GLSHS Maritime History Program Series returns on May 18, 2012

Second Generation Whitefish Point Light-tower, c. 1880

Shipwreck Museum Opened for 2012 Season on Tuesday, May 1

Sunny skies and unusually warm temperatures greeted opening day visitors to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Tuesday, May 1, 2012.  Visitors enjoyed new exhibits in the main gallery and beautiful views from the unique Iron Pile Light-Tower. A ticket to the museum includes the main gallery (featuring Edmund Fitzgerald bell and exhibit), a short theater program, a tour of the 1861 Lighthouse Keeper's Quarters and the restored 1923 USCG Surfboat House. Tower Tours are available for a small fee, which benefits the ongoing tower restoration.  The Shipwreck Museum Maritime Speaker Series, along with other special events, will continue this summer.  Please follow this GLSHS web site for updates and more programs / events to be added. We hope to see you at the Shipwreck Museum this summer!

Dennis Hale's Daniel J. Morrell Program Rescheduled in July

Please note that Dennis Hale, sole survivor of the 1966 wreck of the Daniel J. Morrell, will now speak at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Monday, July 2, 2012. This program was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 5, 2012. Hale will recount the events leading up to the sinking of his ship on Lake Huron. Mr. Hale has written a book about his experiences and will have copies available on the night of the event. The program will begin at 7pm and will take place in the main museum gallery at Whitefish Point. Please join us!

Restoration Complete, Annual Meeting, Crew’s Quarters Special Rates and Fish Boil!

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Michigan Humanities Council Funding Restores Shipwreck Museum Panels, adds New Exhibits

Twin exhibit panels about the Carl D. Bradley and Daniel J. Morrell flank a new video history of these famous shipwrecks

The Shipwreck Society is pleased to report that a 2010 Major Grant from Michigan Humanities Council was successfully concluded at the end of November, 2011. This funding has supported professional restoration of selected exhibit panels in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Building, and also funded the addition of new exhibits.

Visitors to the museum in 2012 will enjoy an exciting presentation using new interpretive panels and a video display about the famous shipwrecks Carl D. Bradley and Daniel J. Morrell; a video display featuring Edmund Fitzgerald crew members and unique footage of her as she sailed, compiled from the Shipwreck Society’s collection of historic films of the Fitz; a new animated projection display depicting the location of the many shipwrecks around Whitefish Point; and complete restoration of many existing panels that had suffered the effects of time. This is the first time many Shipwreck Museum exhibits have undergone restoration since their original installation in 1987.

Our thanks go particularly to David Kronberg of Van Abel & Kronberg Design for his dedicated effort during the fall of 2011. We also thank Bruce Lynn, Society Operations Manager, Terry Begnoche, Site Manager, and Sean Ley, Development Officer for their time and expertise applied to completing this project. Steve Brisson, Deputy Director of Mackinac State Historic Parks served as the official Project Evaluator.

The Shipwreck Society extends sincere gratitude to Michigan Humanities Council for this funding. The Shipwreck Museum will open for the new season on May 1, 2012, when the new and restored exhibits will officially open for public viewing.