22-ton John Sherwin propeller installed
The National Museum of the Great Lakes is pleased to announce the installation of the propeller from the S.S John Sherwin steamship. The propeller is one of the largest artifacts to go on display at the new museum in Toledo Ohio. The propeller weighs 22 tons and is approximately 22 feet in diameter. The propeller was put on permanent loan to the museum by the Interlake Steamship Company which owns the boat.
The propeller was cast in Toledo in 1958 by the American Shipbuilding Company when the boat was built. When it was cast it was believed to be the largest cast propeller ever built. Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes stated “We anticipate that the propeller, which is installed in front of the museum, will become a place where people from all over the world will be photographed.” The propeller is also important because it represents one of about twenty five artifacts that are detailed at part of the “Toledo Trail” a specialized tour that highlights artifacts and stories that are connected to Toledo’s history.
The installation of the propeller was made possible by a grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission which has been critical in this project. The City of Toledo Department of Engineering Services managed the installation.
Founded in 1944, the Great Lakes Historical Society has been preserving our shared cultural history by publishing a quarterly journal Inland Seas since 1945; by operating a maritime museum and research library since 1952; by offering educational programs to the general public since 1956; and by conducting underwater archaeological research across the Great Lakes since 2001. The opening of the National Museum of the Great Lakes will help the Great Lakes Historical Society continue its mission to preserve and make known the history of the Great Lakes.
For more information, call Anna M. Kolin at 419.204.8947or Christopher Gillcrist at 216.956.9734.
Press Release Contact Name: Anna M. Kolin
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: The National Museum of the Great Lakes
Organization Address: Toledo, OH