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Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online | |
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Great Lakes Book Shelf |
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Manchester Liners: Great Lakes Pioneers by Ron Beaupre and Skip Gillham ![]() |
"Manchester Liners: Great Lakes Pioneers,” by Ron Beaupre and Skip Gillham, 2012. 68 pages; softcover, $25 (postage included); Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0. |
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Shaping Chicago: James S. Dunham’s Crusade for the River by Thomas J. Lutz ![]() |
“Shaping Chicago: James S. Dunham’s Crusade for the River” by Thomas J. Lutz, 2012 Softcover, 216 pages, 100 illustrations, $21.95 plus s-h and www.in-deptheditions.com |
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Last Ark of the Railroad: The Steam Ship City of Milwaukee by Dominic R. Sondy ![]() |
“Last Ark of the Railroad: The Steam Ship City of Milwaukee,” Dominic R. Sondy, 2012 Softcover, 72 pages, many photographs, $17.50, from Amazon.com |
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See the Ships Vol. 1 and See the Salties Vol. 1 DVD's by Plets Express ![]() |
“See the Ships Vol. 1” and “See the Salties Vol. 1” DVD's by Plets Express, $24.95 each plus s-h available from www.pletsexpress.com |
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Ships of the Great
Lakes DVD written & produced by Leonard Brown ![]() |
“Ships of the Great Lakes,” written and produced by Leonard Brown, takes viewers aboard a 1,000-foot Great Lakes freighter. The story is set using the motor vessel Oglebay Norton (now American Integrity) as a backdrop. As the ship carries coal to Silver Bay, Minn., and taconite iron ore to Indiana Harbor, Ind., the story unfolds and leads viewers through the history of Great Lakes shipping and gives the history of the various landmarks as the vessel passes by. Also: Dive 530 feet below the waters of Lake Superior to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, see the Soo Locks, watch how ships get their mail and experience what its like to ride through gale force winds. “Ships of the Great Lakes,” DVD written & produced by Leonard Brown, $19.95; Available from www.shipsofthegreatlakes.com |
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The Kinsman Lines by Dick Wicklund & Skip Gillham ![]() |
Profusely-illustrated volume traces the history of the Steinbrenner family’s Kinsman fleet from its founding in 1901 with the steamer Henry Steinbrenner to its demise at the end of 2002, when the Kinsman Independent laid up. In between can be found the history of one of the most successful independent shipping lines to sail under the U.S. flag. The book looks at each vessel, not only during its tenure with Kinsman, but also before and after it became affiliated with the company, in the process touching on the stories of many historic lakers and fleets. This is a valuable book for historians and ship fans alike.
“The Kinsman Lines,” Dick Wicklund & Skip Gillham,
2011, 200 pages, softcover; $30 (add $5 postage); Available from
Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON, L0R 2C0 |
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Lost Legends of the
Lakes by Robert McGreevy ![]() |
This handsome, coffee table-style book is subtitled “A Unique Study of the Maritime Heritage of the Great Lakes From an Artist’s Viewpoint,” and that sums things up nicely. McGreevy, considered one of the finest maritime artists anywhere, offers a book that juxtaposes his superb renditions with the stories of the vessel or situation depicted. An accomplished scuba diver, a number of his works offer a unique underwater perspective of shipwrecks. With his well-trained eye for detail, McGreevy brings Great Lakes maritime history alive in this high quality volume that touches on the ages of sail and steam as well a modern shipwreck disasters and the Great Storm of 1913. “Lost Legends of the Lakes” Robert McGreevy, 2011, 128 pages, hardcover, illustrated; $42.50. Available at www.mcgreevy.com. |
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Steamers of the
Turkey Trail by G.I. "Buck" Longhurst ![]() |
The "Turkey Trail" was the route along a narrow and twisting course in the North Channel followed by steamers servicing settlers on the north shore of Lake Huron. This book, by Canadian historian Longhurst, looks at the passenger and package freight vessels that plied this route. The vessels are mostly but memories (the final sailing on this route was in 1963), but it is important to remember the role these staunch craft played in the lives of families living in the northern Lake Huron area of Canada who depended on vessels such as the Waubuno, Chicora, Manitou and Manitoulin for their very existence. “Steamers of the Turkey Trail” G.I. “Buck” Longhurst, 2011, 136 pages, softcover, many black and white photos; $25.00. Available from Gore Bay & Western Manitoulin Museum, P.O. Box 222, Gore Bay, ON, P0P 1H0 |
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The Soo River Company
& P&H Shipping Fleets by Buck Longhurst, David Bull, Skip Gillham ![]() |
