Manuscript Collections

GLMS 1 Chicago Shipbuilding Company
Chicago, Illinois
The records of the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. span the years from 1890 to 1962 and document early twentieth-century shipbuilding on the Great Lakes. The bulk of the materials in the collection fall between 1900 and 1950. The most significant record series include dry dock ledgers and reports, legal and labor correspondence, South Yard surveys, financial records, and World War I shipbuilding activities. 13 cubic feet.

GLMS 2 Toledo/Lucas County Port Authority
Toledo, Ohio
The records in this collection document the activities of the Toledo/Lucas County Port Authority from the late nineteenth century to the present day. The collection includes: minutes, monthly reports, annual reports, correspondence, shipping statistics, engineering reports, financial records, and newsletters. The collection provides excellent sources for the study of the operations of a major port authority and the importance of the St. Lawrence Seaway to the economy of an inland port. 26.25 cubic feet.

GLMS 3 Dunbar and Sullivan Dredging Company
Cleveland, Ohio
This collection includes the records of the Dunbar and Sullivan Dredging Co. of Cleveland and its predecessors: Whitney Brothers; Merritt, Chapman, and Whitney; and Merritt, Chapman, and Scott. The materials in the collection span the years 1902-1964 and document dock, dam, and bulkhead construction around the Great Lakes and along the Mississippi River. Types of materials include: correspondence, contracts, blueprints, specifications, and an extensive series of photographs. The photographs are especially valuable since they depict major private and public port construction projects throughout the Great Lakes, Canada, New York, Boston, and the Mississippi River system. 12.25 cubic feet.

GLMS 4 Erik Heyl Papers
Buffalo, New York
Marine historian Erik Heyl's papers consist of his research notes, correspondence, and illustrations used to produce his most significant work, the six volume EARLY AMERICAN STEAMERS series published between 1953 and 1969. The materials in the collection provide excellent documentation of the steamship era in American maritime history. Of special interest are Heyl's research notes and illustrations of U.S. and foreign naval vessels of the period. 6 cubic feet.

GLMS 5 Great Lakes Towing Company
Buffalo, New York
In 1899 the Great Lakes Towing Co. was organized to provide tug service at important harbors on the Great Lakes. By combining the fleets of several smaller tug operators, the company assembled a fleet approaching two hundred tugs and became the largest tug operator on the Great Lakes. The bulk of the materials in this collection pertain to the Port of Buffalo from 1902-1966. Types of records include: winter storage and mooring, vessel arrivals and departures, vessels in port, winter storage cargoes, and winter moorings throughout the Great Lakes. 5.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 6 Paisley and Morrow Steamship Companies
Cleveland, Ohio
The records in this collection partially document the activities of two subsidiaries of the Oglebay Norton Co.: the J.A. Paisley Steamship Co. and the Morrow Steamship Co., both of Cleveland, Ohio. The bulk of the collection consists of vessel expense records for the Paisley firm for 1952 and 1953. An additional volume includes labor costs, 1943-1953. Records available for the Morrow Steamship Co. include labor costs, 1943-1953 and a general ledger, 1922-1947. 2.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 7 Archives of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
The Archives of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit include minutes, committee records, correspondence and memoranda, speeches and papers, and financial reports. The materials span the years from the Society's founding in 1944 to 2017. In addition, the complete files of The Detroit Marine Historian (1947-), the Society's monthly newsletter, as well as other publications are available. The records document the entire history of one of the oldest and most significant historical agencies on the Great Lakes. 8 cubic feet.

GLMS 8 Ship Owners' Dry Dock Company
Chicago, Illinois
The brief corporate history (1901-1912) of the Ship Owners' Dry Dock Co. is documented in this collection. The company purchased the assets of the Miller Brothers Dry Dock Co. which had started a shipbuilding and ship repair business in 1855. The business of both companies centered on work from local repairs and building tugboats. The collection includes financial records, minutes, and stock certificates. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 9 Sault Sainte Marie Collection, Port Mackinac Papers
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
This collection is composed of shipping documents from the Sault Ste. Marie area and nearby ports from 1802-1866. Among these documents are shipping manifests, clearance documents, bills of sale, enrollment bonds, Treasury Department circulars to custom collectors at the Port of Sault Ste. Marie and nearby ports, and personal and business correspondence. Early documentation includes significant material dealing with the American Fur Company. 11 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 10 Jesse Wells Church
Sugar Island, Michigan
This collection is composed of a business journal maintained by Jesse W. Church and other family members to record financial and other aspects of shipbuilding activities operated at Sugar Island, Michigan. The entries date from 1853-1895 and 1903. Cost figures for supplies, design plans, sketches of boats, and brief histories of some of the vessels are included. The Church boatyard specialized in sailing vessels of under fifty feet in length. Many Mackinaw boats were built at the Sugar Island work site. Some steam vessels were also designed by the Church family. Floor plans and elevations for some of the houses on Sugar Island are also included. .5 cubic feet and 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 11 Great Lakes Waterways Development Association
Hamilton, Ontario
The Great Lakes Waterways Association functions primarily as a lobbying and educational tool for Canadian shipping interests. Types of records available in the collection are membership records, member correspondence, correspondence with government agencies, news releases, reports, position papers, and speeches for the years 1972-1986. The collection contains excellent information on the contemporary Canadian shipping industry and its efforts to deal with significant changes in the international shipping industry. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 12 Tanker M/V POLARIS
Bethlehem Ship Building Co. built the POLARIS in 1945 as LST 1063 for the U.S. Navy at Hingham, Massachusetts. Cleveland Tankers acquired the vessel in 1949 and rebuilt the ship as a tanker. The collection spans the years from 1958 to 1977 when the POLARIS was scrapped and includes correspondence, injury reports, vessel casualty reports, wage scales, and individual trip records. there is no information for the years 1945-1957. 1.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 13 Steamer PAUL J. TIETJEN
The PAUL J. TIETJEN was built by the American Ship Building Company and was launched at Cleveland, Ohio on January 12, 1907. The vessel was originally the MATTHEW ANDREWS (1907-1933) and later sailed as the HARRY L. FINDLAY (1933-1965). Most of the material in the collection dates from the 1970's and includes service reports, chief engineer's instructions, engine room workbook and log, inspections, and crew members' information cards. 3 cubic feet.

GLMS 14 G. A. TOMLINSON
The records for the G. A. TOMLINSON date from 1968, however the bulk of the collection consists of material generated in 1979, the last year the TOMLINSON was in service. The collection contains records left by the ship's chief engineer, bills of lading, deck logs, crew lists, and labor contracts. The TOMLINSON was built in 1907 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, Michigan and was originally the D. O. MILLS. .75 cubic feet.

