The Williamson-Pultneyville Historical Society will host award-winning maritime historian Walter Lewis on Aug. 19 for a program examining how Lake Ontario and communities such as Pultneyville fit into the broader history of Great Lakes travel, commerce and tourism. A central point in the presentation will be 1825, when the Erie Canal opened and created a major new connection between the Hudson River and the Great Lakes. For ports such as Pultneyville, the growth of travel and commerce tied local communities into a much larger maritime network spanning the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Lewis is also expected to discuss efforts to digitize and preserve Great Lakes maritime records and journals, including the H.N. He has presented to historical societies, scholars and passengers aboard Great Lakes cruises, and maintains an extensive online archive focused on Great Lakes maritime history.