one here.
In the meantime, to learn more about the exhibitions from home, you can explore local coverage of the shows:
Third Friday Presents Commander Jeff Gray Presents The Navy in Chicago: An Unlikely Story
February 16th at 7:00pm
February 16th at 7:00pm
Despite being 800 miles from the Atlantic Ocean Chicago has been a Navy town for more than 130 years. The modern history of the Navy has been influenced by Chicago and Chicagoans to an extent most people are unaware. The Chicago Navy Memorial Foundation is committed to educating the public about the importance of maintaining a strong Navy for the security and prosperity of the nation and telling the story of Chicago’s outsized impact on today’s—and tomorrow’s—Navy.
Jeff Gray is the director of public affairs for the Union League Club of Chicago and a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is the its senior project director of the Chicago Navy Memorial Foundation and a member of the Illinois Secretary of State’s Veteran’s Advisory Council. Gray’s background includes over 25 years of experience as a public affairs officer in the Navy Reserve where he currently holds the rank of Commander. He has deployed as a public affairs officer to Afghanistan as a member of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, in Kabul.
Working for Chicago Public Schools, he was a special projects manager and the director of admissions for Chicago’s eight Selective Enrollment High Schools and six Military Academies.
Jeff Gray is the director of public affairs for the Union League Club of Chicago and a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is the its senior project director of the Chicago Navy Memorial Foundation and a member of the Illinois Secretary of State’s Veteran’s Advisory Council. Gray’s background includes over 25 years of experience as a public affairs officer in the Navy Reserve where he currently holds the rank of Commander. He has deployed as a public affairs officer to Afghanistan as a member of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, in Kabul.
Working for Chicago Public Schools, he was a special projects manager and the director of admissions for Chicago’s eight Selective Enrollment High Schools and six Military Academies.
CMM's First Annual Volunteer and Member Appreciation Event
February 12th from 12:00pm-3:00pm
February 12th from 12:00pm-3:00pm
We have some exciting news to share with you – Chicago Maritime Museum is thrilled to announce our first ever Volunteer Appreciation Event! In order to thank our volunteers and members who support the Chicago Maritime Museum, we cordially invite you to Volunteer Appreciation Day on Monday, February 12th at 12:00pm.
Look forward to fun hands-on docent training with Loyola history professor Ted Karamanski, an awards ceremony, museums announcements, and more. We will celebrate the hard work and passion that our volunteers bring to the Chicago Maritime Museum, making it the incredible institution it is today. We invite you to join us in recognizing and thanking our volunteers for their commitment. Your presence will undoubtedly add to the joy of this special occasion.
Thank you for being a valued member of the Chicago Maritime Museum community. We look forward to sharing this memorable evening with you as we express our appreciation for the dedicated volunteers who keep our ship afloat.
Look forward to fun hands-on docent training with Loyola history professor Ted Karamanski, an awards ceremony, museums announcements, and more. We will celebrate the hard work and passion that our volunteers bring to the Chicago Maritime Museum, making it the incredible institution it is today. We invite you to join us in recognizing and thanking our volunteers for their commitment. Your presence will undoubtedly add to the joy of this special occasion.
Thank you for being a valued member of the Chicago Maritime Museum community. We look forward to sharing this memorable evening with you as we express our appreciation for the dedicated volunteers who keep our ship afloat.
Third Friday Presents Curator's Talk: New Acquisitions at the Chicago Maritime Museum
January 19th at 7:00pm
January 19th at 7:00pm
Join CMM Curator Madeline Crispell for a look at highlights from the museum's recent acquisitions. This talk focuses on 5 unsigned oil paintings of the Chicago River and the research behind their attribution. Their likely artist, James Bolivar Needham, a former Great Lakes deckhand whose parents may have traveled the Underground Railroad, was known for his impressionistic plein air paintings of Chicago's waterways.
The paintings entered the museum's collection last December as part of the May Collection gift. The temporary exhibition New Acquisitions at the Chicago Maritime Museum: The May Collection explores the other pieces that were part of Philip R. May's personal collection of maritime art and artifacts.
The paintings entered the museum's collection last December as part of the May Collection gift. The temporary exhibition New Acquisitions at the Chicago Maritime Museum: The May Collection explores the other pieces that were part of Philip R. May's personal collection of maritime art and artifacts.