GLMS 15 John E. Poole
This collection documents vessels used in Great Lakes and ocean commerce. Clippings files, research notes, vessel log books, and a 60,000-item card file contain information on marine transportation in the United States and Canada. Events from the period 1814-1958 receive coverage. Scrapbooks form an illustrated record of vessels from c. 1890-1930. Loose clippings are drawn extensively from published articles dated c. 1930-1958. Research notes extracted from a variety of sources describe events for the years 1814-1853. Captain's, Deck, and Engineer's logs offer insights into daily activities on lake vessels for the years 1912-1950. The alphabetically arranged card index is a frequently consulted reference source for vessel history information. 24.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 16 Arthur C. Frederickson Collection
The Arthur C. Frederickson Collection contains information dating from 1872 through 1969 pertaining to the history of various vessels on the Great Lakes and, in particular, Lake Michigan. Included in the collection are: daily logs, shipwreck logs, crew lists, correspondence, photographs, research notes, articles and other publications, speeches, and subject files. The Frederickson Collection is especially valuable because of his experience in saltwater, the Mississippi River, the Erie Canal, the St. Lawrence Seaway, as well as all of the Great Lakes. 11.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 17 Charles T. Harvey Papers
The Charles Thompson Harvey Papers consist of the personal correspondence between Harvey and his wife, Sarah Van Eps Harvey spanning the years 1858 to 1872. Harvey was superintendent of construction and engineer for the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron (1853-1855) and was responsible for the construction of an experimental section of the world's first elevated railroad (1868) located in New York City. The bulk of the correspondence deals with the 1858 to 1865 period. In addition to family matters, the letters often deal with Harvey's business activities, especially railroad projects, as well as national politics, and Harvey's inventions. 7 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 18 Portage Lake and Lake Superior Canals
The records in this collection partially document the operations of two canals constructed between 1860 and 1873 to connect Keweenaw Bay on the east side of the Keweenaw Peninsula to Lake Superior on the west. Under the 1890 River and Harbor Act, the U.S. government purchased both canals and made extensive improvements. Included in the collection is a daily journal (Aug. 1891-Dec. 1891) that describes the activities of the engineer in charge of the Portage Lake and Lake Superior Canal during the period when the federal government was improving the canal. Statistical registers (1898-1901, 1919-1929) record, by day, the names of vessels transiting the waterway, their tonnages, cargoes, and whether they were eastbound or westbound. The canals were of critical importance to the copper mining industry of the Keweenaw Peninsula. 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 19 Bay Port Fish Company
Bay Port, Michigan
The papers and records of the Bay Port Fish Company and its subsidiaries, the Saginaw Bay Fish Company and the Lake Huron Fish Company, provide sources of information concerning the fishing industry on the Great Lakes during the first half of the twentieth century. The collection is of particular value in documenting the activities and problems of commercial fishermen from the late depression years (from 1936) through the 1960's, including the decline of commercial fishing in Saginaw Bay, Michigan, and Lake Huron in American waters. The collection includes correspondence, reports, legal documents, and financial records. The entire collection spans the years 1894 to 1970, but the correspondence and financial records are complementary only for the years 1936-1967. 29 cubic feet

GLMS 20 Point Betsie Life Saving Station Records
Frankfort, Michigan
The Point Betsie Life Saving Station, built in 1876, housed a captain and a crew of seven surfmen for a season that coincided with the Great Lakes shipping season. Their duties included the rescue of crew, passengers, and cargo of ships in disasters as well as assisting in salvage operations. The collection consists of yearly supply inventory records and incoming correspondence for the period from 1883 to 1919. The majority of the correspondence is from the U.S. Treasury Department. Outgoing letters from the station which would provide a more complete picture of the operation and its crew are not available. 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 21 Oliver Hazard Perry
This collection is comprised of copies of official communications from various officers in the U.S. Naval Department (1799-1819) and, more significantly, from Perry to the Naval Department (1806-1819). Of special interest are communications related to the building of the Erie Squadron (1811-1813) and letters from several of Perry's cruises. A wide range of topics are discussed in the correspondence: recommendations, commissions, lists of officers, strategy, logistical concerns, personnel matters, sailing orders, and private concerns. The collection documents Perry's entire naval career from his early days at sea, his work as a gunboat builder at Newport, to his famous victory over the British on Lake Erie during the War of 1812. 1 cubic foot and 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 22 Ohio and Western Pennsylvania Dock Company
The records of the Ohio and Western Pennsylvania Dock Company partially document the history of the company from 1882-1963. The collection consists of safety committee minutes (1945-1960), company improvement files (1904-1925), vessel lists (1927-1935), labor agreements and grievances (1897-1963), ore shipments (1889-1936), reprimand lists (1905-1907), and operation reports (1908-1913). The operation reports are daily logs of the dock operators and include ore unloading times, references to union activities, transcripts of local union meetings, and copies of various union charters and contracts. 4 cubic feet.

GLMS 23 Government Weather Station #85
Alpena, Michigan
This collection consists of the daily records of the Weather Station at Alpena, Michigan for the years 1872-1882 and 1885-1917. The journals include weather information such as storms, temperature readings, aureole and lunar halo sightings, sunset predictions, barometer readings, and additional information on visitors and vessel movements. The collection is valuable for the study of early efforts to systematically record weather in the U.S. 2 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 24 Marine Board of Investigation: Sinking of the EDMUND FITZGERALD
The collection contains transcripts, exhibits, and supplementary items from the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation convened on November 18, 1975, eight days after the EDMUND FITZGERALD sank in Lake Superior with her entire crew of twenty-nine men. The purpose of the inquiry was to determine the causes of the tragedy and to examine safety procedures. Indexes are available for exhibits and testimony in addition to an index for each of the seven volumes of the transcript. 5 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 25 U.S. Customs Records: Oswegatchie, New York District
The Customs District of Oswegatchie, New York, was established on April 1, 1811. This collection contains one volume of vessel abstracts, 1836-1841, which provides information on date registered, rig and name of vessel, port of departure, tonnage, and officers and crew. Two additional volumes of detailed wreck reports, 1874-1900 and 1902-1925, are indexed by vessel name. 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 26 Lorain Electronics Corporation
The Lorain Electronics Corporation was established in 1928 to supply wired music to homes. The company shifted to development work on ship-to-shore telephone communications in 1933. The collection consists of four scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, magazine and journal articles about the company, photographs, and a small quantity of correspondence. The material spans the years from 1931 to 1976. 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 27 Wilson Marine Transit Company
Included are files of the Wilson Marine Transit Company and its predecessors, the Wilson Transit Line and the Wilson Transit Company for the years 1884-1970. Coverage is most extensive in the post-World War II era. Correspondence, subject files, meeting minutes, policy circulars, reports, financial documents, and legal files are all present. This collection is of particular interest to researchers examining the growth of the transportation network on the Great Lakes. Subsidiary companies are represented in the files of the Wilson Marine Transit Company recording the development of new traffic patterns for shipment of goods around the Great Lakes region. 70.33 cubic feet.

