A Walk Through the National Museum of the Great Lakes

This video is of my visit to the National Museum of the Great Lakes, located on the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. This follows my two-part video walk-through to Greenfield Village, which followed my two-part walk-through of the Henry Ford Museum, part of a week-long "Michigan & Ohio Museum Odyssey".
I follow this video with a visit to the British Transportation Museum in Dayton, Ohio, before heading to other museums in Ohio.

[@guodzillakaiju5683]

I visited the Schoonmaker last June (2022) and I was thrilled (in a bittersweet way) to find out that from all the ships that survived the White Hurricane of 1913, the Schoonmaker is the last one. The NMGL obtained the pilot house from the St. Mary's Challenger (another survivor), and the pilot house is scheduled to be restored soon. (Edit: I did more searching, and I found 2 more 1913 survivors: the whaleback "Meteor," and the "Milwaukee Clipper." In fact, these last ships also survived the "Mataafa" Storm of 1905. Now THAT'S history!)

[@TempoDrift1480]

Intelligent commentary, no kids screaming, no housewives asking what a window is for... Excellent video. Means a lot to me as a Michigander living in Nebraska.

[@robertrowland5813]

Understand your sentiment completely. I am a Michigander living in California.

[@wabash-fr9yu]

This has been one of the best ship walks that I have seen. Being retired Navy, your tour of both ships was the best I have watched. You did not race over the ships in such a way that I got dizzy watching your tour. In a word "EXCELLENT". Stopping to read signs for information was most enlightening which hasn't been in the past. Many of them were things I didn't know from Great Lakes water service. Most enlighting tour. Thank you for the tour of this musumn, most instructive to say the lest. ISC JACK M ROE USN (ret)

[@Stereostupid]

Wow this giant boat is absolutely amazing!love the woodwork the detail,the Texas room,wheel house pilot house its amazing!I'm obsessed with the Edmund Fitzgerald and Daniel J Morrell,the Anderson, Carl D Bradley all the classics !if that ship is that gigantic I could only imagine the size of Fitzgerald, titanic and some of these giant ocean oil vessels Maersk or the evergreen ship holy 1500+ foot...thanks for this documentation awesome

[@tamitami7396]

So it is Monday March the eighth 2021, I am here in Tampa, when this came up on auto-play. I am from Toledo Ohio and love the Boyer. Thank you for letting me see it again!

[@evilferret1453]

I live in Iowa now , I Grew up on the west side of Toledo some 40 years ago . great city . too bad crack and bad policies killed it .

[@tamitami7396]

@@evilferret1453 I grew up on the west side too. It is sad what that city is now.

[@evilferret1453]

@@tamitami7396 I went to whitmer high , and lived off of lewis ave .

[@tamitami7396]

@@evilferret1453 I went to Sylvania Southview and lived off Sylvania Ave.

[@myconight]

@@tamitami7396 I Lived in the Southend, went to Libby, then to Waite. I left after trying to press charges on a Detective who pulled his gun, caused an accident then left. The first report came up "missing" so after having to file a second one, his road cop buddies started pulling some Crazy stuff... Yes Toledo is a Hell hole of it's former self!

[@Cameraman148]

That Capstan Was Off The Barge Maida..My Grandfather Cpt James Alexander was The Master During the teens of the 19th Century Nice Tour !

[@harleyguyinmilw]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that sign from the St Marys Challenger!!!!!!!!! she was a Cement Carrier from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I grew up seeing her weekly. she was renamed several times due to owner ship changes.

[@JCT442]

Thank you for the great tour. I was a Navy Chief Engineer; I recognized the post-WWII propulsion plant you so well documented. I checked it out and the ship was indeed re-engineered in 1955. A well-preserved combination piece of mid-20th century engineering combined with early 20th century shipbuilding technology.

[@sailormaderopeworks3657]

Great video! I was a career sailor. The first half of my career was a deep sea sailor and the second half a Great Lakes sailor (22 years total). The deck crane with the railing system was known as the "Iron Deckhand"...

[@tetreaulthank4068]

Thank you ! I greatly appreciate you putting in all of the time to do this for us all to enjoy !

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

Old Lake Freighters are so majestic. They don't make them as beautiful as they used to.

