Joel Stone has enjoyed a lifetime dedicated to societal enrichment through historical and cultural preservation and engagement. He is a native Detroiter, and curator emeritus at the Detroit Historical Society and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. Stone holds degrees or certificates in communication, history, and archival management, with professional experience in archaeology, exhibition development, and community outreach.

His scholarly and recreational interests are focused on the Great Lakes region, particularly its maritime industry and nineteenth century society. Stone is a past president of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History, and in 2023 was honored as “Great Lakes Maritime Historian of the Year” by the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. A life-long sailor, Joel has travelled on and around all five freshwater seas.

His award-winning writing and collaborations include “Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes” (University of Michigan Press, 2015), “Detroit1967: Origins, Impacts, Legacies” (Wayne State University Press, 2017), and “Interpreting Maritime History at Museums and Historic Sites” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).