GLMS 28 International Shipmasters' Association
Of interest to those researching the labor history of the Great Lakes shipping industry, this collection presents the records of a benevolent association devoted to the welfare of its members. Files on annual meetings, membership benefits, lobbying interests, and local lodge activities are included. Coverage spans the years 1886-present. Issues of concern to those actively involved in operating lake vessels are discussed at length providing insights into how these men perceived their roles in the Great Lakes shipping industry. 26.33 cubic feet.

GLMS 29 Wilford G. Bartenfeld
Cleveland, Ohio
This collection contains marine architectural subject files regarding vessel construction and conversion projects from 1901 to 1976. Most files are from the period 1940-1960. Many of Bartenfeld's projects involved vessels being converted to and from military uses in the World War II era. The technical aspects of shipbuilding are documented through files on technology and products related to vessel design. Bartenfeld's numerous patents on unloading devices for cargo vessels reflect his significant contributions to marine architecture. 22 cubic feet.

GLMS 30 Delmar R. Webster Collection
This collection contains material compiled by Captain Delmar R. Webster during his career on the Great Lakes. The largest series in the collection contains deck logs from the J. BURTON AYERS for 1945-1973. A log for loading information from the EDMUND FITZGERALD is also included for 1972-1973, as well as meeting information for the 1982 and 1983 conventions of Columbia Transportation Company fleet officers and a subject file on the vessels ARMCO and J. BURTON AYERS for 1976-1987 A loading manual for the ARMCO presents the guidelines used by Captain Webster when monitoring how cargo was stored in the holds of a Great Lakes vessel. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 31 U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service (Cleveland, Ohio)
Present are 23 volumes containing copies of inspection certificates retained at the Cleveland, OH office of the U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service following examination of steam vessels. These annual inspections permitted vessels to operate on the Great Lakes. The certificates date from 1876-1910. The compiled information focuses on hull materials, boiler tests, recommended crew sizes, and maximum passenger limits for freight vessels, passenger vessels, and yachts. 5 cubic feet.

GLMS 32 Paul J. Ranahan
Cleveland, Ohio
This collection contains records of vessel damage surveys conducted by Paul J. Ranahan in his career as a marine consultant. Ranahan, a marine engineer, surveyed damage done to vessels involved in accidents to assess the cost of repairs. These records, along with correspondence regarding marine salvage operations, provide a view of the role surveyors like Ranahan played in identifying revenue sources for repair facilities and the expense such accidents caused for vessel owners. The collection contains approximately 730 cases spanning the years 1946-1980. 4 cubic feet.

GLMS 33 Marsh and McLennan Marine Underwriters
The Marsh and McLennan Marine Underwriters company provides insurance for a number of Great Lakes vessels and fleets. The files in this collection document the procedures followed by Marsh and McLennan when investigating damage claims filed by vessel owners, showing the cost of vessel insurance and of the repair of damaged vessels. In addition, the collection contains a short series of files on personal injury claims, one of hull loss records for individual vessel owners, and an analysis of claims paid from 1967-1972 which provides a profile of accident types and monetary damages claimed. 26.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 34 E.B. "Skip" Gillham
This collection contains items pertaining to waterborne commerce on the Great Lakes and the history of the Welland Canal. The collection includes articles written by Skip Gillham, author and coauthor of numerous books on Great Lakes history, for his weekly column "Ships that Ply the Lakes" in 1991. The column, appearing in the St. Catharines, ONT Standard, details a specific vessel, providing information about recent events and past incidents from its years of service. A file of correspondence concerning the Welland Canal compiles information on its history for readers. The collection also contains a file of cargo reports from the Quebec and Ontario Transportation Company fleet for 1968-1983, recording cargo data and loading and discharge ports for individual vessel trips. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 35 U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service (Toledo, Ohio)
Present are records of the Toledo, OH office of the Steamboat Inspection Service for the years 1870-1931. Included are tensile strength test reports for boiler plate samples (1900-1931), lists of licensed assistant engineers (1890-1907), and lists of licensed pilots (1870-1908). 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 36 Salvage Association, London
The records document investigative activities involved in assessing repair costs for damage done to or by Great Lakes vessels. The files include vessel survey reports, damage reports, and movement reports from 1919-1982. 11 cubic feet.

GLMS 37 Emmet R. Dowdell Collection
Pictorial and printed material regarding the Great Lakes sailing career of Emmet R. Dowdell and his leisure activities after retirement. Scrapbooks contain photographs, clippings, and brochures spanning the years 1860-1976, including views of vessels and street scenes in Lakewood and Lorain, Ohio. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 38 ERNEST T. WEIR Collection
Pilot house log books for the vessel ERNEST T. WEIR from 1954-1969, Assignment of Officers Reports (1958, 1968-9), and weather reports, 1968. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 39 Bruce A. Terry Collection
This 1 cubic foot collection is composed of approximately 1,880 35mm color photographic slides of Great Lakes vessels.  Slides in this collection were taken by Bruce A. Terry, an amateur photographer.  Photos were taken on Lakes Erie, Huron, and St. Clair and along the St. Marys, St. Clair, and Detroit Rivers from 1963-1977.

GLMS 40 THOMAS E. MILLSOP Collection
Daily engine room activities and general vessel inspection, as well as general equipment and its condition, 1953-1975. 1.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 41 C. Patrick Labadie
This collection contains information on the operation of Great Lakes vessels from 1848 to 1980. Enrollment data for 40 vessels registered between 1848 and 1942 reflects efforts to standardize licensing procedures. Log books for the WILLIAM P. PALMER, the HENRY PHIPPS and other vessels record daily activities during voyages. Meeting minutes are present for the annual meeting of the Masters and Chief Engineers of the Pittsburgh Steamship Division of the United States Steel Corporation for 1956 and 1957. 4 cubic feet.