A trio of Canadian marine historians (Longhurst and Gillham are past Marine Historical Society of Detroit Historian of the Year award recipients) has tackled two relatively recent fleets familiar to ship fans. Soo River, founded by Robert S. Pierson, lasted from 1975 to 1982, until it was forced out of business by an economic downturn. Many of their vessels – known for their handsome paint jobs and shamrock-graced smokestacks – wound up with P&H Shipping (Parrish & Heimbecker), which operated them from 1982-2001. The research is impeccable, and many black and white illustrations help tell the story of two independent fleets that have since joined the pages of history. “The Soo River Company & P&H Shipping Fleets” Buck Longhurst, David Bull, Skip Gillham; 2011, $25.00, 98 pages, softcover. Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 |
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SS City of Milwaukee by Art Chavez and Bob Strauss ![]() |
After the Grand Trunk car ferry Milwaukee was lost with a crew of 52 men in an October 1929 storm, it was replaced by the City of Milwaukee. Built in 1931, the ferry operated for half a century, hauling railcars across Lake Michigan. She survives today as the last unaltered example of a Great Lakes railroad car ferry designed with twin stacks, a classic profile and triple-expansion engines. Now a museum ship, the vessel serves as a living memorial to the car ferries and the dedicated crews that sailed them. With access to the City of Milwaukee’s archives and numerous private collections, car ferry historians Art Chavez and Bob Strauss have gathered a variety of vintage and contemporary photos and documents. Along with detailed captions, they reveal the pictorial history of this enduring car ferry that now resides in Manistee, Mich.
“SS City of Milwaukee” Art Chavez and Bob Strauss; 2011, $21.95,
128 pages. Order from
www.arcadiapublishing.com |
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Ships of the Great
Lakes: An Inside Look at the World’s Largest Inland Fleet by Patrick D. Lapinski ![]() |
This profusely-illustrated, full-color volume examines the activity that occurs on board lake boats throughout the Great Lakes shipping season. It looks not only on the outside, but the inside too, starting with the engine room and continuing into the pilothouse, out on deck and in the galley. Plenty of “people” pictures help give the book additional depth. Author Patrick Lapinski is clearly an expert on his subject and it shows in this well-researched and informative effort. “Ships of the Great Lakes: An Inside Look at the World’s Largest Inland Fleet” Patrick D. Lapinski; 2011, $34.95, 126 pages, softcover. Available from a variety of booksellers, including www.amazon.com |
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Unsolved Mysteries:
The Shipwreck Thomas Hume by Valerie van Heest & William Lafferty ![]() |
On May 21, 1891, the lumber schooner Thomas Hume and its crew of seven sailed out of Chicago into a spring storm, and was never seen again. The disappearance has lingered as one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes. More than a century after its disappearance, the discovery of the wreck of the Thomas Hume solved the mystery. However, the collection of shoes, clothing, jewellery, coins and tools found inside generated even more questions. An archaeological investigation by Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates and the Lakeshore Museum Center has attempted to solve the riddles posed by the shipwreck. After survey dives, historical research, and detective-like reasoning, the team pieced together not only the vessel’s career, but how its crew lived, worked, and died on the lake. “Unsolved Mysteries: The Shipwreck Thomas Hume” Valerie van Heest and William Lafferty, 2011, $19.95, 128 pages, softcover. Available from in-depth editions, www.in-deptheditions.com |
| Bayswater Shipping by Tom Brewer & Skip Gillham ![]() |
Bayswater Shipping Limited was active from 1946 to 1967, and their small pre-Seaway self-unloaders Bayanna, Baygeorge, Bayfair, Bayquinte, Bayfair and the chartered Dolomite were familiar sights in the coal trade, especially at smaller, shallower ports. Besides a complete history of all the vessels, with a very nice color photo gallery, the book includes a touching finale that details the last trip of the Baygeorge. Without efforts like this, it would be easy to forget forever some of these smaller fleets that served an important niche until overtaken by larger vessels and doomed by changing economic demands and current operations.
"Bayswater Shipping" Tom Brewer & Skip Gillham; 2011, softcover with photos,
44 pages. $20.00 (includes shipping). Order from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St.,
Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 |
| Superships of the Great
Lakes: Thousand-Foot Ships of the Great Lakes by Raymond A. Bawal, Jr. ![]() |
Since the beginning of commerce on the Great Lakes, there has been a desire to build larger and more efficient ships culminating in 1972 with the commissioning of the first 1,000-foot vessel to sail on the inland seas, the Stewart J. Cort. This book tells the story of each of the 13 1,000-foot ships, including their unique operational histories and the purposes for which they were built. Included are numerous never-before-published photographs portraying these vessels in their previous and current operations.