Welcome the Holiday Season with Lee Murdock's Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 9th at 4:00pm and 6:30pm
Saturday, December 9th at 4:00pm and 6:30pm
Saturday, December 9, join us for great afternoon and early evening rounds of magical music and storytelling by Lee Murdock at the Chicago Maritime Museum. Murdock's concert will begin with a set at 4pm to welcome the youngest museum fans. Another set at 6:30pm will be a rousing all-ages performance sure to ring in the season of holiday gatherings. A Holiday Cookie Exchange and seasonal beverages will keep spirits bright. To add your specialty to our list or volunteer contact Events Coordinator Kath Thomas events@chicagomaritimemuseum.org
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Third Friday Presents: History of Ship Repair Facilities on the Great Lakes
Friday, November 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, November 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
Could a shipyard survive long without an associated repair facility? In the marine world, over the nineteenth century the continued “health” of vessels gradually became dependent on specialized ship repair facilities. On marine railways, dry docks and floating docks, hulls were exposed for routine checkups, emergency “operations”, and major surgeries (with parts both removed and added). The growing size of boats in the Great Lakes fleets demanded investment in facilities to maintain them.
Walter Lewis holds an M. A. in History from Queen’s University in Kingston. He served in the 1980s and 90s as a member of the editorial board of FreshWater the historical journal published by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. Currently, he serves as the production editor of The Northern Mariner, the journal of the Canadian Nautical Research Society and the North American Society for Oceanic History. He is best known in the Great Lakes community for the maritime history of the Great Lakes manages the web sites of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History.
Walter Lewis holds an M. A. in History from Queen’s University in Kingston. He served in the 1980s and 90s as a member of the editorial board of FreshWater the historical journal published by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. Currently, he serves as the production editor of The Northern Mariner, the journal of the Canadian Nautical Research Society and the North American Society for Oceanic History. He is best known in the Great Lakes community for the maritime history of the Great Lakes manages the web sites of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History.
CMMFestival 2023 "All Hands on Deck!"
Thursday, October 26th 2023 at 6:00pm
Thursday, October 26th 2023 at 6:00pm
On Thursday, October 26th the Chicago Maritime Museum celebrated its fourth annual CMMFestival. Between guests who joined online and in-person, nearly 100 attendees raised $98,000 to support the museum, our programming, and our upcoming exhibits. It was a wonderful experience to see so many supporting the museum and the history we are keeping alive for generations of Chicagoans.
A highlight for both at home and in-person guests were our spectacular co-hosts, Barry Butler and Tom Kastle. From photographing our waterways to singing about them, the two could not have been more emblematic of the kinds of people who are brought together by the museum and the kinds of conversations we inspire. Seeing Barry's beautiful photographs in his new book and hearing Tom and his fiddler friend Daithi Wolfe bring the gallery to life with music was a treat for attendees.
Thank you to Captain Dave Truitt, Vice Chairman Dr. Jerry Thomas, all our volunteers, our Board of Directors, our volunteers, everyone who generously gave to support our museum, and everyone who attended either in-person or online. You made the 2023 Festival such a success! At the festival, our supporters and this incredible community brought us all the way to $98,000, only $2,000 dollars away from our goal. These funds help support exhibitions, programming, education, collections, and every other part of the Chicago Maritime Museum. If you'd like to help us reach our goal before the end of the year, click the donate button below.
A highlight for both at home and in-person guests were our spectacular co-hosts, Barry Butler and Tom Kastle. From photographing our waterways to singing about them, the two could not have been more emblematic of the kinds of people who are brought together by the museum and the kinds of conversations we inspire. Seeing Barry's beautiful photographs in his new book and hearing Tom and his fiddler friend Daithi Wolfe bring the gallery to life with music was a treat for attendees.
Thank you to Captain Dave Truitt, Vice Chairman Dr. Jerry Thomas, all our volunteers, our Board of Directors, our volunteers, everyone who generously gave to support our museum, and everyone who attended either in-person or online. You made the 2023 Festival such a success! At the festival, our supporters and this incredible community brought us all the way to $98,000, only $2,000 dollars away from our goal. These funds help support exhibitions, programming, education, collections, and every other part of the Chicago Maritime Museum. If you'd like to help us reach our goal before the end of the year, click the donate button below.
