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The Mills Race: A Historic Test of Seamanship on Lake Erie

The Mills Race is a historic regatta on Lake Erie that attracts sailors from across the Great Lakes and beyond to the Toledo Yacht Club. Its success as an event points to a larger discussion about how Toledoans can capitalize on the geographic asset of Lake Erie. Cordelia Van der Veer was a participant in Midstory's 2020 High School ThinkLab program. Cover graphic by Jessie Walton for Midstory.

Friday, August 9, 1907 was a fair-weather day on the western end of Lake Erie. Boaters from Cleveland, Detroit and Toledo flocked to the Toledo Yacht Club to participate in racing events that would test their seamanship, grit and endurance. Excitement was in the air as Toldeoans read about the activities in the morning edition of The Blade.

Of the events, the 191-mile sailing course around the Detroit River and Cleveland Crib Lights was the most challenging. Yachts registered for this course were up to 76 feet long and required as many 12 crewmembers to race. The first to finish from this fleet would receive the recently commissioned Mills Trophy.

At the sound of the starting gun, the yachts competing for the Mills Trophy started their pursuit. Unbeknownst to the sailors, the start of the race would initiate a 113-year tradition known as the Mills Race—an event that would draw national attention to the humble city of Toledo for years to come.

The Origins of the Mills Race

As a city founded on its proximity to the Great Lakes, it comes as no surprise that Toledo has a rich history of boating. In 1865, when Toledo had only 30,000 residents, two rowing clubs merged to form the Toledo Yacht Club (TYC), now one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the TYC built a reputation as a significant sailing club by hosting various regattas. To accommodate growing membership, the TYC commissioned a state-of-the-art colonial clubhouse completed in 1903, only to be destroyed by a devastating fire three years later.

In support of the TYC after the fire, Commodore Merrill B. Mills donated a sterling silver punch bowl with ladle and cups. As stated in the Deed of Gift , Mills gifted the trophy “for the purpose of encouraging proficiency in the art of navigation upon the Great Lakes by means of popular contests in yachting.” 

The first Mills Race was an extremely well-received event. Even as early as 1907, the press was comparing the Mills Race to regattas on the east coast.

Walter F. Beiling commented to The Blade in 1907, “I have attended nearly all the big long distance races given on the lakes for years, and the boats brought together by the Toledo races compare more favorably with the ocean going yachts of the east than any I have elsewhere seen on the lakes.”  

Shortly after the first Mills Race, S.O. Richardson, the President of Libbey Glass and Commodore of Toledo Yacht Club, wanted to give smaller crafts an opportunity to race. Richardson asked President William H. Taft to commission a new trophy for a class of 15 ft. catboats . As an Ohio native and sailing enthusiast, President Taft was glad to support the Mills Race, and in 1909, the President’s Trophy was first awarded to a yacht called Possum .

The Mills Race in the 21st Century

Today, the race remains a celebrated tradition. In the 2019 Mills Race, 103 yachts ranging from 26 to 68 feet in length competed in one of three courses: the Mills Trophy Course (78 miles), Governor’s Trophy Course (60.5 miles) or President’s Trophy Course (26 miles). Each course started 1.5 miles from Toledo Harbor Light and sailors raced through the night to finish in front of Put-in-Bay. Although the courses and boats have changed over the years, both the Mills Trophy and President’s Cup are highly sought after amongst Great Lakes sailors.

“When you’re a junior sailor, you walk into a yacht club, and you see those silver cups and [you think], ‘Someday I want my name on that,’” Commodore Duane Burgoyne, a local sailor who has raced in 32 Mills Races, said.

Another sailor, Dennis ‘Skip’ Dieball started off as junior sailor admiring the large silver cups. Since then, the Toledo native has become an international name in sailing—winning the 2015 Etchells World Championships, competing in the 2019 Pan American Games and starting his own sail-making business, Dieball Sails .