"Superships of the Great Lakes: Thousand-Foot Ships of the Great
Lakes" Raymond A. Bawal, Jr.; 2011, softcover with photos, 104 pages. $19.95. Order from:
www.inlandexpressions.com |
| The Grey Ghosts: The Ships of Lower Lakes Towing and Grand River Navigation by Steven Duff, Buck Longhurst and Skip Gillham ![]() |
It
almost seems as if Lower Lakes Towing / Grand River Navigation haven’t
been around long enough to warrant a fleet history, but time flies and a
look at this book reveals there’s plenty to write about. “The Grey
Ghosts” covers the company’s modest beginnings in 1994, with a tug and
barge, and follows along as the first vessel is purchased in 1995,
tracking additional acquisitions and even a few scrappings. There
are many photos present to help tell the stories of the vessels that
make up the fleet, and each boat’s history is also recounted in detail.
One part of the book recounts a trip on the Saginaw and another offers a
look inside the logistics of keeping the company running. In the past 20
years, the Great Lakes have lost many familiar shipping companies to
consolidation and economic constraints. It comes as almost a
relief to read about a successful newcomer, especially so when the
company’s vessel roster includes so many classic lakers that were
thought to have reached the end of their useful lives until Lower
Lakes/Grand River put them back to work. |
| The Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines by Jay Bascom and Skip Gillham ![]() |
Canadian ship historians / authors Jay Bascom and Skip Gillham have joined forces for what must surely be the only published work to delve into such great detail about the early years of this important fleet. The volume lists vessels owned or managed by CSL up until World War II (vessels from then onward have already been described in Gillham’s earlier book, “Postwar Ships of Canada Steamship Lines”), and includes many really rare photos. Starting with the A.E. Ames and ending with the Wyoming, this book is a treasure-trove of maritime history that might otherwise have been lost to time. The Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines; Jay Bascom and Skip Gillham, 2010. Softcover, 234 pages, with photos. $30.00 (add $10 postage to the U.S., $5 to Canada) available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 |
| M/V Algoport by Chris and Andy Torrence ![]() |
This small booklet is a remembrance of the Torrence family’s relationship with the Algoma Central fleet and its self-unloader Algoport, which sank on saltwater Sept. 9, 2009 while being towed to China for a new forebody. The book contains over 30 photographs, a reproduction of the launch invitation and souvenir launch booklet, the fleet booklet for the Algoport, as well as other ship diagrams and maps. M/V Algoport; Chris and Andy Torrence, 2010. Softcover, 72 pages, with photos and diagrams. $34.95 available from www.lulu.com |
| Lost on the Lady Elgin by Valerie van Heest ![]() |
Author and diver Valerie van Heest recounts the worst disaster on the open waters of the Great Lakes, when the sidewheel steamer Lady Elgin sank in Lake Michigan on September 8, 1860, taking with it over 300 passenger, mostly Irish from Milwaukee’s Third Ward. This well-researched historical narrative tells the story of the Lady Elgin set against the backdrop of a pivotal presidential election during the golden age of passenger travel on the Great Lakes. The book describes in detail the loss of the steamer, and recounts the discovery of the vessel’s remains more than a century after the disaster. No dry recounting of history, this vividly written volume is difficult to put down. Lost on the Lady Elgin; Valerie van Heest, 2010. Hardcover, 168 pages. $26.95 available from In-depth Editions, www.in-deptheditions.com |
| Trillium and Toronto Island: The Centennial Edition by Mike Filey ![]() |
In June 1910, a new steam ferry for the Toronto Island Company was launched and christened Trillium. Now, 100 years after its debut, Toronto columnist Mike Filey revisits the history of this notable landmark with the centennial edition of Trillium and Toronto Island. Updated with new photographs and introductory commentary, this anniversary edition of the book details the remarkable journey of one of Toronto’s most interesting treasures. Trillium and Toronto Island: The Centennial Edition; Mike Filey, 2010. Softcover, 120 pages with photos. $24.99 available from Dundurn Press (www.dundurn.com) |
| Shipwrecked: Reflections of the Sole Survivor by Dennis Hale ![]() |
By now, many folks who follow the Great Lakes know that Dennis Hale was the only survivor of the steamer Daniel J. Morrell, which sank on Lake Huron in late November 1966. This book serves as his autobiography, not only relating the sad story of the shipwreck and its aftermath, but also delving into Hale’s troubled childhood and his life as reckless young man in search of a sense of family. Although he’s written about the shipwreck before, this self-published volume delves deeper into the emotional side of the story. Hale goes into great detail about what he saw, heard and felt during his near-death experience and also shares details about a mysterious visitor aboard the raft who warned him to stop eating the ice to quench his thirst. One thing that’s clear – Hale is a survivor in more ways than one. He’s led quite a life and, lucky for readers, he decided to write it all down. Shipwrecked: Reflections of the Sole Survivor; Dennis Hale, 2010. 312 pages, with photos. $23.95. Order direct from the author by mail (click for order form) or by e-mail, dennishale@windstream.net. |
| The Wexford: Elusive Shipwreck of the Great Storm, 1913 by Paul Carroll ![]() |
The Canadian steamer Wexford’s fateful final voyage was full of opportunities to be saved from destruction, but 24-year-old captain Bruce Cameron’s persistence in trying to make port at Goderich led to tragedy – she was a victim of the storm of 1913. Over a period of 87 years, Wexford eluded many efforts to locate her remains, but was finally discovered in 2000. This story traces her history from her British origins in 1883, through the transition to become a laker, the eventful storm, the search, her ultimate discovery in southern Lake Huron and the controversy over how she should be protected. The author recently, and deservedly, received the Save Ontario Shipwrecks Marine Heritage Award.
