Posted on October 7, 2021
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District Park Rangers are continuing their popular Virtual Visitor Center series with monthly programs planned through April 2022.
“We created the Virtual Visitor Center in May 2020 when our facilities closed due to COVID-19 so we could continue our mission to inform, educate and hopefully entertain the public,” said Chief Park Ranger at the Soo Locks, Michelle Briggs. “These programs helped us reach people who may not be able to visit our sites in person and proved so popular that we have continued offering them.”
Briggs notes this year Detroit District Park Ranger workloads increased when Visitor Centers reopened to the public causing them to reassess the previous schedule. “In order to keep up with our daily work and provide high quality educational programing we are offering programs the first Thursday of each month at12:30 p.m. EST during our off season, October-April.”
Speakers will be a mix of park rangers and special guests focusing on topics related to Great Lakes shipping and history. The schedule for the Virtual Visitor Center series is:
Oct. 7, 2021 – Ranger Scott Bjorklund “A Grand Experiment: McDougall’s Whalebacks”
Nov. 4, 2021 – Guest Fred Stonehouse “Sailing into Legend – the Most Baffling Shipwreck(s) in the Great Lakes”
Dec. 2, 2021 – Ranger Jeanette Johnson “Cruising the Great Lakes: The Golden Age of Passenger Vessels”
Jan. 6, 2022 – “Digging holes in the Harbor: Where does the dirt go?”
Feb. 3, 2022 – “Great Lakes Galleys”
Mar. 3, 2022 – Ranger Michelle Briggs “Winter Work at the Soo Locks”
Apr. 7, 2022 – Ranger Sara Summers Luedtke “Vessel Namesakes”
The Virtual Visitor Center is a cooperative endeavor made possible by the support of the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association, Lake Superior Marine Museum Association and the park rangers of the Detroit District. All programs take place on our Detroit District Facebook page and are recorded and posted on social media and on the Detroit District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtbMFyAaYYO9TIAaaK2HTLr0Ph4A5FRF
Virtual Visitor Center links can be found on our Detroit District Facebook page approximately one week in advance: https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict. For more details, contact Detroit District Public Affairs Specialist Carrie Fox at: carrie.d.fox@usace.army.mil or 906-259-2841.