According to Dieball, the Mills Race has maintained its popularity in part because of the unique geography of the Western Lake Erie Basin. The shallowness of the water means weather is unpredictable, a challenge for sailors. Additionally, the western basin offers several islands easily accessible by sailboat.

As a business owner in addition to a sailor, Dieball also points to the economic impact of the Mills Race as a major benefit.

“The fact that [Toledo has] the Mills Race…for my business was a big deal because it offered a simple [incentive] to deliver a product,” Dieball said.

Sail-making businesses are not the only beneficiaries of the Mills Race. With up to 100 yachts competing in the event, thousands of sailors and supporters need lodging, food and other services in the Toledo and Put-in-Bay areas each year. As of data from the early 2000s, the Mills Race attracts an estimated 3,000 people each year to Toledo for the festivities.

Looking Ahead

To politicians and journalists around the country, Lake Erie is known more often for its environmental crises; national news sources report on the “ slug of toxins ” that plague the body of the water every year. While water quality should absolutely remain at the forefront of national conversations, it does not have to be the only defining identifier of Lake Erie.

If Toledo and the western basin can serve as the location for historic events like the Mills Race, what other events can the region foster? How else can the citizens of Toledo capitalize on the geographic asset of Lake Erie? 

For many, Lake Erie is not just a source of competition or economic opportunity. Lake Erie is a recreational, cultural and economic asset to the region, and its potential for national and even international attention doesn’t stop with the Mills Race. It is the center of a larger community. 

Perhaps Skip Dieball put it best while on a sailing trip on Lake Erie with his family: “‘Where else would we rather be right now than doing this?’”

The High School ThinkLab is a youth program dedicated to cultivating young people toward contributing meaningfully to our region through research, thought, creativity & storytelling. Learn more about the program here and read other participants’ stories here .

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Awesome article!! I learned so much about how Toledo’s history is not celebrated and publicized and much as it should be. I applaud Midstory for providing a platform to highlight the hometown gems.

Special Kudos to the author no doubt,..Cordelia!

As a frequent participant in today’s Mills Race event, it is nice to know this history. Very nice article and well written.

Great article!! Well written and enjoyable to read!!

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Toledo Yacht Club

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

I love visiting the Toledo Yacht Club. It is open to the public, but memberships are available. When you enter the downstairs bar and seating area, you can rest assured that TYC takes great measures to ensure your safety. The manager, Miriam, works hard to... make you comfortable and provides hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the building. Masks are required, as well, but may be taken off when you are seated inside. TYC also provides outside seating at patio tables along the pool, which include umbrellas for shade and a great view of the water, and on an upper balcony. Check out upcoming live entertainment and events on their Facebook page, and Thursdays through Saturdays, from 5 - 10 pm, dinner is available from Saba’s Dockside Bistro. Their menu is available online, and their food is some of the best I’ve tasted in this area. It is moderately priced, and some of my favorites include the Open-faced steak sandwich (10 oz. NY strip topped w/sautéed onions & mushrooms, choice of side $18); Beef Burgundy (braised beef tips in burgundy sauce w/herb pappardelle pasta, garlic bread, chef’s starch, vegetable, and salad $18), Lobster bisque ($5), Prince Edward Mussels ($11), and Cod fries ($8). You can top it all off with Crème Brûlée, Bread pudding, or Dessert of the day! I need to give a shout-out to the awesome service by Ashley, Teia, Tyler, and ALL of the staff serving at the Den Bar & Lounge; they do a great job taking care of members and customers! Come visit for Happy Hour and drink specials; you’ll be glad you did! More

TOLEDO YACHT CLUB - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

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Toledo Yacht Club Regatta and Poker Run

Toledo Yacht Club 3900 North Summit St. Toledo, OH

Friday and Saturday, August 12-13, 2022 | 5 p.m. - Midnight Toledo Yacht Club Regatta 2022 August 12 (Friday) –- Sweet Tea Band – 5 pm to 11 pm August 13 (Saturday) –– DJ Javier Rios – Noon to 4pm ​Red Carpet Crashers – 8pm to Midnight Public Welcome!

