uaschicago.org

The Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago (UASC) is a Chicago-based organization focused on underwater archaeology and Great Lakes shipwreck research. Its website, uaschicago.org, serves as the group's public information hub and member communication platform. If you are interested in shipwrecks, maritime history, or underwater exploration in the Great Lakes region, UASC is the kind of organization you would look to for meetings, projects, and educational resources.

What UASC does

Based on the site's structure and content, UASC's activities fall into several areas:

• Meetings and presentations — The group holds regular meetings featuring guest speakers on shipwreck and underwater archaeology topics. A typical meeting includes an informal social period, a business session, and a featured presentation.
• Research projects — The site lists both current and past projects, including specific wreck sites such as the 12th Street Beach Wreck, Car Ferry No. 2, Flora Hill, Material Service Barge, Silver Spray, and Solon H. Johnson.
• Survey and discovery work — Project pages reference activities like sidescan surveys, indicating hands-on archaeological and search work.
• Training — UASC offers (NAS) Training, referring to Nautical Archaeology Society training, which is a recognized pathway into underwater archaeology for divers and non-divers.
• Public education and outreach — Through events like "Underwater Detectives," library presentations (e.g., Knox Indiana Library), and participation in the Chicago Maritime Festival, UASC engages the broader public.
• Adopt-A-Shipwreck — A program that appears to let members or groups take responsibility for documenting and researching a specific wreck.

Who it's for

UASC is aimed at people who want to explore Great Lakes maritime history and underwater archaeology, whether or not they dive. The site's content suggests several audiences:

• Divers — The presence of dive shop and dive charter listings (local and remote) indicates the organization serves an active diving community.
• Avocational archaeologists and historians — Members interested in research, documentation, and shipwreck identification.
• The general public — Public events, educational presentations, and an image gallery make the organization accessible to anyone curious about local shipwrecks.

How the website is organized

The site functions as both a public-facing resource and a member tool. Key sections include:

Meetings and registration

UASC meetings are open to guests, and registration is handled online. According to the site's announcement for its September 2026 meeting:

• Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
• Time: Socialize at 6:30 PM CT, business at 7:00 PM, featured presentation at 8:00 PM
• Format: Zoom only for this meeting
• Featured presenter: Chris Kraska, presenting "The Loss of the Clough: Exploration, Discovery, and an Unexpected Tragedy"
• Registration: Required via a Zoom registration link

The meeting format (Zoom vs. in-person) can vary, so check the current announcement before planning to attend.

Getting involved

If you want to join or support UASC, the site provides:

• A mailing list subscription option
• A membership application
• A membership payments page

The site also notes a "Subscribe" option, though specific pricing or membership tiers are not detailed in the available page content. For current dues and requirements, you would need to consult the membership pages directly.

Why it matters

For anyone researching Great Lakes shipwrecks or looking to participate in underwater archaeology in the Chicago area, UASC offers a structured way in: regular educational meetings, active field projects, training pathways, and a community of divers and researchers. The website is the starting point for meeting schedules, project details, and membership.

The Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago (UASC) holds monthly meetings that are free to attend by registration, and some months are Zoom-only. To attend, register through the link posted on the UASC home page for that month's meeting, then join at the listed Central Time. You do not need to be a member to register for a meeting, but you do need to complete the registration step in advance.

What a UASC meeting looks like

UASC meetings follow a fixed three-part schedule. The September 2026 meeting announcement on uaschicago.org lists it as:

The featured presentation is the main draw for most visitors. For September 2026, presenter Chris Kraska spoke on "The Loss of the Clough: Exploration, Discovery, and an Unexpected Tragedy."

Step-by-step: registering and joining

1. Go to the UASC home page (uaschicago.org) and find the current month's meeting announcement near the top.
2. Click the registration link in that announcement. For the September 2026 meeting, the link pointed to a Zoom registration page (us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/...).
3. Complete the Zoom registration form. Zoom then sends you the join link for that specific meeting.
4. Join at the start time shown — 6:30 PM CT if you want the social hour, or 8:00 PM CT if you only want the presentation.

Expected result: you receive a Zoom confirmation with your personal join link, and you can enter the meeting at any of the three segments.

Zoom-only vs. in-person meetings

The September 2026 meeting was explicitly marked "THIS MONTH'S MEETING IS ZOOM ONLY" in the announcement. That wording matters: UASC does not guarantee a hybrid option every month, so check the current month's notice rather than assuming a physical location. When a meeting is Zoom-only, registration is the only way in — there is no walk-in option.

Do you need to be a member?

No. Meeting registration is separate from membership. UASC lists "Membership Application" and "Membership Payments" as distinct pages from its meeting registration, and the meeting announcement asks only for registration, not for a member login. If you want to go further — voting, project participation, or the mailing list — those are handled through the membership and "Subscribe to Mailing List" pages instead.

Finding upcoming meetings and events

Two places on the site carry the schedule:

• Home page — the current month's meeting announcement, with date, time, presenter, topic, and the registration link.
• Meetings & Events → Calendar / Upcoming Events — the broader schedule, useful for checking whether a future month is Zoom-only or in person.