Third Friday Presents: Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Chicago and Northeastern Illinois
Friday, October 20th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, October 20th 2023 at 7:00pm
The Chicago Maritime Museum Third Friday lecture series on October 20th, presents a discussion on the development of the Underground Railroad. In the decades before the Civil War, several thousand freedom seekers travelled through Northeastern Illinois. This program outlines their stories and the range of encounters with white and Black abolitionists, who provided assistance.
Dr. Larry McClellan has written extensively on the Underground Railroad in Illinois and northwest Indiana. He was the principal author of applications that added sites in Crete, Lockport and on the Little Calumet River to the National Park Service registry of significant Underground Railroad sites in America.
In 1970, Dr. McClellan helped to start Governors State University and taught there for many years. He is now Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Community Studies at GSU. In the late 1970s, he was Mayor of Park Forest South, now University Park, Illinois. From 1993 through 2003, he wrote a monthly regional history column for The Star newspapers in the suburbs south of Chicago.
Dr. Larry McClellan has written extensively on the Underground Railroad in Illinois and northwest Indiana. He was the principal author of applications that added sites in Crete, Lockport and on the Little Calumet River to the National Park Service registry of significant Underground Railroad sites in America.
In 1970, Dr. McClellan helped to start Governors State University and taught there for many years. He is now Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Community Studies at GSU. In the late 1970s, he was Mayor of Park Forest South, now University Park, Illinois. From 1993 through 2003, he wrote a monthly regional history column for The Star newspapers in the suburbs south of Chicago.
Fact and Fiction: The Eastland Disaster and the Best Selling Novel it Inspired
Friday, September 1st 2023 at 2:00pm
Friday, September 1st 2023 at 2:00pm
Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of 20 works of fiction and nonfiction, including her historical fiction trilogy, The Windy City Saga, a series set in Chicago during three of the city’s most seminal events. The final book in this trilogy, Drawn by the Current, focuses on the Eastland Disaster.
This book was the center of a program on Friday, September 1, 2:00 p.m at the Chicago Maritime Museum. Copies of Drawn by the Current are now available at the Museum store.
The program, featuring the Eastland Disaster Historical Society presentation, also included:
• The three recently discovered motion picture videos taken in 1915;
• Dozens of photographs;
• Compelling firsthand narrative delivered by descendants of a survivor:
• A brief video with ABC’s Ron Magers interviewing several survivors;
• Animation depicting the listing of the Eastland while passengers were boarding, and the moment the ship capsized;
• A brief video revealing how George “Papa Bear” Halas arrived too late to board the Eastland (a fortunate bit of fate that guaranteed the future of the Chicago Bears and the National Football League).
The EDHS adult-oriented program answered the following questions: Why was the picnic so highly anticipated? What happened? How did it happen? What was the impact? What was the response? Was it avoidable? Who was held accountable? What damages were awarded? What amount of relief funds were raised? And what does an author do with that history in the making of a novel?
The program included time for Q&A as well as the opportunity to have your copy of Drawn by the Current signed by the author. After the program, members stayed after hours to review The Eastland Disaster Exhibit which honors those who perished in the catastrophe with a photo montage memorial wall. The exhibit also features a dive suit used as part of the recovery effort. In addition, on loan from the EDHS, are personal belongings of passengers including a wallet, a pocket watch, and a dollar bill.
This book was the center of a program on Friday, September 1, 2:00 p.m at the Chicago Maritime Museum. Copies of Drawn by the Current are now available at the Museum store.
The program, featuring the Eastland Disaster Historical Society presentation, also included:
• The three recently discovered motion picture videos taken in 1915;
• Dozens of photographs;
• Compelling firsthand narrative delivered by descendants of a survivor:
• A brief video with ABC’s Ron Magers interviewing several survivors;
• Animation depicting the listing of the Eastland while passengers were boarding, and the moment the ship capsized;
• A brief video revealing how George “Papa Bear” Halas arrived too late to board the Eastland (a fortunate bit of fate that guaranteed the future of the Chicago Bears and the National Football League).
The EDHS adult-oriented program answered the following questions: Why was the picnic so highly anticipated? What happened? How did it happen? What was the impact? What was the response? Was it avoidable? Who was held accountable? What damages were awarded? What amount of relief funds were raised? And what does an author do with that history in the making of a novel?
The program included time for Q&A as well as the opportunity to have your copy of Drawn by the Current signed by the author. After the program, members stayed after hours to review The Eastland Disaster Exhibit which honors those who perished in the catastrophe with a photo montage memorial wall. The exhibit also features a dive suit used as part of the recovery effort. In addition, on loan from the EDHS, are personal belongings of passengers including a wallet, a pocket watch, and a dollar bill.