[@steveng1624]

*Hell No*

[@charlesrussell1764]

I live in New Zealand and used to watch the old boats being cut up in Auckland. Once a steel ship came in and was razed, obviously very old, it had the graceful lines of a classic schooner. Such a waste.

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

@@charlesrussell1764 The Great Lakes are a force not to be underestimated.

[@charlesrussell1764]

@@rustyrelicsfarm2406 Quite so. All large bodies of water can bite when roused by a bad case of wind!

[@endicotttrucktractorrwolfe5568]

THATSA MONK PROW, KINDA STURDY AND STOUT, ....... If we don't do what the PUBLIC SEZ, They'll KICK US OUT. AGRICULTURE INCLUDES UNSER THE SEA ER YER PANTIE HOSES WUDN'T BE ♻️REPOOPICYCLED WHILE WE LET USFS JUST SIT AND MAKE PICNICKING ILLEGAL NEXT.

[@jeynjohnstone5917]

Thank you for your tour. It was great 👍

[@jackrabbit5047]

Very nice tour. Thank you for posting.

[@Ranwarner42]

Great tour... Thank You

[@JP-su8bp]

Solid tour. I enjoyed your casual narration style. Thank you.

[@ronseguin7289]

Thanks for the interesting tour.

[@Jemmcanna]

Thank you for the tour. I have always been fascinated by ships, but grew up and still live the Colorado mountains. Some day I'll make it to a port.

[@screamingsvtcobra6220]

Absolutely amazing tour and footage .tons of great commentary and info as well. Thank you sir

[@donstor1]

Thank you so much. As a kid, my folks took me on many tours like this on the west coast where I grew up. I learned a great many things by walking around and seeing for myself things I had had read about. I enjoyed this very much.

[@saran.4001]

You had good parents.

[@shawnpa]

The museum video showed a lot of fascinating displays and varied topics of the Great Lakes. Well done of them. Thanks for the video.

[@Will-dt3yg]

Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video, and also for sharing it with us all.

[@dd.greenefilms2598]

This is so interesting and I didn't know that this museum existed, thanks for sharing this with the audience.

[@terryostrander8510]

This is a really nice video of a beautiful ore boat. Thank you for your insightful tour.

[@jacktaggart2489]

Thanks for the tour. Most interesting. I did circle Manhattan in a NYFD fire boat one time; that was totally cool. The Museum looks very inviting to visit. You are a good ambassador!

[@daveinmd01]

Thanks fr a great video tour!

[@BuggsOgden]

Cool video ! thoroughly enjoyed your tour of this museum, Your narration and camera work made for a very watchable video. I agree, two hours is not enough time to see it all. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

[@timothyspearman9347]

Thanks for the tour. I have aboard a few museum ships and it's always well worth it.

[@dirtbikedave]

Great job, sir! Thank you for your efforts!

[@richardpehtown2412]

The best museum tour video I've seen on youtube, thanks.

[@hectorcaballero7017]

Great visit! I am glad to see how you had the presence of mind to include names, and to care about the pronunciations, which is always what other people miss. Good job and great subject!

[@superships8914]

I went on her in 2018, I can’t wait to go again! I watched this video in VR and it was amazing. It was like I was there! Thank you very much for this video.

[@93corvettebaby]

Thank you.Very nice tour!

[@dscobellusa]

Thank you. I learned things I never knew. Very interesting tour.

[@biglar155]

Great tour! Thank you! I find myself in the Toledo area for business rather frequently (when there's no world-ending plague happening anyway). I'm adding this to my "to do" list.

[@barbeuclide6261]

OH yes!!!!

[@gat1240]

Thanks for posting this, I worked on 2 of these carriers back in 1969. I was 17 yrs old and got the job because my dad worked at USS in Pittsburgh headquarters. Lots of kids whose father's worked for USS had the same opportunity. This is not just history , it is a time capsule of our culture. I will be going down to sea again (ok fresh water) when I stop by this place summer 0f 2021 when things will hopefully be open.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Thanks for the tour. I wasn’t expecting all the wood paneling and nice interior decorations. I’m guessing the intact fine detailing and the unique “Texas Room” were key factors in saving her from the scrapyard.

[@eileenknoblock9626]

Thank you so much! I really enjoyed the tour and your commentary.