The Wexford: Elusive
Shipwreck of the Great Storm, 1913; Paul Carroll, 2010; 328 pages, illustrated;
$30 from Dundurn Press |
| Above the Lighthouses: Lake Michigan by Marge Beaver ![]() |
This stunning, hard-cover volume offers 215 beautiful color aerial photos with close-ups of every lighthouse on Lake Michigan, as well as scenic area views to show locations. Index maps for each state are included. Marge Beaver has an eye for lighthouses and it shows in this self-published book, a must for fans of the genre. Above the Lighthouses: Lake Michigan; Marge Beaver, 2010; hard cover, 208 pages, lavishly illustrated; $49.95, free shipping from www.photography-plus.com. Personalization available for online orders. |
| Greenwood's
Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2010 ![]() |
“Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping,” revived last year after a short hiatus, is back and even more comprehensive than the 2009 edition. Its 27 tabbed sections offer an array of details on fleets, vessel compartment capacities, horsepower, ore docks, grain elevators, coal docks, shipyards and dry docks, steamship agents, brokers, freight forwarders, stevedores, surveyors, maritime attorneys, insurers, vessel operations services and more, offering a lot of information that’s almost impossible to find anywhere else. In addition to what’s inside, the cover features new original artwork by Paul C. LaMarre, and a sturdy spiral binding holds the pages in place and makes for easy reference. Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2010 (Harbor House Publishers Inc., 121 Water St., Boyne City, MI 49712; $80; available from the publisher at www.greenwoodsguide.com in book form, as well as on CD for $65 or as a searchable PDF for $45) |
| Fathoms Deep
But Not Forgotten: Wisconsin's Lost Ships by Brendon Baillod ![]() |
Historian Brendon Baillod provides an in-depth study of Wisconsin’s maritime history, including detailed port histories of Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Port Washington. “Fathoms Deep” also includes details on every commercial vessel ever lost in southeast Wisconsin waters, totaling well over 400 lost ships, as well as complete information on every documented vessel ever built in southeast Wisconsin, for a total of more than 1,000 ships detailed in the book. This book – the result of 20 years of research – is the first comprehensive inventory ever assembled of southeast Wisconsin ships and shipwrecks. All proceeds from this book help the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association is its efforts to document historic sites. Fathoms Deep But Not Forgotten: Wisconsin’s Lost Ships; Brendon Baillod, 2010; Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association; many historic photos and maps; $24.95, www.wuaa.org |
| Great Lakes
Freighters by Peter Francis Groh ![]() |
This book features photos taken by Peter Francis Groh over the years and compiles them in a coffee table-style book. Some photos include the C.T.C. No.1 in South Chicago and the John Sherwin. This book is the culmination of five years of boat chasing and its pages are filled with the author's passion for both the Great Lakes and its boats. Great Lakes Freighters; Peter Francis Groh, 2010; soft or hardcover, 40 pages, 74 photos; $20 + $7 s-h, www.grohs-photography.com or from the author at Peter Groh, 1815 Tivoli Lane, Sheboygan, Wis., 53081 |
| Lake Erie: History and Views by Tom Langmyer ![]() |
Tom Langmyer's lavishly-illustrated volume combines narration, factual summaries, photography, maps and antique postcards to tell the story of this vast inland sea. Starting with the Ice Age, the book chronicles its discovery, battles for its control, settlement, development and population growth along its shores. Cities and towns around Lake Erie (including Detroit and the Detroit River) are highlighted and readers can get a glimpse of life aboard a 1,000-footer, thanks to a trip by the author aboard the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. Use this book as a armchair travel guide, or take it along for your own journey around the lake. Lake Erie: History and Views; Tom Langmyer, 2009; 298 pages, softcover, spiral bound, many color photos and reproductions of historic postcards; $45; www.lakeeriehistory.com |
| For Those In Peril: Shipwrecks of Ottawa County, Michigan by Craig Rich ![]() |