GLMS 42 U.S. Coast Guard, 9th District
Documented are activities of the U.S. Coast Guard, 9th District office in Cleveland, OH for the years 1911-1971. These files cluster most heavily for the period 1935-1965. Commercial inspection functions are detailed with enrolled license files on 109 vessels. Lifesaving duties are discussed in correspondence files from 1969-1970. The investigative nature of some assignments is reflected in the transcript of the hearing analyzing the collision of the CEDARVILLE and the TOPDALSFJORD in 1965. 4.0 cubic feet.

GLMS 43 Alberta M. Fraley
This collection contains fleet logs from the Great Lakes Steamship Company and the Wilson Marine Transit Company for the years 1937-1966. These logs include fleet officers' names, positions held, vessel assignments, dates of employment, and performance evaluations. Also present are course materials used by students at the U.S. Maritime Service Officers' School, the Lake Carriers' Association Engineers' School, and the West Side Institute of Technology. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 44 Lake Carriers' Association
Cleveland, Ohio
The Great Lakes shipping industry is documented through the files of one of the principal vessel owners' organizations for issues concerning the lakes and one of the primary benevolent associations for persons employed on lake vessels. Subject files on issues from diverting water out of Lake Michigan for the Illinois canal system to pollution control form most of the files in this collection. Records of death beneficiary payments offer information to genealogists tracing family members who worked on lake vessels. Navigation topics are discussed through files on the Coast Guard for 1932-1975. Lake Carriers' Survey for Harbor Improvements records address navigation on such matters as straightening tight turns in harbor ship channels (1927-1951). Communications technology designed to improve navigation is detailed in files on the Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services (1936-1979). The complete collection contains material in scattered form from 1860 to 2019. The majority of the files are from c. 1910 to 1985. Numerous cartographic materials supplement the files. 173 cubic feet.

GLMS 45 Paasch Marine Services, Inc.
Erie, Pennsylvania
This collection contains files of naval architect Harold Paasch. Subject files and rolled drawings for projects appear consistently for 1947-1976 and in scattered form for 1906, 1927, and 1932. The files in this collection generally apply to vessels of under 100 feet in length. Many survey and patrol boats for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were built by Paasch. The increased use of aluminum after World War II for ship construction can also be studied. 2.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 46 Henry N. Barkhausen
The Henry N. Barkhausen Collection contains subject files, newsclippings, and architectural drawings documenting the maritime history of the Great Lakes. The Barkhausen files date primarily from c.1879-1940. Items of note are architectural drawings of 14 schooners built for the Great Lakes trade from 1867 to 1918. Numerous sail plans are included to document this aspect of marine technology. Clippings regarding vessel sinkings in the 1930s and 1940 offer views of reactions to these tragedies in the newspapers of the Great Lakes region. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 47 Columbia Transportation Company Collection
This one-half cubic foot collection provides information on the operation of the Columbia Transportation Company. Data on vessels and officers is available, including information on wages, labor costs and company earnings.

GLMS 48 Alice Hass Schultz Marblehead Collection
The focus of this collection of photographs and printed items is the U.S. Coast Guard Station at Marblehead, Ottawa County, OH on Lake Erie. Few items are dated, but they fall in the period from c. 1905-1930. In the collection are 163 black and white photographs and three printed items. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 49 COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS Collection
This collection documents daily activities on the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS (US 225394) from 1952 to 1974. There are 26 log books of chief engineers and deck officers, recording daily events for each trip sailed in the shipping season lasting from April to December. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 50 United Steel Workers, Great Lakes Seamen Local 5000
Office files from Local 5000 headquarters in Cleveland, OH (1937-1981) form this collection. Most files are post-1960 material. Meeting minutes, financial records, and subject files on organizing elections for employees of the fleets owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, Shenango Furnace Company, and U.S. Steel Corporation appear in sufficient quantity to permit examination of organizing procedures for unions involving lake vessel crews. Contracts and agreements from the 1950s to the 1970s reflect negotiated working conditions faced by vessel crews. 11 cubic feet.

GLMS 51 Edward N. Middleton Collection
This collection contains correspondence and research notes compiled by Edward Middleton during the course of his preparation of histories of numerous vessels and shipping companies. Events covered in these notes extend from 1833 to 1984. Companies receiving the most extensive treatment are the Crosby Transportation Company, the Goodrich Transportation Company, and the Morton Navigation Company. A clipping file for 1912-1985 describes shipping activities on the Great Lakes. Included also are two rolls of microfilm obtained from the National Archives containing vessel history information. 5.75 cubic feet.

GLMS 52 Nicholson Transit Company
This collection provides information on the business transactions of the Nicholson Transit company for the years 1923-1925. Daily correspondence and financial papers document the relationship of the Nicholson Company with customers and product suppliers from whom company purchases were made. Automobile manufacturers and dealers appear in many of these files. Correspondence and financial papers for two of the company's subsidiaries are also included. 6.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 53 Triad Salvage Company
This collection records details of maintenance activities conducted on ten vessels on which the Triad Salvage Company performed salvage and repair work. The records in this subject file date from 1902-1981. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 54 Great Lakes Transportation Company Timetables and Brochures Collection
Literature from Great Lakes transportation companies promotes the use of the lake vessels at their disposal by the casual tourist traveler. Items date from 1859 to 1991 and reflect the mass marketing of the idea that travel in the Great Lakes region is feasible on regularly scheduled routes from ports readily accesible to much of the United States and Canada by rail or highway. The Lake Michigan routes from Ludington and Muskegon, Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois are well documented. Ferry service at the Straits of Mackinac is also represented. Travel in Canadian waters is promoted with timetables for voyages into Georgian Bay and the St. Lawrence River valley. 1.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 55 John C. Smith Collection
Captain John C. Smith's career on the Great Lakes began in 1929 at the age of 16 and continued until 1946. During his career Smith acquired numerous items pertaining to employment on Great Lakes vessels. A manual listing sample questions from navigation training examinations was studied by masters, mates and pilots in preparation for those examinations. Another manual provides distances between ports to assist navigators in their calculations. Two undated cards illustrate a method of recording weather data and vessel rules. A series of booklets issued to participants in the Lake Carriers' Association welfare plan, which provided assistance to crewmen in between vessel assignments, completes the collection. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 56 Hans Hansen Welding Company
This collection reflects the activities of the Hans Hansen Welding Company in Toledo, Ohio through nearly four decades of vessel repair and construction projects, from 1942 to 1979. These project files document the work performed by a company representing marine repair businesses in the Great Lakes region. 5 cubic feet.