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401 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 210

Toledo, OH 43604

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Mills Cup Race

June 9, 2023 - june 11, 2023.

Toledo Yacht Clubs Mills Cup Sailing Races! Originally started in 1907 as a test of sailing and navigational skills, the Mills Cup Race has evolved into the premier sailing race on Lake Erie. This annual race is unique in that the race is held at night. Since 1981, the Mills Cup race has begun at the Toledo Ohio harbor light and ended at Put-in-Bay Ohio .

Toledo Yacht Club Mills Cup & The Put-in-Bay Yacht Club

The Put-in-Bay Yacht club has been involved in the hosting of the race for over 35 years. This is a great time to Visit Put-in-Bay and take in the sights of the Put-in-Bay Docks hosting hundreds of these colorful sailing ships and their crews. Docks are open to the public to view the ships. The west side of South Bass Island generally offers the best view of the colorful sailing vessels as they enter the Put-In-Bay harbor. This year marks the 99th year of the Mills Cup Event.

Mills Cup Events

Although the race is the main event, Mills Cup Week includes a number of other events. On Friday evening before the race, the Mills Masters are invited to a special picnic in their honor. On Wednesday, the winners of the previous year’s race are feted at a banquet and awards presentation.

Thursday evening is the famous Mills Party held on the lawn of the Toledo Yacht Club. This party is open to the public and offers an opportunity to see many of the boats which will race the next evening. Boats arriving on Thursday are welcomed with a cannon salute. A post-race party, held on Saturday afternoon at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club , includes music, refreshments, and the posting of the race results. Before heading home on Sunday, flags are presented to the winning skippers. Put-in-Bay Hotels book early for this weekend, and making reservations far in advance is suggested.

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Episode Recap: Children in the Attic

A mother needs TAPS' help to stop a spirit who has been communicating with her son.

Warning: If you don't want to know what happened in this episode, don't read this photo recap! When a child is involved in a haunt, TAPS takes things very seriously. Tonight, the team travels to Toledo Yacht Club, where a boy named Hunter has made contact with a spirit named Jacob. 

The Toledo Yacht Club has always felt a little haunted, but lately things have been elevated to a whole new level as a child ghost becomes best friends with a living boy. Thank goodness TAPS is on the case! The Club is over 150 years old, and while no one has ever died in the building, many bootleggers, gangsters and sailors have met their demise in the waters nearby. However, Susan, an employee at the club whose father used to be a commodore there, is now very concerned because her son is playing with a ghost. Hunter says the ghost-boy's name is Jacob. Jacob apparently told Hunter he had fallen from the balcony in 1910. Other employees claim to have seen the ghost boy as well. Creepy! Other claims are that a deceased commodore will approach the bar and order a Manhattan. Also there have been shadow figures, footsteps and voices heard throughout the building. The team was able to verify with certainty that there is an intelligent haunt in the building. They pick up a voice recording of a man saying "I'm not Jacob", which means he was responding to Jason and Steve directly when they were asking for the child by name. Hunter participated in the investigation, and a few times he was able to hear his friend, though no one else could.  His EMF detector and a REM pod went off during these moments of communication, which was an amazing experience for the investigators. Although none of the team members were able to communicate with Jacob directly, they do believe that Hunter is perfectly safe playing with his friend. As for the other spirits in the building, they seem to be friendly enough and offer a little historical perspective for the club. Who doesn't love a friendly ghost?  

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Ottawa River Yacht Club

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Toledo, OH 43611

TIYC/ORYC Winterfest

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Doors open 6PM, Cornhole Registration at 6:30PM

Saturday, Jan 27, 2024: 

ORYC Poker Run Reg. 10AM-Noon, Evening activities start 5PM 

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