Third Friday Presents: Marquette's 1673 Map- Places, Features and Issues
Friday, August 18th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, August 18th 2023 at 7:00pm
Historian Mark Walczynski presents a program entitled “Marquette’s 1673 Map: Places, Features, and Issues, on Friday, August 18 at the Chicago Maritime Museum. The program includes information about villages Marquette and Jolliet visited, it explores important geographical features illustrated on the map, and it includes a discussion of certain issues and problems that exist between the famous map and Marquette’s written report.
Mark Walczynski is Park Historian for the Starved Rock Foundation located at Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois. Mark’s studies focus on the Franco-Amerindian history of the Western Great Lakes and the Illinois Country. Mark has written several books including Jolliet and Marquette: A New History of the 1673 Expedition (3 fields/University of Illinois Press), The History of Starved Rock 1673-1911 (NIU-Cornell University Press, 2020), Inquietus, La Salle in the Illinois Country (Center for French Colonial Studies, 2019), and Massacre 1769, The Search for the Origin of the Legend of Starved Rock (Center for French Colonial Studies, 2013).
Mark’s research has been published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Le Journal, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, American Heritage, Houghton Mifflin Books, and other publications. He is retired from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, IL.
Mark Walczynski is Park Historian for the Starved Rock Foundation located at Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois. Mark’s studies focus on the Franco-Amerindian history of the Western Great Lakes and the Illinois Country. Mark has written several books including Jolliet and Marquette: A New History of the 1673 Expedition (3 fields/University of Illinois Press), The History of Starved Rock 1673-1911 (NIU-Cornell University Press, 2020), Inquietus, La Salle in the Illinois Country (Center for French Colonial Studies, 2019), and Massacre 1769, The Search for the Origin of the Legend of Starved Rock (Center for French Colonial Studies, 2013).
Mark’s research has been published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Le Journal, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, American Heritage, Houghton Mifflin Books, and other publications. He is retired from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, IL.
Chicago River Day
Saturday, May 13th 2023 at 9:00am
Saturday, May 13th 2023 at 9:00am
For the third year in a row, on May 13th, the CMM partnered with Friends of the Chicago River to clean up the shores of Bubbly Creek. Litter not only hides the beauty of the Earth, but it is detrimental to the health of humans, wildlife and the watershed. Thankfully, Friends of the Chicago River is doing something about it. Last year, FOTCR brought out over 2,000 volunteers for 60 -70 sites cleanups along the river.
The river system provides critical habitats for all sorts of animals from migratory birds to beavers, mink, turtles and over 75 species of fish. Its health is rebounding after years of abuse, but litter remains a stubborn problem.
Every year since 1992, Friends of the Chicago River and amazing volunteers give the Chicago and Calumet Rivers a good spring cleaning on Chicago River Day, part of their effort to create a Litter Free Chicago River.
The river system provides critical habitats for all sorts of animals from migratory birds to beavers, mink, turtles and over 75 species of fish. Its health is rebounding after years of abuse, but litter remains a stubborn problem.
Every year since 1992, Friends of the Chicago River and amazing volunteers give the Chicago and Calumet Rivers a good spring cleaning on Chicago River Day, part of their effort to create a Litter Free Chicago River.
All Hands on Deck with Author Will Sofrin
Saturday, April 22nd 2023 at 2:00pm
Saturday, April 22nd 2023 at 2:00pm
On April 22 Will Sofrin gave the story behind his memoir All Hands on Deck with facts from his multiple viewpoints of the voyage of the HMS Rose from the east coast to the west for the production of the film, Master and Commander. As a seasoned sailor, boat builder and craftsman, he narrated video from the voyage, well-illustrated with the construction, repairs and renovations that the tall ship HMS Rose required, before, during and after the delivery voyage.
Looking back in time, he reexamined his choices leaving high school and then again as 21 year old who steps aboard the tall ship HMS Rose. Sofrin details wooden ship construction and the pursuit of a career in sailing as he advocates for following non-traditional choices. Sixty members were able to take advantage of this free program. Copies of his book are at the museum store; reserve your copy, 773-376-1982, member discount applies.