[@dinopulizzi8481]

Very wonderful video ! Thank You !

[@sirturdsalot8390]

Thank you Sir for making this video. I am watching this now and really enjoying this. I was not aware of this museum and will one day make this trip. You did a great job explaining the small details.

[@georgemoorman2218]

We stopped at the museum in 2019. After touring the Schoonmaker (thanks for the revisit) we had a guided tour of the Tug. According to the docent, the tug served as a fire boat for a time. The crew quarters were located the bow. That was the area that was roped off.

[@brianmeattey4151]

Yep nice long vid very well done I enjoyed it thx for showing your trip there .godbless ad stay safe

[@MichaelSmith-hs5iu]

Excellent Tour of the Ship and Tug boats! Also a great tour of the museum. I was particularly interested in the Lake Ontario section and the display of ships as I was raised in Oswego, Ny and remember the ship "Fontana" that we would see as kids coming into the harbor from Canada to unload coal for the "Diamond Match Factory" which is long since gone. We could see the bull dozer on top of the coal pile at the factory leveling out the coal delivered by the Fontana. Thank you for the Tour!

[@theresastapleton2506]

Well Done ! Thanks for sharing this .

[@rozpellis]

How nice of you to do this. Thank you!

[@1337flite]

Thank you from the land Down Under. I'll probably never get to see anything like this is life, but the industry of the Great Lakes casually fascinates me, so thank you very much.

[@davehiggins5903]

Cant believe I watched the whole video ,very interesting. Thank you for sharing

[@ab6485]

Thank you so very much for sharing this video. What a special treat you gave me

[@billyjoejimbob56]

The first of your museum tour videos I have watched. i have driven up and down I-280 past this location 100 times and never knew of this museum. Nicely done! I will be looking for and watching more of your vids... and will visit this one in person some day.

[@proudmother268]

Thank you for the tour it was very interesting and i truly enjoyed it. you sound like someone i used to know who liked lighthouses. if that is you it was good to hear your voice again. enjoy and i will try to find the other part to this one. Thank you again

[@UQRXD]

Thanks for a calm relaxing video.

[@ronb2486]

I didn't know that was there. Will have to go down and check it out. Thanks!

[@adriannegrillo8394]

Great video commentary! Very informative and enjoyable. Thank you!

[@charlesadamson7810]

Excellent job. I really enjoyed your tour. Im going to subscribe to see what else youre up too. Thanks again

[@brianparent8901]

Awesome Video...thanks for sharing. I can now say I have been all over freighter.

[@beedonn9260]

I must just saying, I always enjoy your walkabouts, so good job you're always intuitive, and informative so you please keep doing what you're doing I enjoy your Channel very much.

[@chenontimes]

Because of your video I went there to see it for myself! I loved it.

[@notlimey]

Well I have not watched any but your train videos, but now I’m hooked on the road trips!

[@andrewsmactips]

Thanks so much for the tour. I’ve always been fascinated by the ore ships, but Auckland is such a long way from Ohio.

[@morganverizon1]

I live in Toledo bye but my family is from Auckland hello down there. My fellow kiwi

[@jackiesanford5549]

Thank you a wonderful tour again. I love looking at your trips and descriptive comments 🤗

[@davidmoss6791]

Thanks for sharing* Very good video.

[@edwardgarrison3298]

great video,,, It felt like I was on vacation being a tourist! Thank you for the video.

[@davidallyn925]

what a great museum I was sad to see that there were so few people there. thanks for the tour.

[@larrybrown1824]

I'd highly recommend going to see the Valley Camp in Sault St. Marie. She was built in 1917 and if I remember correctly, retains her coal fired boilers and triple expansion engines. Also, they turned her cargo holds in to a museum.

[@youtuuba]

As far as I am concerned, when a museum ship is deemed to be not an attraction unto itself, and somebody decides to put a museum (or other stuff) INSIDE it, it drops several notches in my estimation of its worth as an attraction. I am much less likely to make a trip to see such a museum inside a ship, although I may still visit it if I am in the area.

[@cujo6970]

I have been to both ships/museums. I think the Valley Camp was better. It had a nice Edmund Fitzgerald section among other things.

[@goodrichfarms8795]

The Valley Camp has some of the vital finding's of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It is a very good museum ship to visit at the Soo, so please don't diss it.

