MMM Lecture Series: The Forgotten Iron King of the Great Lakes
Date
July 22, 2026
Start Time
6:30 pm
End Time
7:30 pm
Event Details
Eber Brock Ward (1811–1875) began his career as a cabin boy on his uncle’s sailing vessels, but when he died in 1875, he was the wealthiest man in Michigan. Decades before moguls such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, Ward was already vertically integrating his operations into an empire. And yet, despite his countless successes, Ward’s life was filled with ruthless competition, labor conflict, familial dispute, and scandal. Join us as we uncover this forgotten, but fascinating figure of Michigan history with Michael Nagle, historian and author of The Forgotten Iron King of the Great Lakes.
Tickets are free for Museum members and $10 for non-members. Doors open at 6 PM. You can purchase tickets for this event online, over the phone, or in-person.
This lecture series is made possible thanks to the Nielsen-Wells Grant Fund and Mike & Susan Smith.
