The Great Lakes Historical Society’s Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center (GLHS/PLESRC) and the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team (MAST) will be conducting their annual Nautical Archaeology Workshop April 27-28, 2013 at the Maritime Academy of Toledo followed by skills practice dives May 18 or 19 at White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg, Ohio. The workshop teaches divers and non-divers why underwater archaeology is important, how they can impact and protect Ohio’s wrecks, techniques they will use during shipwreck surveys and much, much more. For a good idea of what the weekend will be like you can click HERE.
In conjunction with the workshop, MAST will hold their annual dinner on the evening of April 26th at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center. This years Keynote Speaker is Dr Gary Gibson, War of 1812 scholar and historian. His presentation will be Frontier Fleet: The United States Navy on Lake Ontario During the War of 1812.
“In 1812, Northern New York was as much the frontier as the west bank of the Mississippi River. It was also the frontier with the British colony of Upper Canada. Geography dictated that many of the most significant events of that war took place on and along the shores of Lake Ontario. The outcome of battles at Fort George, York (now Toronto), Sackets Harbor, Kingston, Oswego, Sandy Creek and elsewhere were heavily dependent on the support provided by the United States Navy from its base at Sackets Harbor. There, under the direction of shipwright Henry Eckford, the United States built more warships than at any other location during the War of 1812. This talk will describe this fleet, how it was constructed, manned and paid for, how it compared with the Royal Navys force based at Kingston, Upper Canada, and how its operations changed the course of the war.”
Both events are open to the diving and non-diving public. Go HERE for more information on the workshop and dinner!
