M&ST
ASHTABULA
MUSEUM
Preserving Ashtabula’s Maritime & Transportation Legacy
About Us
Ashtabula Maritime and
Surface Transportation Museum
1071 Walnut Blvd
Ashtabula, OH 44004
Preserved and Restored
The Historic Home of a Lighthouse Keeper
The Ashtabula Maritime & Surface Transportation Museum is housed in the original Ashtabula Lighthouse Keeper’s House, which was later the house that the U.S. Coast Guard Chief and his family lived in. This house was initially built for the Lightkeeper's family in 1871. An addition was built for the Assistant Keeper’s family to live in 1898, making the house a duplex. In 1991-1992, a $31,000 addition of approximately 40’ X 50’ was built onto the rear of the original 1871 Light Keeper’s home.
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The museum was founded on June 2, 1984. The original museum name at that time was: The Great Lakes Marine & Coast Guard Memorial Museum.
Today, we have several outside displays in our front and back yards, plus a portion of the leg of the original Ashtabula Hulett Iron Ore unloader in Point Park, which is across the street from the museum that overlooks the industrial harbor. In our parking lot sits the First Electrically Welded Steel Hull Ship in the World, which was built in Ashtabula Harbor in 1914.
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Inside the museum, we have over 25,000 maritime, railroad, Hulett, Titanic, Naval, and Coast Guard historic items on display. Attached to the rear of the Keeper's House is a full-size Pilot House (Wheelhouse) from the Great Lakes Steamer the “Thomas Walters” that is filled with actual and original sailing equipment.
Preserving Ashtabula’s Maritime
& Transportation Legacy
About Us
Our Board
Board Member
Brian L.
Hubbard
Board Member
Cory A.
Hubbard
Board Member
David L.
Beckwith
Board Member
J. Fred
Eichenlaub
Board Member
Jenny
Luhta
Board Member
David M.
Spotts
Board Member
Anthony
DeGeorge
Board Member
Jim
Klingensmith
Board Member
Kaye
Lind
Board Member
Lyndsey
Kaplan
Board Member
Jay
Bowler
Board Member
David
Nolan
Board Member
Frank
Maenpa
Our Board
Brian L. Hubbard
board member
Brian L. Hubbard is a lifelong resident of the Ashtabula area, raised in the Harbor near Lake Erie and the Ashtabula River. A graduate of Ashtabula Harbor High School, he now lives in Ashtabula Township with his wife, Sandy. He retired after 33 years with the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department, where he served in multiple roles, including Patrol Deputy, Detective Sergeant, Crime Scene Division Officer-in-Charge, Polygraph Examiner, and Police Academy Instructor.
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In addition to his full-time law enforcement career, Brian also worked part-time as a Patrol Officer for North Kingsville Police and as a Firefighter and Fire Investigator for Ashtabula Township Fire Department. He has served over 25 years as a Park Commissioner for the Ashtabula Township Park Commission and has coached Ashtabula Little League teams for over 35 years.
Brian and his family owned a retail store in Jefferson for many years. He and Sandy have two adult children, Kristi and Cory, and two grandchildren, Zac and Tegan. He is a member of the Ashtabula County Antique Engine Club, the NRA, and serves as Treasurer of the Ashtabula County Committee for a Safer Tomorrow.
His hobbies include boating, fishing, street rods, antique tractors, mechanical work, home construction, and attending sporting events. Brian is also a long-time board member of the Ashtabula Maritime and Surface Transportation Museum, having served as Secretary, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman. He currently organizes and presents the Museum’s annual “History on Tap” series. He is passionate about preserving and promoting the history of Ashtabula Harbor, the county, and the Great Lakes Region.
Cory A. Hubbard
board member
Cory A. Hubbard is a lifelong resident of Ashtabula County and a proud graduate of Edgewood Senior High School. He has dedicated his life to serving the local community and preserving its rich history. As a long-standing board member of the museum, Cory has contributed in various roles across numerous committees, helping support and grow the organization’s mission.
With over 25 years of service to the County of Ashtabula, he currently works as a State Certified Residential and Commercial Building and Electrical Inspector. His commitment to civic involvement extends beyond his professional work. Cory is actively engaged in numerous organizations, including the Riverside Yacht Club (where he also serves on the board), the Ashtabula Lighthouse Society, the Ashtabula County Antique Engine Club, the Building Officials Conference of Northeastern Ohio, the Ohio Building Officials Association, the Sons of Italy, and the East Ashtabula Club.
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Cory resides in Plymouth Township with his partner, Tonya, the pharmacy manager at Ashtabula Regional Medical Center, and their three energetic Australian Shepherds. He enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including boating, fishing, camping, gun sports, pheasant hunting, bocce, golf, bowling, motorsports, woodworking, and grilling and smoking food. He also appreciates time spent with family and friends, often enjoying craft IPAs, cigars, and bourbon tastings. In the summer, he can often be found on the water or supporting Tonya at horse shows.
