Historical Collections of the Great Lakes

 HCGL's collection of several hundred thousand drawings from the American Ship Building Co., Great Lakes Engineering Works, and Defoe Shipbuilding provides a unique source for the study of Great Lakes shipbuilding from the 1860's to the 1980's. For drawings, the HCGL has published the catalog, American Ship Building Company and Predecessors, 1867-1920, which lists those drawings available from the HCGL on microfilm. Post-1920 Amship, GLEW, and Defoe drawings are not cataloged, although we do provide access to these drawings by appointment. HCGL holdings include a large collection of navigational charts (GLMS 104) and maps providing information documenting the evolution of Great Lakes channels, harbors, and shorelines as well as information about shipping routes, shipwrecks, and the development of navigational aids such as lighthouses. For more information, see the checklist of processed collections.

Historical Collections of the Great Lakes Base Page