The site also keeps an archive of Meeting Minutes going back to 2007, which is the practical way to see what past meetings covered if you are deciding whether the group's topics interest you.

Common snags

• Registering too late. Registration links are tied to a specific meeting date. If you register after the meeting, the link will not work for the next one — go back to the home page for the new month's link.
• Time zone confusion. All listed times are Central Time (CT). If you are outside that zone, convert before you set a reminder.
• Assuming a venue. Because some months are Zoom-only, do not travel to a meeting location unless the current announcement names one.

The Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago (UASC) works on shipwreck documentation, site survey, and public education in the Great Lakes region. Its project list on uaschicago.org includes named wreck sites, a sidescan sonar survey, an Adopt-A-Shipwreck program, and NAS (Nautical Archaeology Society) training. The site separates these into Current Projects and Past Projects, and also records project photos, reports, and past speakers. If you want to volunteer or follow the work, the site points to a project contact page and a membership application rather than an open public field schedule.

Current Projects Listed by UASC

The site's Current Projects section names these efforts:

• 12th Street Beach Wreck — a wreck site project with its own page.
• Car Ferry No. 2 — a car ferry wreck project.
• Flora Hill — a wreck project.
• Material Service Barge — a barge wreck project.
• Sidescan Survey — a sonar-based survey project.
• Silver Spray — a wreck project.
• Solon H. Johnson — a wreck project with a dedicated project contact page, history, beach photos, and underwater photos.

These entries show the range of UASC work: individual wreck identification and documentation, plus remote-sensing survey using sidescan sonar. The Solon H. Johnson page is the most detailed example on the site, combining project contact information, historical background, and both beach and underwater photography.

Past Projects and What They Produced

The Past Projects section lists:

• The Buccaneer — with a separate Dexter/Buccaneer Photos page.
• Tym-Barge
• Adopt-A-Shipwreck
• Underwater Detectives

The presence of photo pages and a dedicated "Underwater Detectives" program indicates that UASC records and shares project results through images and public-facing educational activities, not only through fieldwork. The site also keeps Meeting Minutes from 2007 through 2019 and a Past Speakers list, which are the main written record of what was presented and discussed over time.

Research Areas Beyond Individual Wrecks

UASC's research interests extend past single sites. The site's Research Resources section covers:

• Ships and Shipwrecks
• Great Lakes History and Genealogy
• Historical Societies

The organization also runs NAS (Nautical Archaeology Society) Training, which is the pathway for members to learn survey and recording methods used on the wreck projects. Past speaker topics on the site include Great Lakes shipwreck research and maritime history, and the group maintains an Image Gallery with material from Door County (2010) and other events.

How Results Are Recorded and Shared

UASC shares project output through several channels visible on the site:

The next meeting listed is Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Zoom only, with social time at 6:30 PM CT, business at 7:00, and featured presenter Chris Kraska speaking on "The Loss of the Clough: Exploration, Discovery, and an Unexpected Tragedy." Registration is through a Zoom link on the site. Meetings are where project findings and research are presented to members and guests.

Can the Public or Volunteers Participate?

The site provides a Membership Application and Membership Payments page, a Subscribe to Mailing List option, and a Project Contact Information page. These are the stated routes for getting involved. The site does not publish an open volunteer schedule, fieldwork calendar, or prerequisite list for project participation, so anyone interested should use the project contact page or attend a meeting to ask about current needs. NAS Training is the listed skill-building path for those who want to take part in survey and documentation work.

For the most current project status, check the Current Projects pages directly, since the site's project list and meeting announcements are updated on its own schedule.

The Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago (UASC) offers a mix of online research links, archival material, public presentations, and a formal training program. Most resources are accessible through the site's navigation without a login; the main exception is meeting registration, which requires signing up through a Zoom registration link. The training program is listed under Projects as "(NAS) Training," and the research resources are grouped under "Research Resources."

Research Resources

UASC maintains a curated set of external links and internal archives useful for anyone studying Great Lakes shipwrecks, maritime history, or family connections to lake vessels.

External Research Links

The "Research Resources" section organizes links into these categories:

• Ships and Shipwrecks — starting points for vessel histories and wreck data
• Great Lakes History and Genealogy — for tracing people, crews, and families tied to the lakes
• Historical Societies — regional organizations that hold primary records

These are pointers to outside sources rather than UASC-hosted databases, so expect to leave the site when following them.

Internal Archives and Image Galleries

UASC hosts its own historical material on-site:

• Meeting Minutes — an archive running from 2007 through 2019, useful for tracking what the society discussed, presented, and worked on over more than a decade
• Image Gallery — includes a Door County 2010 collection with dated photo sets (August 6th through 9th)
• Past Speakers — a roster that includes Brendon Baillod, Fred Neuschel, and Dr. Anna Roosevelt, indicating the range of topics covered at meetings
• Past Projects — including The Buccaneer (with Dexter/Buccaneer photos), Tym-Barge, and Adopt-A-Shipwreck

The meeting minutes are the most substantial text archive for someone researching the society's own history or past wreck work.

