An Evening with Walter Lewis, Great Lakes Maritime Historian

Walter Lewis will be with us to provide insight into the Great Lakes Maritime History and the digitization of related historical records and journals, including the H.N. Throop Collection as provided by W-PHS.

This program is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted and very much appreciated.  Your support enables W-PHS to continue preservation efforts to make valuable improvements to Gates Hall, preserving its notable place in history, which began in 1826 when it was built as Union Church, the community’s first sacred place of worship.

Lewis’ presentation will examine the emergence of Great Lakes tourism and travel during the 19th century and the opportunities it created for sailors, steamboat operators, and businessmen such as Captain H.N. Throop.

The year 1825 was pivotal. With the opening of the Erie Canal, travelers gained a new route connecting the Hudson River with the Great Lakes. That same year, Theodore Dwight and…