GLMS 57 Ivan S. Brookes
This collection contains copies of data sheets for vessels of the Great Lakes and the Ocean and Coastal trades compiled from official records and published marine directories. Vessel history information is included on these sheets to reflect name changes, place of construction, dimensions, changes in ownership, and other details regarding the boat. Information dates from c. 1822-1975. 4 cubic feet.

GLMS 58 J.S. Morton
Benton Harbor, Michigan
J. Stanley Morton, cofounder of the Graham & Morton Company involved in Great Lakes shipping, recorded observations about the business climate in southwestern Michigan in his diary. A photocopy of his diary for the years 1920-1932 is included as the principal component of this collection. A scrapbook and clippings files provide biographical information on Morton and discuss his career in lake transport. Copies of publications discuss the history of the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph, Michigan region. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 60 WLC Marine Radio Company
Rogers City, Michigan
Included in this collection are 11 cubic feet of daily log books from the marine radio station WLC in Rogers City, Michigan for the years 1923-1930. Vessels traveling in Lake Huron received weather data and other navigational assistance from the radio telephone operators at WLC. The daily entries over an eight-year period provide a detailed account of how such a station operated. This time capsule is of interest to researchers studying the development of aids to navigation and safety on the Great Lakes. 11.0 cubic feet.

GLMS 61 LEON FALK, JR. (U.S. 247576)
The Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company built the LEON FALK, JR. as the WINTER HILL in 1945. The Skar-Ore Steamship Corp. of Cleveland, OH purchased the vessel from Ships, Inc. in 1960 and renamed it the FALK the following year. This company maintained ownership until the FALK's scrapping in 1985. The collection records daily operational information for the years 1961-1981 and includes ship safety committee minutes, damage report logs, loading logs, miscellaneous cargo logs, trip logs, and a lightbulb order book. The collection also includes a loading manual for the FALK and a 1964 Canadian publication concerning pilotage rules on the Great Lakes. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 62 Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company
Cleveland, Ohio
This collection contains files of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company that are primarily concerned with discussions of extending the length of the navigation season occurring from 1935-1981. Subject files, log books, symposia papers, and news clippings offer a number of perspectives on the movement among shipping companies toward implementing longer navigation seasons. The logbooks are from the S.S. CADILLAC for 1944-1948, 1972-1973, and 1976-1981. 2.0 cubic feet.

GLMS 63 R.A. Stearn, Inc.
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
This collection contains files on vessel construction design projects completed by Richard A. Stearn's naval architecture firm. Projects are generally from the period 1940-1950. Stearn participated in the design phase of numerous military vessels during World War II and in their postwar conversion to civilian uses. Correspondence and architectural drawings are the principal components of the project files on each vessel. 11 cubic feet.

GLMS 64 Coastwise Trading Company
This collection contains ship's records for vessels that served with the Coastwise Trading Company Fleet from 1913-1983. Records consist mainly of Captain's Logs and crew lists, while small numbers of other material such as Engine Room Log books are also present. 16.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 65 Joseph Barr Collection
This .6 cubic foot collection is composed of approximately 369 color photographs of Great Lakes vessels and several dozen Great Lakes brochures.  Material dates from the 1990s and 2000s.  Photos were taken at various Great Lakes locations by Joseph Barr. Great Lakes brochures document various cruises, ferries, and museums in the Great Lakes region.

GLMS 66 Walter Cowles Photograph Collection
This .5 cubic foot collection is composed of 355 black and white photos and 318 black and white negatives of Great Lakes vessels. The bulk of the photos in the collection were taken from 1947 to 1950, Between Cowles’ return from the Navy and promotion to Chief Hull Draftsman.

GLMS 67 Herbert Harwood Negative Collection
This .2 cubic foot collection is composed of 339 black and white negatives of Great Lakes vessels. Negatives in this collection date from the 1920 to 1977. Although most of the photos were taken by Herbert H. Harwood, photos taken by R.P. Wallis, Joseph Brauner, and Elmer Treloar are also present.

GLMS 68 G. Victor Chamberlain
This collection contains items accumulated by Captain G. Victor Chamberlain during his career on lake vessels from 1940 to 1981. A file of correspondence reveals the importance of safety issues, while radar logs and loading logs record operations aboard the ship. News clippings, particularly ones covering the sinking of the EDMUND FITZGERALD, provide insight on events of interest to Captain Chamberlain. Navigational and weather-related charts illustrate another area of the captain's interest. Also present are a small number of photographs and videotapes covering a wide variety of topics.  The collection is small but does present material useful in understanding the responsibilities and worries of Great Lakes vessel captains. 2.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 69 Waldron Newman Collection
This collection is composed of color photographic slides of Great Lakes vessels and two scrapbooks (1933-1963) documenting Newman's experiences as a ham radio operator. Negatives in this collection date from 1962 to 1984. All images, 2.75” and 35mm, were taken by Waldron Newman.  1.1 cubic feet.

GLMS 70 Lois Dexter Slide Collection
This .1 cubic foot collection is composed of approximately three hundred color 35mm slides depicting Great Lakes freighters near Marysville, Michigan. Slides in this collection date from the 1950s. Lois Dexter’s father is the credited photographer for the entire collection.

GLMS 71 Loudon G. Wilson
This collection documents the history of commercial sail on the Great Lakes through Wilson's research, photographs, clippings from publications, and original artwork. These images record changes in vessel technology from the Viking era of c. 1000 to boats of 1988. Comparisons can be made between rigging specifications for sailing vessels of different centuries. Wilson concentrated heavily on sailing vessels, but also obtained images of steamships. The history of marine art can also be examined through Wilson's selections of art reproductions clipped from publications. Commentaries on style and technique appear in notes made by Wilson, a marine artist himself. Two principal series are of the greatest interest. The Annual Log is a subject file of design developments accessed through a chronological index. The Subject Notebooks filled with photographs and research notes on vessels provide detailed and technical information compiled by Wilson. 14.7 cubic feet.

GLMS 72 Upson-Walton Company Collection
The Upson-Walton Company was a well-respected manufacturer and seller of marine accessories including rope, cable, rigging, sails, tackles, and other marine accessories.  The vast majority of the records are ledgers, contract books, inventories, account books, and journals, while a small number of catalogs and other materials are also present.  Most records cover 1873-1930, while the catalogs mainly cover the 1940s-1960s. 31 cubic feet.

GLMS 73 Robert K. LaPorte Photograph Collection
This .25 cubic foot collection is composed of 58 black and white photos of Great Lakes vessels. These 8 x 10 photos were taken at Indiana Harbor, Indiana in the early 1950s.

