The Story of Evelyn Wright Crawford & the 1st All Women's Crew - Maritime Lecture Series

The Michigan Maritime Museum will host a fascinating evening lecture exploring the story of Evelyn Wright Crawford and the first all-women’s crew to compete in the legendary Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
 
The program, “The Story of Evelyn Wright Crawford & the First All-Women’s Crew in the Chicago to Mackinac Race,” will take place Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
 
In 1905, Chicago socialite Evelyn Wright Crawford boarded her 32-foot sloop Lady Eileen with her cousin Sara Carey to compete in the fledgling Chicago Yacht Club race to Mackinac Island. Their effort made them the first all-women’s team to “man” a boat in the race, an extraordinary achievement at a time when sailing and competitive sport were largely dominated by men.
 
The lecture will be presented by journalist and researcher Mark Reid and Madeline Crispell, curator of the Chicago Maritime Museum. Their multimedia presentation features rare historical photographs, many never shown publicly, and explore Crawford’s life as an early advocate for women’s opportunities on and off the water.
 
The program also examines the early years of the Chicago Yacht Club and growth of its famed race to Mackinac Island, now one of the most respected freshwater sailing races in the world.
 
Madeline Crispell’s exhibitions and programs at the Chicago Maritime Museum have explored topics ranging from architectural photography and the history of women on the Great Lakes to the work of Black Chicago impressionist James Bolivar Needham. Mark Reid is accredited media with the America's Cup and SailGP and conducts historical research for the Chicago Yacht Club’s Race to Mackinac History Project.
 
Tickets for this event are FREE for Museum members and $10 for non-members. Doors open at
6:00 PM.  Tickets may be purchased online: MichiganMaritimeMuseum.org/events,
by phone: 269-637-8078, or in person: 260 Dyckman Ave. South Haven, MI.
 
The Michigan Maritime Museum Lecture Series is made possible through the generous support of the Nielsen-Wells Grant Fund and Mike & Susan Smith. Recorded and virtual viewing of many lectures is made possible thanks to the generous support of Steve & Emily Holt.