National Museum of the Great Lakes to break ground on expansion
Toledo, OH – The National Museum of the Great Lakes will break ground on a 5,000-square-foot expansion Monday afternoon to provide additional space for temporary and traveling exhibits, new permanent exhibit spaces, and a community education center.
The museum’s capital campaign has already raised $4.5 million toward the Second Wave expansion project’s $6 million price tag, which includes construction and exhibit acquisition costs. “It will allow us to bring in multiple Smithsonian quality exhibits annually,” said Kate Fineske, executive director of the museum, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Front Street in Toledo.
She is particularly enthusiastic about the community education center. “We’ll have space set aside for youth and adults for conversations about the Great Lakes that will happen right here in Toledo,” Ms. Fineske said.
The museum holds a fall and spring lecture series that quickly sells out. “A big part of this addition is it will also allow us to have space to bring more folks in to listen to the lectures. We do share them virtually as well and have anywhere from 100 to 500 devices logged on with each lecture we give,” she said.
Most who visit the museum are surprised by its size. “They think it’s going to be a rinky dink museum. But as soon as they step inside, they are impressed by what they see. We’re state of the art,” she said.
The museum is becoming more popular. There has been a 45 percent increase in visitors in 2023 compared to 2022, and admission revenue has increased by 33 percent.
“Our exhibits are made for any age — adults and youth alike — they’re interactive, fun, and exciting, but also knowledgeable, and they produce a lot of information so people can learn more about the Great Lakes,” she said. “We cover all five of the Great Lakes, their history both in the United States and Canada, and we do it top notch.”
Kate Fineske, senior director of institutional advancement and soon-to-be museum executive director, speaks during the state of the museum presentation at the National Museum of the
Visitors to the museum will learn about the rich history of the Great Lakes, including fur trading, the underground railroad, rum runners, and the many ships and sailors that traveled the lakes to provide goods and services.
Two of the largest and most known exhibits at the museum are the Col. James M. Schoonmaker museum ship and the museum tug Ohio. The Col. James M. Schoonmaker is an iron vessel over 617 feet long and 64 feet wide. It was first launched in 1911 as a coal hauler and sailed the Great Lakes for more than 70 years. The tug Ohio was donated by the Great Lakes Towing Co.
“We’ve only been in Toledo for 10 years, but we’ve been around for 80 years now,” Ms. Fineske said.
The Great Lakes Historical Society, which owns and operates the museum, was formed in Cleveland in 1944 by a group of maritime enthusiasts. The society’s continued mission is to preserve and make known the history of the Great Lakes.
The society first had a small museum in Vermilion, Ohio. In 2014, operations were moved to Toledo and the National Museum of the Great Lakes opened, developed on the banks of the Maumee River.
Toledo City Council issued a proclamation celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo at a meeting earlier this month. Toledo City Councilman Theresa Gadus, who represents East Toledo, said she was honored to have the museum on the east side.
“It has been celebrated by so many generations of shipyard workers in East Toledo. My dad was one of them. It’s something so many East Toledoans are proud of and to have that on our side of the river is amazing,” she said.
“I hope people continue to see the value that it brings to Toledo,” Councilman Nick Komives said. “It is an important part of our history and all of the Great Lakes.”
Toledo Blade
Great Lakes Towing announces plan for Caribbean service
Cleveland, OH –The Great Lakes Towing Co., familiar for its work in specialized marine services, including harbor towing, ice breaking, emergency response, vessel repair and construction and machine shop services, has announced the acquisition of the barge Crimson Clover from Crimson Shipping Co., Chickasaw, AL.
GLT has purchased the 270’ x 80’ fully enclosed deck barge (called a “warehouse barge”) from Crimson Shipping and will charter the barge to a newly created operating company named Great Lakes East, LLC.
Great Lakes East, LLC (GLE) will start up a new domestic and International marine transportation service which will effectively be a reactivation of Crimson Shipping’s former business, based out of Mobile, AL. However, GLE will shift the primary load port to Fernandina Beach, FL.
GLE is a U.S.-flagged, Jones Act-compliant ocean freight carrier specializing in breakbulk, RORO/ heavy-lift, PL-480, dry bulk, Government & Military, construction, aviation, energy, and EXIM Bank project cargo customers, with regular service to San Juan, PR, and on inducement to neighboring islands and other ports in the Central Caribbean basin, Central America, and the north coast of South America. GLE is taking orders for its maiden voyage that is scheduled to depart Fernandina on June 19th.
GLE has partnered with terminal operators in the Port of Fernandina and San Juan to receive, load, discharge, and store weather sensitive cargo in on-dock warehouses. GLE is excited to offer a service that can leverage last mile on-dock rail in Fernandina and a strategic, niche loading port that is easily accessible from the main highways in Northeast Florida.
Great Lakes Towing Co.
Documentary video on the Cleveland Huletts
Here’s a new documentary video on the Cleveland Huletts which tells the story of their dismantling and the efforts made to save them.
STEAMSHIP WILLIAM G. MATHER
Tour this restored 618-foot historic ship and see what life was like on board a working Great Lakes freighter. Explore the 1925-built Mather from stem to stern and see its huge cargo holds, brass and oak pilot house, elegant guest quarters and four-story engine room. Walk the decks and marvel at the “engineering firsts” that helped transform Northeast Ohio into a great industrial center. Experience the golden era of steamships on one of the best.
2024 Schedule
May, September, and October
Saturday – Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
June – August
Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
*Please note that the last entry is 30 minutes prior to closing
Opening For Chief Engineer – Interlake Logistics
Interlake Logistics Solutions, Inc. operates the versatile articulated tug-barge Undaunted-Pere Marquette, which carries diverse cargoes on the Great Lakes. Equipped to self-load cargo with an 800C John Deere excavator, long reach material handler, the uniquely outfitted vessel can utilize a clam bucket for flowable material or a five-tine grapple for large rocks and scrap metal. The tug Undaunted that powers the Pere Marquette 41 is a repowered Navy ATA/Rescue Tug that served in World War II. The barge Pere Marquette41 is the repurposed carferry City of Midland.
The Chief Engineer is responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the vessel’s (both tug and barge) machinery and propulsion plants.
Responsibilities:
- Both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of equipment / machinery.
- Ordering needed supplies and maintaining inventories.
- Proper record keeping, documentation and adherence to rules and regulations.
- Working with the Engine Utility to maintain a clean, safe, and positive work environment.
- This is not an all-inclusive list, but an overview of responsibilities.
Qualifications/Certifications Required:
- Minimum requirement; Valid USCG license, Chief Engineer (Limited) with at least a 2000HP endorsement.
- TWIC Card
- Current Physical / USCG Medical Certificate.
- DOT Drug Screen
- Legally eligible to work in the USA (proof of identity or eligibility required.
The rotation is 28 days on the vessel and 28 days off. After completing a 90-day probationary period, your eligible for medical, dental, vision and a 401k plan.
Applicants please apply thru website: www.ssbadger.com