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Above all, Cory takes great pride in collaborating with local organizations to share and celebrate the fascinating history of Ashtabula County.
David L. Beckwith
board member
David L. Beckwith, born in Conneaut, Ohio, on March 15, 1946, built a distinguished 40-year career sailing the Great Lakes. A U.S. Coast Guard–licensed Master of unlimited tonnage on the Great Lakes and Inland Waterways, he also earned certification as a 1st Class Pilot, unlimited tonnage, navigating routes from Duluth to Cape Vincent.
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Throughout his career, David served primarily with the Pittsburgh Steamship Company (U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet) and Cleveland Tankers, Inc. In the early 1980s, he represented Cleveland Tankers as Fleet Delegate with the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots.
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Following retirement, he continued his maritime service as Volunteer Chief Mate aboard the S.S. American Victory, a World War II–era working museum ship based in Tampa, Florida.
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David holds a B.A. in History and International Relations from the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Beyond the water, his passions include membership in the Ashtabula Antique Engine Club, restoring and collecting antique Farmall tractors, and hobby farming.
J. Fred Eichenlaub
board member
J. Fred Eichenlaub grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and earned his Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics from the University of Dayton. His career began at Newport News Shipbuilding, where he performed initial checkout and testing of reactor electronics for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and fast attack submarines. Most of his professional life was spent at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, where he served as a System Engineer until his retirement in 2018.
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A lifelong boating enthusiast, Fred’s passion began on Pymatuning Lake with his family’s 13-foot aluminum boat. After moving to Northeast Ohio, he expanded his boating experience on Lake Erie with a 25-foot Bayliner Trophy hardtop fishing boat.
Recognizing the challenges of big-water navigation, he pursued formal boating education through America’s Boating Club, United States Power Squadrons. There, he honed his navigation skills and continues to be an active member, serving as Administrative Officer of the Mosquito Lake Power Squadron and Staff Commander on the Cooperative Charting Committee.
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Fred is also a member of the Riverside Yacht Club on the Ashtabula River, where he enjoys time aboard his 1985 SeaRay 300 Weekender power boat. His dedication to safe boating and maritime heritage continues to shape his involvement both on and off the water.
Jenny Luhta
board member
Jenny Luhta grew up on the water, operating boats from an early age and developing a lifelong connection to life on the Great Lakes. Her love of boating and maritime heritage has shaped not only her personal life but also her commitment to preserving the region’s history.
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As the wife of a mariner, Jenny has a deep understanding of the Great Lakes shipping industry and the unique challenges faced by those who dedicate their lives to it. She has seen firsthand the importance of keeping alive the stories of our sailors, their families, and the communities built around the lake ports.
Jenny’s dedication extends beyond her family ties—she is passionate about ensuring that future generations understand the vital role the Great Lakes have played in shaping commerce, culture, and daily life in our area. Through her involvement with the museum, she strives to protect and share these stories before they are lost to time.
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When she isn’t working on museum projects, Jenny enjoys spending time outdoors, especially on the water, and values time shared with family and friends. Her unique perspective—rooted in both personal experience and community commitment—helps strengthen the museum’s mission of honoring the maritime and transportation legacy of Ashtabula County.
David M. Spotts
board member
David Spotts is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, where he earned a Third Mate’s license for any ocean and gross tonnage, a commission in the U.S. Navy, and a B.S. degree in Nautical Science. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve before pursuing a legal career, graduating with honors from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1975.
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David began his legal career with Cleveland’s largest maritime law firm, where he worked extensively on admiralty cases across the Great Lakes and beyond. His practice included cases involving seamen, longshoremen, pilots, passengers, cargo disputes, collisions, allisions, and other maritime personal injury and property damage claims. He later became a partner in the firm and transferred to its Chicago office, handling cases on Lake Michigan and the Inland Rivers. He is admitted to the Ohio and Illinois Bars.
In 1987, David returned to Cleveland and established his own practice in Ashtabula, Ohio, on the south shore of Lake Erie. Today, he continues to represent a wide range of maritime clients, including marine companies, seamen, pilots, yacht owners, and passengers. His clients have included the Lakes Pilots Association, Inc., Western Great Lakes Pilots Association, Inc., and the Merchant Officers Protective Syndicate. He also defends Coast Guard licenses and handles civil cases with maritime connections.
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David holds the distinguished AV® rating from Martindale-
Hubbell, the organization’s highest peer-review rating, recognizing both exceptional legal ability and adherence to the highest professional standards.
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More about David and his practice can be found at maritimelaw.com.
Anthony DeGeorge
board member
Coming Soon
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Jim Klingensmith
board member
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Kaye Lind
board member
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Lyndsey Kaplan
board member
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Jay Bowler
board member
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David Nolan
board member
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Frank Maenpa
board member
Coming Soon
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