Reflect on Wisconsin's Maritime Past

With commercially navigable waterways on three sides, Wisconsin has a deep maritime past. From the small Mississippi River ports of La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, to the much larger Great Lakes facilities at Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Duluth-Superior, Wisconsin residents have been sailing, steaming, and hauling goods over our water for generations.

As this year's shipping season closes and lake boats prepare for the winter layup, now is good time to reflect on Wisconsin's maritime history with resources available at Wisconsin's Water Libary and the University of Wisconsin's Digital Collection Center (UWDCC).

The Water Library maintains a number of recommended reading lists. Check out this one on Great Lakes Ships and Shipping.

UWDCC includes a collection and digital portal dedicated to Wisconsin's "proud and colorful" maritime history. Learn more on their Great Lakes Martime History Project here.

Wisconsin Maritime Museums

Traveling around Wisconsin this summer? Beat the heat and stop into a maritime museum on the way. There are quite a few in the state, so there is sure to be one along the way. Combining history, shipping, and the Great Lakes, Wisconsinites and out of state tourists alike can enjoy the exhibits these museums have to offer.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Wisconsin Marine Historical Society

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

The Bayfield Maritime Museum

Door County Maritime Museum

Ship's Wheel Gallery and Nautical Museum

UW-La Crosse Historic Steamboat Photograph collection

UW-La Crosse Historic Steamboat Photograph collection This collection consists of over 40,000 black and white photographic images of steamboats on the inland waterways of the United States, primarily the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers and their tributaries. In the month of January, UWDC added 1,129 new images.

To view the collection, go to UW Digital Collections.