Welcome to The Great Lakes Historical Society

Located in the nautical town of Vermilion, Ohio, The Great Lakes Historical Society is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Great Lakes history. Its Inland Seas Maritime Museum is a key attraction on Ohio's north coast, and is a focal point of the historic Harbour Town district of Vermilion. Visitors to the museum come from around the world as well as from the U.S. and Canada. The museum contains one of the world's largest collections of Great Lakes historical maritime artifacts, documents, ship models, and original artwork. Its Clarence S. Metcalf Great Lakes Maritime Research Library is highly regarded by researchers and historians, and has been used by researchers from the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and many others. The Society's quarterly Inland Seas® quarterly journal is considered one of the best historical journals throughout the Great Lakes region.

Our newly-redesigned website is full of exciting information! Within this site, you can take a virtual tour of the Inland Seas Maritime Museum, view listings of some of the collections in the Clarence S. Metcalf Great Lakes Maritime Research Library, find information on special events, and even shop in our bookstore! Simply navigate the site using the pull-down links above. If your web browser does not support Javascript, or if you prefer to use textual links, refer to the Site Map. You can click the "Site Map" link at the bottom left of any page.

Come and explore why The Great Lakes Historical Society truly is a great place to discover the Great Lakes!
 

Recent News and Updates

The Great Lakes Historical Society is pleased to announce that the National Park Service, American Battlefield Protection Program has awarded the Society an $18,000.00 grant to survey the battle site and anchorage site of the Battle of Lake Erie, fought in 1813 in Ohio waters off Put-in-Bay. See the Press Release page for more information.

Anthony Wayne Shipwreck Survey In June 2008, The Great Lakes Historical Society and the Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center partnered with Texas A&M University to survey the wreck of the Anthony Wayne, a mid-19th century side-wheel passenger and cargo steamer. Read about the ship, its history, the sinking, and its survey, as well as view pictures and multimedia. Visit the Anthony Wayne webpage.

WATER, LIGHT AND LAND: Reflections on Inland Seas A special program and exhibit by renowned potter Chris Breuer. For more information click here.

c 1924 STEAM LAUNCH RESTORATION PROJECT The GLHS boatbuilding group is nearing completion of the restoration and build of its fully functional steam launch! See video and photos of the restoration here.

For more news and press releases, visit the Press Releases page under the "News and Events" tab, above.