Looking back in time, he reexamined his choices leaving high school and then again as 21 year old who steps aboard the tall ship HMS Rose. Sofrin details wooden ship construction and the pursuit of a career in sailing as he advocates for following non-traditional choices. Sixty members were able to take advantage of this free program. Copies of his book are at the museum store; reserve your copy, 773-376-1982, member discount applies.
Third Friday Presents: The Ships of John Gregory with Terry Gregory
Friday, March 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, March 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
John Gregory, born on March 17, 1822, in Ireland, was a prominent and well-respected architect building schooners and tugs, which operated in the Great Lakes Region beginning in 1865. He built 30 vessels to operate in the Chicago River Harbor and the Great Lakes. Each boat has its own unique history with stories that paint a fascinating picture of the period and the perils and rewards of the men who owned and operated them. This presentation describes several of these narratives.
Our presenter, Terry Gregory is the great, great grandson of John Gregory. He created the Chicagology.com website on March 17, 2003, as a project to learn website building as well as a tribute to the city his family has resided in for 160 years. Over the past 20 years, the site has grown to more than 2,000 pages, which equates to 3.8 million words, and includes over 15,000 images. It would take over 250 hours to read the entire content. Chicagology has become a trusted source for researchers looking for period articles on the infrastructure of Chicago with a focus on architecture.v
Our presenter, Terry Gregory is the great, great grandson of John Gregory. He created the Chicagology.com website on March 17, 2003, as a project to learn website building as well as a tribute to the city his family has resided in for 160 years. Over the past 20 years, the site has grown to more than 2,000 pages, which equates to 3.8 million words, and includes over 15,000 images. It would take over 250 hours to read the entire content. Chicagology has become a trusted source for researchers looking for period articles on the infrastructure of Chicago with a focus on architecture.v
Third Friday Presents: The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse- Past, Present, and Future
Friday, February 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, February 17th 2023 at 7:00pm
The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse was constructed in 1893 for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World in 1492. The lighthouse moved to its current location in 1919. Although having fallen into disrepair in recent years, the lighthouse continues to symbolize Chicago’s history and unique maritime past. A group called Friends of the Chicago Lighthouse has committed to the preservation, restoration and celebration of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse for future generations.
Kurt Lentsch, a long-time Chicago boater and self-proclaimed Chief Dreamer and President of Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, and Edward Torrez, President and Principal of Bauer Latoza Studio, present The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse – Past, Present and Future and discuss their plans to restore this Chicago icon.
Kurt Lentsch, a long-time Chicago boater and self-proclaimed Chief Dreamer and President of Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, and Edward Torrez, President and Principal of Bauer Latoza Studio, present The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse – Past, Present and Future and discuss their plans to restore this Chicago icon.
Third Friday Presents: First Sailing Vessels on the Great Lakes with Richard Gross
Friday, January 20th 2023 at 7:00pm
Friday, January 20th 2023 at 7:00pm
Maritime historian Richard Gross identifies and describes the first five decked sailing vessels that the French constructed on the Great Lakes as well as the changing purpose of these vessels throughout their short life span from 1673 and 1689. Gross has been actively involved in researching the history of the explorer Cavelier de La Salle since he was selected to be a member of La Salle Expedition II in 1975. From August 11, 1976 to April 9, 1977 he and 22 other participants, authentically retraced La Salle’s expedition of exploration from Montreal Canada to the mouth of the Mississippi River in celebration of the US Bicentennial. Using period documents, he has spent many years unraveling the myths and confusion surrounding all aspects of La Salle’s activities in the Midwest. Richard has a BA in Biological Sciences from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a master's degree in education with an emphasis in Biology from Roosevelt University, Chicago. He taught high school Biology and Chemistry for 20 years.
Third Friday Presents: Forgotten Heroes- The U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes
Friday, December 16th 2022 at 7:00pm
Friday, December 16th 2022 at 7:00pm
From 1874 until 1915 when it became the U.S. Coast Guard, the men of this remarkable organization displayed incredible courage and bravery in rescuing over 55,000 people form potential death on the Great Lakes. Despite personal danger or difficulty, the life-savers invariably accomplished the rescue. Their unofficial motto was, "Regulations say we have to go out, they say nothing about coming back." It was a motto they lived and, in some cases, died by.
