Discover how the Great Lakes waterways were instrumental for growth and expansion of the U.S. including methodologies and important record sets to the region.

Explore the history of shipping on the Great Lakes including important advances in technology and ship-building. Understand how the geography and natural barriers affected ship travel. We will examine the various types of ships on the Lakes including sloops, schooners, steamers, paddle-wheels, barges, screw propellers, and whalebacks.

A variety of commodities were shipped to and from the Great Lakes. This presentation explores these commodities (fur, mining, lumber, passengers) and how they helped advance shipping and ship-building technologies.

Some time is also spent learning about shipwrecks and disasters, both man-made and natural, which lead to the development of storm warning signals, light houses, life-saving services.