My wife and I took time off Friday to visit the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio. We can thoroughly recommend the experience! Allow plenty of time to look around both the museum and the retired Great Lakes freighter Col. James M. Schoonmaker. Built in 1911, the ship plied the waters of the Lakes up until some twenty-five years ago when she was retired and laid up. It took some time for the city of Toledo to acquire funds to buy her and begin the work of refurbishing and restoration, but today she's a wonderful example of a dying breed of ship.
The museum has plenty of exhibits, including a life-raft and other relics of the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald. It's quite poignant to look at these items on this anniversary year and remember just how dangerous the inland waters can be.
There are a number of great models, most in 1/8th scale on display. This one of the steamer R N Rice caught my eye.
One of these days I'll refurbish my own steamship model. I've an idea or two for her gaming use. In the meantime, I'm drawing near to finishing the painting of my gaming room. With luck and a following wind I'll be done in a couple of days.
1 comment:
Lovely looking models and sounds like a cracking museum. I've always had a hankering to do a paddle steamer - maybe one day.
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