GLMS 74 Walter Smith Miscellaneous Ship Drawing Collection
Drawings prepared for lake vessels from 1900-1920 have been assembled from several shipyards. Such companies as Sidney McLouth, Chicago Ship Building, Detroit Dry Dock, and Great Lakes Engineering Works are represented. Unique approaches to vessel design can be viewed in the work of S.B. Kingsbury and Charles L. Seabury. Modelers may find lists of specifications pertinent to their projects. 1 reel of microfilm.

GLMS 75 American Ship Building Company and Predecessors Records, 1867-1989
The primary component of this collection is naval architectural drawings produced by the company, its predecessors, and subsidiaries. Post-1900 sets tend to be more complete than earlier sets of drawings. Nearly all types of wooden and steel vessels built on the Great Lakes between 1870 and 1981 are represented. The Center for Archival Collections holds many of the original drawings extending up to 1981. Please contact the HCGL Archivist for further information. Other corporate records such as minutes, correspondence, specifications, reports, and financials are present. 569 cubic feet and 60 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 76 William P. Roest Slide Collection
This .33 cubic foot collection is composed of 766 35 mm photographic slides of Great Lakes Vessels. These slides were taken from 1980 to 1993 by William P. Roest in various locations around the Great Lakes, in both the United States and Canada. A large number of the slides were taken in the Soo area or on the St. Mary’s River near Round Island or Lime Island.

GLMS 77 McLean Brothers Fisheries Co.
Wheatley, Ontario
This collection documents the activities of the McLean Brothers Fisheries Company, a Canadian Lake Erie fishing company, for the years 1908-1960. Included are 48 Fish Account Books, recording the sale of fish to customers; 31 Day Books, recording daily office expenses; and 6 Wage Books, listing employees and wages earned. Income tax returns, gasoline tax refund information, company correspondence and miscellaneous employee and supply purchase records provide additional insight into the expenses faced by a Great Lakes fishing company. 7 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 78 W.H. Wheeler Fish Company
Selkirk, Ontario
The W.H. Wheeler Fish Company collection documents financial transactions of the company for the years 1905-1938 and 1950-1951. Account records for fish sales and company expenditures provide information on the profits and expenses facing a Lake Erie fishing company, while employee wage information aids in examining Ontario labor conditions. Ecological shifts in Lake Erie marine life can be traced in the records of the species and quantity of fish caught by company vessels. 3 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 79 Tug EDNA G. - Logbooks
Two Harbors, Minnesota
The tug EDNA G. served at Two Harbors, MN from 1896 to 1981. Included in this microfilmed collection are logbooks for the years 1917-1981. Logs for 1936-1940 are missing. Accompanying the logs are ledgers for tug charges covering 1947-1956. Recorded information includes names of assisted vessels, date and type of assistance provided, and tug charges. This collection is available only on microfilm. 4 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 80 Clarence Holman Photograph Collection
Extensive photographs of Holman's time serving aboard the J. T. WING, the last large commercial schooner on the Great Lakes, from 1935-1937.  Also includes photographs of Boy Scout sailing cruises in Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior from 1958-1964, and 2001.  .66 cubic feet.

GLMS 81 David Glick Collection
Extensive documentation of Glick's correspondence with other Great Lakes researchers and institutions. Also includes several book manuscript samples during his association with the Great Lakes Book Series of the Wayne State University Press. 3 cubic feet.

GLMS 82 Mark Shumaker Collection
This collection features over 200 color photographs of Great Lakes vessels taken mainly in the 1990s and 2000s.  Also present are compiled trip record for the BLUE RIVER from 1949-1960 and a photographed log for CARTIERDOC for 1957.  .25 cubic feet and 2.03 GB.

GLMS 83 Ethel Pereira Papers
This collection consists of letters written by Ethel to her husband Lester, who was serving on the Great Lakes vessels GRAND ISLAND and EMORY L. FORD, from 1935-1936.  .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 84 U. S. Customs Service (Port Huron, Michigan)
This collection documents activities of the United States Customs Service office at Port Huron, MI from 1866 to 1972. Bills of sale and enrollment information appear in largest quantities. The issuance of licenses to individual officers on boats and to boats following inspections is documented. Records of harbor entrances and clearances by vessels reflect patterns of vessel traffic at Port Huron. This collection is available on microfilm only. 36 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 85 Mackinac Transportation Company Collection
The collection is comprised of financial records of the Mackinac Transportation Company. Materials mainly consist of paid bills, checks, and a ledger of account. These records provide insight into the day-to-day logistics of running a shipping company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The paid bills and checks cover 1889-1899, while the ledger covers 1918-1923. There is no coverage for 1900-1917. A small amount of correspondence and accounts payable for 1890-1893 are also present. .75 cubic feet.

GLMS 87 JOSEPH H. THOMPSON (U.S. 245496)
The Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. launched the MARINE ROBIN in 1944 at Chester, PA. In 1950 the vessel was added to the M.A. Hanna Co. fleet and renamed JOSEPH H. THOMPSON. This collection contains vessel records for the years 1976-1982. Correspondence describes maintenance and personnel matters, while various logs record operating details of individual trips during the sailing season. Also included is a 1980 incident report which illustrates the company's accident-reporting process. .5 cubic feet.

GLMS 88 Ted Siegfried Collection
The collection features documentation of passenger travel on the Great Lakes and to Europe in the 20th and late 19th centuries. Records include brochures, menus, advertisements, and photographs. 1.1 cubic feet.

GLMS 89 U.S. Customs Service (Grand Haven, Michigan)
The six volumes in this collection partially document the activity of the U.S. Customs House in Grand Haven, Michigan, for the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The daily financial status of the agency is reflected in the Daily Record of Balances (Volumes 1-2), a ledger (Volume 4), and a brief listing of Tonnage Duties (Volume 5). Entrance and clearances (Volume 3) provides a record of vessels entering and leaving the harbor during 1915-1919. A final volume detailing vessels seized for violation of customs laws (Volume 6) covers 1867-1906. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 90 Great Lakes Cruising Club Records
The collection mainly consists of Port Pilots produced by the Club by the combined efforts of its members. These publications sought to document sailing directions and amenities for all ports available to recreational watercraft on the Great Lakes. Maps and navigational charts complement them. Also included in the collection are Harbor Updates, which provide new information and corrections to the annual Port Pilots. The collection is rounded out by several membership rosters, vessel registry lists, and letters from the Commodore. 1.67 cubic feet

GLMS 91 U.S. Customs Service (Ludington, Michigan)
The sale of vessels recorded at the Ludington, MI office of the U.S. Customs Service for 1864-1949 are presented here. Bills of sale, conveyance records and mortgages include the names of vessels and sale participants and the terms of agreement. In these the researcher can find information on vessel histories and the economic aspects of vessel purchases. The financial and legal files included in the records partially document the regulatory duties of the U.S. Customs Service. 19 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 92 WILLIAM P. SNYDER, JR. (U.S. 209662)
The WILLIAM P. SNYDER, JR. was built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, MI and launched in 1912. The items compiled here were acquired by the SNYDER's chief engineers between 1932 and 1980. A series of catalogs and one of briefer sales brochures illustrate the choices available to engineers purchasing equipment and parts, and a series of manuals provide the information needed to operate the purchased equipment. A final series containing log books provides information on the daily operations of the engines and boilers the engineers were responsible for maintaining. 7 cubic feet.