[@biglar155]

​@@youtuuba I understand your concern for it seeming like a gimmick or devaluing the ship, but I assure you it is done VERY well. In most of the museum you are walking on the steel plate of the bottom of the cargo hold. The upper deck, living quarters, and mechanical areas are all kept original. A trip to "The Soo" is worthwhile for anyone interested in the maritime world. The valley Camp would be worth the trip by herself.

[@michaelkitchin9665]

I'm in two minds over it. I went over to the USS Intrepid last year and, whilst that's a lot of museum, there's plenty of boat to wander around. I guess aircraft carriers have that advantage. The museum pieces can offer great context whilst the ship itself is a fascinating space to inhabit. It's a very case-by-case thing for me.

[@kimfleury]

Thanks for the tour.

[@johnmccann9187]

Great job! Super entertaining!👍👍

[@myverycoolusername]

amazing video, love that you labeled things as well great content!

[@cameronfisher]

thank you mr.youtuuba i just recently discovered your channel and i really enjoy watching all of them always informative and you deal with the crowds of people for me i can't do crowds very well the anxiety gets to me so i really appreciate what you do i went ahead and subscribed to your channel so keep them rolling thanks.

[@kellymartin8090]

So appreciate your videos! Almost like being there.

[@johndennis879]

If you follow the Maumee westward it runs into I75 were there is grain silos that ships come into port there

[@carlosnvegas2426]

Wow! I need to go to Michigan! Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I’ll tell’em you sent me!

[@MrSTOUT73]

Was on the Milwaukee Clipper back in the day and hope to take a ride on the Badger this summer.

[@davidsquires154]

Thanks for the tour of the ship. It reminded me of a trip up to Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan back in 1999.I took a tour of the S.S.Valley Camp. The S.S.Valley Camp has sailed for the Republic Steel Corporation back in the early 1900's. I am not sure of full year. The S.S.Valley Camp was the first museum ship in the Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan area. The Soo Locks are located near the S.S.Valley Camp. Also, is the International Bridge to Sault Ste.Marie, Ontario.

[@RD2564]

Your videos are fantastic, you are the midwest version of me in some ways. The museum vids brought me here and wheatstone bridge video was educational and thought provoking as well. Another beautiful sunny day in the pacific northwest, we get a lot more sun than you think my friend.

[@tonytrotta9322]

I visited the Freighter a few times originally was Col James M. Schoonmaker (1911-1972) Willis B Boyer (1972-2011) and back to Col James M. Schoonmaker (2011-) per Wikipedia. Nice ship museum. Thanks for sharing!

[@antonysavage8218]

Subbed...your content is great and topic excuted loved it keep up great work

[@williamglaser6577]

Very interesting , thanks !

[@steveblottenberger1097]

Steve from Annapolis Maryland I tilt my hat to you got my vote he's doing a really good job for 2 hours tour thanks for sharing that

[@robertrowland5813]

Thought this was a great tour of the ship. Never realized what an ore ship looked like on board and "youtuuba", you nailed it. On the other hand, the museum tour felt rushed. As you pointed out, you should have allowed more time for it, In any event, thank youvery much for the wonderful ship tour. I thoroughly enjoyed it (as well as a number of your other walk-around tour videos).

[@jeanettewolfenbarger1256]

I enjoy your video, because I get to visit places I would not normally not get to go. I'm not in liberty to travel anymore. Thank you so much.

[@clodwolf]

James Barker has the best horn on the lakes, great video!

[@terryboyer1342]

clodwolf Maybe the best in the world?

[@twrecks4598]

Wife and I visited a year or two ago. With respect to you and your camera, the cargo hold's scale cannot be realized by watching a computer screen: to really understand the scale of the ship, you have to go there and see it for yourself. This is a great visit for anyone in the Great Lakes region, or anyone who loves the Laker boats. Glad I found your video!

[@apajohn2]

Thanks for the tour with my COPD. And asthma I wouldn’t have been able to get up the ramp

[@johnbugbee3730]

I live in Ohio and didn't know about this. Thank you

[@dirkrittersen9566]

Very nice and interesting Tour - Thanks ! Greetings from Stuttgart in South Germany!

