The Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio Rivers and the Great Lakes are rich in history, tall tales and music. Come learn how canal boats, steamboats, tugs, barges and Great Lakes freighters played a major role in U.S. territorial and economic expansion. We'll cover the Steamboat Arabia, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and more. The grandson of a Great Lakes sailor, our instructor has visited the Great Lakes and rivers covered in the class and will share his photos plus films of vessels and a wide range of exciting music and stories.

Instructor bio: Carl Graves, Ph.D., holds a master's degree in U.S. history from the University of Kansas and a doctorate from Harvard. He taught at the university and community college levels and at Kansas City's Pembroke Hill School.

Membership Fee: An Osher membership fee of $25 is required to enroll in this class. If you have not paid your membership fee, please click on the blue link below under "course accessibility" to add the membership fee to your shopping cart. Then continue shopping to select your courses and/or events. If you have questions about whether or not you have paid your member fee, please call 785-864-6779.

Course Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in an event, please email lpe@ku.edu or call 913-897-8530 at least three weeks before the first day of the event.

Residents of Brewster Place Topeka can take this class for no charge. When registering online, please choose the Brewster Place Resident fee on the drop down menu, or if registering by phone, please indicate to the registration agent that you are a resident of Brewster Place. 

Course pre-requisites
(required) Stories and Songs of Big Rivers and the Great Lakes