GLMS 93 National Weather Service Station (Cleveland Ohio)
Included are 84 bound volumes of meteorological observations recorded from 1870 to 1948 at the Cleveland, OH office of the National Weather Service. Observations appear as handwritten notes on printed forms and as extensive notebook commentaries. Information recorded includes wind direction and speed, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, cloud conditions, and other weather data. 13.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 94 Lay Brothers Fisheries, Inc.
Sandusky, Ohio
The operation of a Lake Erie fishing company from 1889 to its closing in 1961 is documented in this collection. Financial and legal papers form the largest part of the collection. A drawing series (1894-1960) show plats for company property and plans for company buildings and equipment. 9 cubic feet.

GLMS 95 Craig Ship Building Company Collection
Collection documents business and personal elements in the life of Great Lakes shipbuilder John Craig. Includes 93 black and white photographs. 4 cubic feet.

GLMS 96 Harry K. Goodman Collection
Collection documents the professional career of Harry Goodman, including his time at L.A. Wells Construction Company and Stadium Boat Works  The bulk of the collection covers 1959-1963, while other scattered records cover 1966-2009. .33 cubic feet.

GLMS 98 Mackinac Island Resort Occupational Folklore Collection
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Six audio tapes of interviews of seasonal workers at Mackinac Island (1990) and the resulting research paper prepared for an independent study course in the Department of Popular Culture, Bowling Green State University. 0.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 100 Inland Steel Company Collection
Engineer's logs, Official Logs, Rough Deck Logs, crew lists and articles of agreement for six freighters owned by the Inland Steel Company, 1978-1981. 3.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 101 Kenneth R. Hall Collection
Research material for study of the vessels owned by the shipping interests headed by Eber Brock Ward and his family. Events covered in the collection date from 1782-1987. Most information in the collection is concentrated between 1840 and 1910. 2 cubic feet.

GLMS 102 John McLaughlin Papers
Diaries of a man who served as a marine engineer on many different types of vessels on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Collection contains a complete run of diaries spanning 1886-1927 documenting his experiences. 4 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 103 Albert A. Bartlett
During the early years of his college career, 1941-1942, Albert A. Bartlett obtained summer employment on the Great Lakes iron ore freighters PONTIAC and PETER WHITE. During this time Bartlett photographed his fellow crew members performing routine duties and later arranged 208 of his photos in a captioned scrapbook, a copy of which is presented here. Bartlett's photographs record the daily events of vessel life, capturing crew and officers at work and play. The collection also includes 7 hours of taped interviews, as well as a transcript of those tapes, in which Bartlett describes his work and life as a lake vessel porter. 1.5 cubic feet.

GLMS 104 Navigational Chart Collection
Included are c.2,600 navigational charts for the years 1849-2002. The charts in this collection were primarily published by the governments of the United States and Canada, with occasional examples from state and provincial sources. General charts of the Great Lakes region appear along with those for individual lakes. Connecting rivers and canals are also represented. Although most charts apply to waterways in the Great Lakes basin, a number of charts for the Atlantic Coast and the Mississippi Valley are present. 127 cubic feet.

GLMS 106 Jeff Clark Hulett Unloader Collection
This collection documents the history of Hulett unloaders, machines designed by George Hulett to empty the cargo holds of Great Lakes freighters.  These machines greatly increased the efficiency of the unloading process beginning in the early 20th century.  A major portion of the collection is made up of architectural plans and drawings, but also contains correspondence, reports, newsclippings, and photographs, 1908-1990. 10 cubic feet.

GLMS 107 National Weather Service Office (Toledo, Ohio)
Includes meteorological observations recorded at the Toledo, Ohio office of the National Weather Service from 1870-1994. 30 cubic feet.

GLMS 108 John H. Gilbert Collection
The collection contains captain logs and account books for the tugboat TOURIST for 1921-1939, including business affairs, ports of arrivals, passenger lists, crew lists, cargo lists and prices, maintenance entries, cash accounts, newspaper clippings and a 1952 end log entry of the transfer of the TOURIST to Standard Towing Corp.  An account book for the tugboat SCHNODEN begins on September 15, 1921 and continues to November 26, 1921. .66 cubic feet.

GLMS 109 Anthony Bocconcelli Collection/FitzSimons & Connell Dredge & Dock Co.
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin
Provides photographic documentation of many of the projects of the FitzSimons & Connell Dredge & Dock Co., 1911-1976. The collection includes photographic material (approximately 2700 images) as well as a minimal amount of motion picture film, transferred to DVD. It offers an excellent representation of the work environments of manual laborers, operating in varying weather and safety conditions, in the construction of significant structures, many of which still exist today. The photographs also document the evolution of construction techniques and equipment.  8.75 cubic feet.

GLMS 110 Vincent D. Nickerson Collection
The Vincent D. Nickerson Collection consists of original perspective drawings, many in color, prepared to provide the details needed for the paintings Nickerson was commissioned to produce. These drawings often provide scale drawings as well as color schemes of Great Lakes vessels from the 1840’s to 1910. In many cases his drawings are the only known details available for a particular vessel. Only a small number of Nickerson’s finished paintings survive, adding more significance to this collection.  22 cubic feet.

GLMS 112 Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company Records
Corporate records, photographs, and films detailing the history and work of the marine construction and dredging company, 1899-1998. Projects such as the straightening of the Chicago River, extension of Lincoln Park, and land reclamation for the construction of the new international airport in Doha, Qatar, are documented. 32.44 cubic feet.

GLMS 113 Richard J. Wright Marine Collection
The collection contains publications, correspondence, and manuscript materials both collected and written by Dr. Richard J. Wright, founder of the Center for Archival Collections. 14.65 cubic feet.

GLMS 114 Mike Nicholls Photograph Collection
The Mike Nicholls Photograph Collection contains 1,580 color prints and 192 black and white prints and negatives of Great Lakes vessels.  All photographs were taken by Mike Nicholls, mostly in the Detroit River and its connecting waterways. 1 cubic foot.