Training Programs

NAS Training

The site lists "(NAS) Training" under Projects. NAS refers to the Nautical Archaeology Society, a UK-based organization with an internationally recognized training scheme in underwater archaeology. UASC's listing indicates it serves as a local pathway into that training, though the site excerpt does not detail course levels, fees, or schedules.

If you want to pursue formal underwater archaeology training rather than just attend lectures, this is the section to check first, and you would likely need to contact UASC directly through the "Project Contact Information" link for current details.

Workshops

The site references a "Research and Discovery of Great Lakes Shipwrecks Workshop" in its past events. This suggests UASC has run hands-on workshop programming, though the excerpt does not confirm whether it recurs.

Public Presentations and Meetings

UASC's regular meetings function as its most accessible educational offering. The format is consistent:

The September 2026 meeting is Zoom only and features Chris Kraska presenting "The Loss of the Clough: Exploration, Discovery, and an Unexpected Tragedy." Registration is required via a Zoom link on the site.

Past presentation topics, judging from the speaker list and project names, have covered individual wreck discoveries, Great Lakes maritime history, and archaeological method. The "Underwater Detectives" program appears in the site structure as an outreach or educational activity, with a Knox Indiana Library event listed.

Projects You Can Follow or Join

UASC's project pages double as research resources because they document methodology and findings:

• 12th Street Beach Wreck
• Car Ferry No. 2
• Flora Hill
• Material Service Barge
• Sidescan Survey
• Silver Spray
• Solon H. Johnson

Several of these include photo documentation (beach photos, underwater photos) and contact information for the project lead. If you want to volunteer on a survey or wreck documentation effort, the individual project contact pages are the entry point.

What to Check First

• For genealogy or vessel history: start with the external links under Research Resources, then cross-reference UASC's meeting minutes for local context.
• For formal training: look at the NAS Training page and use the project contact link to ask about current course availability.
• For general learning: attend a monthly meeting — the featured presentation is open to the public via Zoom registration.
• For volunteering: browse Current Projects and use the listed project contact information.

The site does not publish fees for training or membership on the pages shown, so treat cost and eligibility as things to confirm directly with UASC rather than assume.

You can join UASC by using the membership application linked from its website menu, and you can stay informed before joining by subscribing to its mailing list. The site provides a "Membership Application" page and a separate "Membership Payments" page, plus a "Subscribe to Mailing List" option. Because the site does not publish a fee amount or a public payment link in the material available here, treat the application and payment pages as the authoritative places to confirm current cost and payment method.

What UASC Is

UASC stands for the Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago. Its site describes it as an organization focused on underwater archaeology, with sections covering:

• About UASC, including a mission statement and contact page
• Meetings & Events, including a calendar, upcoming events, and meeting minutes
• Research and Discovery of Great Lakes Shipwrecks, plus a past speakers archive
• Shipwrecks and Projects, including NAS training, current projects, and past projects
• Web Links to underwater archaeology groups, research resources, and dive-related listings

This matters for a join decision because membership is tied to participation in meetings, projects, and research rather than to a single product or service.

How to Join: Step by Step

1. Go to uaschicago.org.
2. Open the Membership Application link in the site menu.
3. Complete the application form as presented on that page.
4. If you are not ready to apply, use Subscribe to Mailing List first to receive updates.
5. To handle dues or other payments, open the Membership Payments page and follow the instructions there.

Expected result: after submitting the application you become a member according to UASC's own process, and the payments page tells you how to pay. If a step does not work, the likely cause is that the relevant page requires a form submission, a login, or an external payment step that is not described on the home page.

What Membership Involves

The site's structure shows the main member-facing activities:

A concrete example of what participation looks like: the announced September 2026 meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30th, 2026, with socializing at 6:30 PM CT, business at 7:00 PM CT, and the featured presentation at 8:00 PM CT. That meeting is Zoom-only, and registration is through a Zoom registration link. The featured presenter is Chris Kraska, presenting "The Loss of the Clough: Exploration, Discovery, and an Unexpected Tragedy."

What to Check Before You Join

• Cost: The available site material does not state a membership fee. Confirm the amount on the Membership Application or Membership Payments page.
• Payment method: The site references membership payments but does not list payment platforms in the material available here. Check the payments page directly.
• Meeting format: Some meetings are Zoom-only, as the September 2026 meeting is. Confirm format before planning to attend in person.
• Time zone: Meeting times are given in CT (Central Time). Convert to your local time if you are outside that zone.
• Registration: The September 2026 meeting requires registration through a Zoom link, so registering in advance is part of attending.

A Reasonable Path If You Are Undecided

Subscribe to the mailing list, attend one Zoom meeting to see whether the presentations and member community fit your interests, then submit the membership application and use the payments page to complete dues. This order lets you evaluate the meeting format, the research topics, and the project work before committing.