Frederick Stonehouse has authored over thirty books on maritime history, many of them focusing on the Great Lakes and contributed to several others. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Great Lakes Lighthouse Tales are regional best sellers. Wreck Ashore, the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes, won a national publishing award and is the predominant work on the subject. Another book, Haunted Lakes, Great Lakes Maritime Ghost Stores, Superstitions and Sea Serpents, has opened an entirely new genre in Great Lakes study. His book, Final Passage, is the first Great Lakes shipwreck book for children.
Frederick Stonehouse has authored over thirty books on maritime history, many of them focusing on the Great Lakes and contributed to several others. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Great Lakes Lighthouse Tales are regional best sellers. Wreck Ashore, the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes, won a national publishing award and is the predominant work on the subject. Another book, Haunted Lakes, Great Lakes Maritime Ghost Stores, Superstitions and Sea Serpents, has opened an entirely new genre in Great Lakes study. His book, Final Passage, is the first Great Lakes shipwreck book for children.
Lee Murdock's Christmas Party and Holiday Concert
Friday, December 16th 2022 at 7:00pm
Friday, December 16th 2022 at 7:00pm
Join us for a holiday concert with renowned maritime folk singer, Lee Murdock, commemorating the turn-of-the-century tradition of carrying Christmas trees to ports on the lower Great Lakes. This was the final cargo of the season during the lumber schooner days, after the last of the logs from the northern forests were hauled south to build the cities of the Midwest. The Rouse Simmons was but one of many ships hauling this cargo, though perhaps the most famous and beloved ship of her day.
The Christmas Tree Ship is a seasonal exhibit featuring a model of the Rouse Simmons on loan from Grant Crowley.
The Christmas Tree Ship is a seasonal exhibit featuring a model of the Rouse Simmons on loan from Grant Crowley.
Third Friday Presents: History of Chicago Navigational Aids and Fate of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
Friday, November 18th 2022 at 7:00pm
Friday, November 18th 2022 at 7:00pm
Historically, Chicago was the greatest port of the Great Lakes. The development of a network of lighthouses and minor navigational aids was critical to the city’s economic development. Changing technology and changing patterns of maritime commerce have resulted in lighthouses being established, decommissioned, and removed from the coast of Chicagoland. This illustrated lecture on November 18, by Chicago history professor Theodore J. Karamanski, PhD, will review the lighthouse history of the Illinois shore of Lake Michigan with a special emphasis on the Chicago Harbor Light and the dilemmas raised by the troubled state of its current preservation. Ted Karamanski, is Professor of History and Director of the Public History Program at Loyola University Chicago.
Third Friday Presents: U.S. Coast Guard's Valerie Van Tine
Friday, October 21st 2022 at 7:00pm
Friday, October 21st 2022 at 7:00pm
Marine Science Technician 1st Class Valerie Van Tine presents the history of the organizations that would eventually combine to form the modern Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard is noted for many accomplishments, but foremost in the public's mind is the service's efforts in helping those "in peril upon the seas." The U.S. Lighthouse Service, for example, maintained lighthouses and sea markers to warn ships from danger. When the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic in 1912, the international shipping community's collective eyes were opened to the immediate necessity of creating regulations dedicated to ensuring the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
MST1 Van Tine was born and raised in Traverse City, Michigan. In her 14 years in the Coast Guard, she has been stationed in the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, and most recently on the Atlantic Coast in Charleston, SC. Since returning to the Great Lakes region as a Coast Guard recruiter this summer, she has enjoyed visiting art and science museum in Chicago and spending time on Lakeshore Trail.
MST1 Van Tine was born and raised in Traverse City, Michigan. In her 14 years in the Coast Guard, she has been stationed in the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, and most recently on the Atlantic Coast in Charleston, SC. Since returning to the Great Lakes region as a Coast Guard recruiter this summer, she has enjoyed visiting art and science museum in Chicago and spending time on Lakeshore Trail.
Third Friday Presents: 1522- Magellan's Daring Voyage Created Modern View of Earth
Friday, August 18th 2022 at 7:00pm
Friday, August 18th 2022 at 7:00pm
Five hundred years ago, on September 6, 1522, the battered Victoria carrying 21 starving men, limped into Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain.
With that, for the first time in history, people had journeyed around the world. Like the first controlled atomic reaction on December 2, 1942 or the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, these milestones of human achievement warrant our understanding.
With that, for the first time in history, people had journeyed around the world. Like the first controlled atomic reaction on December 2, 1942 or the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, these milestones of human achievement warrant our understanding.