[@youtuuba]

Dirk Rittersen, yes, I have some familiarity with Stuttgart, having lived in that area from the late 60s through 1976. Robinson Barracks, Pattonville, Ludwigsburg, Ossweil.

[@danalarose846]

Thank you for this!

[@tonydeleo3642]

RE the ore carrier, interesting pattern for the steel grating in the engine room, quite artistic and unusual.

[@erickrohn2970]

Awesome tour all I could think of is the Edmund Fitzgerald. When you where in the wheel house. One theory is it nose dived down in the massive waves and did not rebound back and dove straight to the bottom. I was imagining that. I'm sure it took a bit to fill with water and the captain etc. Could helplessly look around for a bit like in a submarine before the end. Man what a way to go. I have alot of respect for the people that spend alot of time making there living aboard any vessel.

[@grandbino4703]

Was awesome video 🤟😎

[@snakebait5118]

I can only imagine what the Edmund Fitzgerald went through in her last moments! Phenomenal! Thanks for this presentation, it's an eye opener!

[@terryboyer1342]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6e2hWmei7edaKM

[@brianmeattey4151]

Great vid wish I'd seen it back then but very interesting ..

[@jeffsteffen211]

Small world. I drove a truck for many years. The John Sherwin was moored on on the far south side of Chicago for part of that. I would always try to look over and see the ship from I-94. when I was headed east, I felt like he was wishing me safe travels. One the way back, i felt like he was welcoming me home.

[@KW-qt6df]

Thanks very much for the video!!!!!

[@mikebarrett3428]

Love these old ships!

[@johncase3250]

Very interesting, thank you

[@packingten]

Not sure same size as Edmund FG but imagine something this big going down!!,WOW..

[@barbarajarrett3185]

The oar was loaded into the boats from an oredock. I grew up in Ashland, WI and we had an oredock. They tore it down in the past few years. I used to love to fish off it.

[@erbewayne6868]

Missed picking up a pasty in Ashland. Many years ago as we were coming east on us 2 passed the sign and by the time I got turned around, they must have sold out a took the sign down. Dissapointed!!!

[@Cashcrop54]

At least you didn’t have to use the Bosuns chair to get on & off! 😉 I loved watching the ships loading at the big piers. And watching the Fitzgerald (Nickname: Toledo Express) leaving Maumee Bay. A friend worked on the Reserve & Courtney Burton and took him to work many times and saw the Fitz a lot. And that where I saw the Bosuns chair in use. Thanks for the tour! You are right it was a draw bridge. Stopped many many times for the boats to pass..

[@frankferriolo9212]

Thanks for confirming that is was a draw-bridge. That was really itching my brains.

[@jeffreykielwasser3637]

There's also one moored at sault st marie,the ss valley camp I believe

[@davidsquires154]

I was on vacation a few years back and I was in Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan. The name of the S.S.Valley Camp. This is a very popular tourist attraction in the Soo. The Soo Locks are located nearby the S.S.Valley Camp.

[@jimmysaff]

The life boats from the Fitzgerald are on display inside the valley camp.

[@erbewayne6868]

One at Duluth and the Mackinaw at Mackinaw City.

[@erbewayne6868]

The tug Edna G was at Silver Bay , Mn. Close to the lighthouse at Split Rock.

[@CreeSweetSage61]

actually there is the maritime museum and william a irvin in Duluth Mn that you can tour, it's like this as well. you can also take a harbor cruise in duluth.

[@bobdelano6746]

I summer on western lake Superior M/V Dodge Buoy is my home

[@jaybarber68]

Bob, is your home port Duluth? I want to go there this summer, if I can afford to.

[@erbewayne6868]

You can go to the park and watch the bridge operate and signal.

[@jackharrison6771]

This is a great video thanks for posting. Very interesting and informative. IF you ever get to the UK, you really should do one of the Liverpool Maritime Museum. (I can't get to locations like that so easy these days regardless of Covid). The last time I could visit Liverpool, a large part was devoted to The Battle of The Atlantic. I have wondered how much shipping came from The Lakes, to join convoys; to then cross the Atlantic? I thought it was unusual to see the crew berths opening directly onto open deck areas as you showed. (BTW The sound was good). Overall- an excellent series of videos, thanks again and all the best. Jack UK.