GLMS 115 U.S. Customs Service (Toledo, Ohio)
This collection of six microfilm rolls documents the issuance of certificates and sale of vessels recorded at the Toledo, Ohio office of the US Customs Service for the years 1870-1959. Certificates and Enrollments are found on rolls one, two, and three. Mortgage information and Bills of Sale can be found on rolls three, four, five, and six. The financial and legal files in this collection document a portion of the regulatory work of the US Customs Service in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 6 reels of microfilm.

GLMS 116 U.S. Customs Service (Cleveland, Ohio)
This collection of ten microfilm rolls documents the issuance of certificates and sale of vessels recorded at the Cleveland, Ohio office of the US Customs Service for the years 1871-1939. Certificate and License documentation can be found on rolls 1 and 2. Mortgage Information, Bills of Sale, and other sales documentation can be found on rolls 2 through 10. The financial and legal files in this collection document a portion of the regulatory work of the US Customs Service in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 10 reels of microfilm

GLMS 117 John L. Clark Collection
This collection is composed photographs and slides of Great Lakes vessels and assorted manuscript materials pertaining primarily to Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company and its Great Lakes vessels. Photos in this collection date mostly from the 1990s to the 2000s. The collection’s wide range of manuscripts ranges from newspaper articles to vessel crew listings and provides ample information pertaining to Cleveland-Cliffs vessels and operations. 2.42 cubic feet

GLMS 118 Maritime Newspaper Clipping Collection
This collection contains extensive representation of newspaper articles and clippings from around the Great Lakes, spanning 1819-2017. The bulk consists of 555 scrapbooks of maritime newspaper articles from a wide variety of titles, including the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Toledo Blade, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Duluth Herald, and many others. A separate set of clippings from Buffalo newspapers for 1835-1910 are also present. Other significant sections of the collection contain microfilm of 19th century issues of the Buffalo Morning Express, Toronto Globe, and Toronto Daily Mail. 108.5 cubic feet, 313 reels of microfilm, and 256 megabytes.

GLMS 119 Ann Arbor Car Ferries Collection
This collection documents the history of the Ann Arbor Railroad Company and its vessels.  Annual reports, correspondence, interview notes, newspaper articles/clippings, photographs, logs, publications, and other materials are present.  These materials were collected by Great Lakes researcher Grant Brown, Jr., for the writing of the book Ninety Years Across Lake Michigan: The History of the Ann Arbor Car Ferries. 9.75 cubic feet.

GLMS 121 Clemons Family Papers
This collection contains materials on the Clemons family of Ottawa County, Ohio. Several members were in the crew assigned to the Marblehead Lighthouse and Life-Saving Station circa 1880-1920. Correspondence, genealogy papers, newspaper clippings, and photographs are the main sets of materials present. .42 cubic feet.

GLMS 122 Detroit Vessel Passage Records
The collection is composed of fourteen volumes documenting commercial vessels traveling upbound and downbound in the Detroit River from 1973-1982. The volumes contain alternating lists of upbound and downbound travel. Information includes the date, vessel name, and time.  2 cubic feet.

GLMS 123 Franz vonReidel Photograph Collection
This .25 cubic foot collection is composed of 140 color photographs of Great Lakes vessels, with a focus on tugs. Photos in this series date from the 1990s to the 2000s. Photos in this series were taken by Franz VonReidel, Wendell Wilke, Alfred Hart, and others.

GLMS 124 U.S. Customs Service (Muskegon, Michigan)
This collection of five microfilm rolls documents the issuance of certificates and sale of vessels recorded at the Muskegon, MI office of the US Customs Service for the years 1916-1956. Certificates of Enrollment and Registry are found on rolls one through four. Roll 4 also contains a record of marine documents deposited from the Muskegon Customs office from 1936-1956. Bills of Sale can be found on rolls four and five. The financial and legal files in this collection document a portion of the regulatory work of the US Customs Service in twentieth century.

GLMS 126 Logbook Collection
This collection consists of over 500 logbooks from over 100 Great Lakes vessels spanning 1925-1985. Records include Captain's Logs, Engineer's Logs, Deck Logs, Radio Telephone Logs, and several other types. These logs document the everyday activity of Great Lakes vessels, including time and date, destination, cargo carried, weather and wind information, and location. 54 cubic feet.

GLMS 127 Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council Records
This collection documents a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of sport fishing in the Great Lakes region. The bulk of the collection consists of issues of the GLFC's newsletter Inland Seas Angler for 1989-1990 and 1992 through January 1999. Other materials include several releases and position papers, and membership directories. .63 cubic feet.

GLMS 128 Great Lakes Labor Documents Collection
The  collection consists mainly of agreements between maritime labor unions and steel production and shipping companies spanning 1914-1983, with most falling in the 1960s-1970s. Many large companies including Inland Steel, U.S. Steel, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, and American Shipbuilding Company are represented. Major unions featured include the National Maritime Union, Seafarer's International Union, Licensed Tugmen's Protective Association, and the United Steel Workers of America and their Great Lakes Local 5000. 2.71 cubic feet.

GLMS 129 William Forsythe CYPRUS Collection
This collection consists of research materials regarding the sinking of the CYPRUS collected by William Forsythe. After the discovery of the shipwreck in 2007, Forsythe conducted extensive research on the history of the vessel, its technology, and its crew. .83 cubic feet.

GLMS 130 William D. Carle III Collection
Photographs taken and collected by attorney William Carle during his career as an attorney and Great Lakes enthusiast. Also contains a number of vessel log books spanning the 1950s-1970s. 13 cubic feet.

GLMS 132 James P. Barry Papers
Photographs and manuscripts created by Great Lakes author James Barry over a nearly 50-year span from the 1960s to the 2010s. Highlights include color slides of Lake Erie and Georgian Bay, drafts of books chapters, and a 1764 French map of the Great Lakes region. 20.67 cubic feet.

GLMS 133 Great Lakes Engineering Works Records
Naval architectural records for most vessels built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works from 1902-1962. 66.41 cubic feet

GLMS 134 Miscellaneous Naval Architectural Drawings Collection
This collection contains naval architectural drawings held by the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes that were not created by the American Shipbuilding Company or Great Lakes Engineering Works. The dates covered are 1867-1992. 14.95 cubic feet

GLMS 135 Matthias Ojala Film Collection
8mm films taken by engineer Matt Ojala during his time aboard Great Lakes freighters in the 1950s and 1960s. 0.92 cubic feet