Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Frederick Stonehouse is the author of over thirty books on maritime history many focusing on the Great Lakes including the best selling The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He has been a consultant for both the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada and has been an "on-air" expert for National Geographic and History Channel as well as many regional media productions.

Awards include the 2006 Association for Great Lakes Maritime History Award for Historic Interpretation, Historical Society of Detroit’s 2007 Historian of the Year, 2017 Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society C. Patrick Labadie Special Acknowledgement Award, Northern Michigan University 2014 Distinguished Alumna Award, 2018 “Governor’s Special Tribute” (Michigan) and  2019 Historical Society of Michigan Follo Award.

His knowledge of sailing our itinerary as a Coast Guard licensed mariner and academic credentials provide a unique perspective for our voyage. Forty years of Great Lakes shipwreck diving and searching adds a practical viewpoint of Great Lakes maritime history. Several of his books relate directly to waters we sail and ports visited.

Fred teaches Great Lakes maritime history at Northern Michigan University and is an active consultant for numerous maritime projects and programs. He is past President of the National Board of Directors of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association and past Vice Chair (Policy) of the Michigan Port Collaborative.  Fred makes his home in Marquette, Michigan. For more information: www.frederickstonehouse.com.