Author Craig Rich explores in fascinating detail the history of shipping accidents around Ottawa County, near Grand Haven and Holland, Mich. As sail gave way to steam, vessels continued to fall victim to treacherous seas, fog, fire and ice. Read about the two-masted schooner Sylvanus Marvin (lost in 1850), the steamer H.C. Ackley (1883), Post Boy (1905), Wisconsin (1929) and nearly 100 more. For Those In Peril: Shipwrecks of Ottawa County, Michigan; Craig Rich, 2010. 136 pages, black and white photos; $17.95; www.craigrich.net |
| Seaway by David Francey & Mike Ford (Audio CD) ![]() |
In May 2005, Canadian singer-songwriters David Francey and Mike Ford were granted the opportunity to spend two weeks aboard the M/V Algoville. They sailed from Montreal to Thunder Bay and back along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the inland seas of the Great Lakes. This CD is a collection of songs inspired by that trip. Songs include “Banks of the Seaway,” “The Chief Engineer,” “When You’re the Skip” and “Climbing Up to the Soo.” If you’re a fan of Lee Murdock and other Great Lakes minstrels, “Seaway” is an equally excellent collection of thoughtful, well-played music. AUDIO CD: Seaway; David Francey and Mike Ford, 2009; 16 songs; $23; www.davidfrancey.com |
| Wilson Freighter Observer's Logbook by Christopher Wilson ![]() |
Log your freighter and other vessel observations in this handy, spiral-bound booklet that can be used on its own, or as a companion to “Know Your Ships.” This book can be used in two ways, one as a simple log. The other way is to use the indexing function to log ships in such as way that you can track all of your sightings of a ship and also accommodate name and ownership changes. Sample pages are included to get vessel enthusiasts off on the right foot. Wilson Freighter Observer’s Logbook; Christopher Wilson. 50 sheets duplex, 2 forms per sheet allowing 200 observations per book; $14.95; Order at www.votingindustry.com/freighter/ |
| The Wheelsman by Ric Mixter ![]() |
Author Ric Mixter invites readers to experience four shipwrecks through the eyes of the men who were at the helm. Len Gabrysiak wheeled the Cedarville when it was cut down in a thick fog in the Mackinac Straits in 1965. Lloyd Belcher was one of the 17 men rescued from the Novadoc, lost in Lake Michigan’s Armistice Day storm of 1940. Helmsman Ray O’Malley was only at the wheel for a few second when a mysterious explosion sank the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Escanaba with 100 of its crew. Revisit the loss of these vessels, and take a harrowing ride through the Great Storm of 1913 as Ed Kanaby reflects on the tempest that he and his ship survived only because he beached his ship in lower Lake Huron. It’s fascinating to read about these tragedies first-hand and from a point of view not usually recorded.
The Wheelsman,
Ric Mixter; 2010; 194 pages, softcover, many black and white photos; $19.95.
www.lakefury.com |
Greenwood’s Guide to
Great Lakes Shipping 2009![]() |
“Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping,” last published in 2005 by the late John Greenwood, is back. Harbor House Publishers acquired Greenwood's Guide and Lake Boats earlier this year and, after a complete revision and redesign, has released the 2009 edition. The book’s 26 tabbed sections offer a vast array of details on Fleets, Compartment Capacities, Fuel Used by Vessels and Horsepower, Ore Docks, Grain Elevators, Coal Docks, Shipyards & Drydocks, Steamship Agents / Brokers / Forwarders / Stevedores and more. There’s a lot of information here that’s not easily found elsewhere, which makes it valuable for industry professionals as well as serious ship fans. Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2009, (Harbor House Publishers Inc., 221 Water St., Boyne City, MI 49712; $85; available from the publisher at www.greenwoodsguidetogreatlakesshipping.com in book form as well as on CD or as a searchable PDF) |
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Twilight of the Great
Lakes Steamer: The Last Steam Powered Freighters on the Great Lakes by Raymond A. Bawal, Jr. ![]() |
Steam-powered freighters, once the mainstay of the Great Lakes fleet, are rapidly dwindling in number. It may come as a surprise to know that there were only 20 active carriers that are steam powered by the end of the 2008 shipping season. This amply-illustrated volume documents those that are still in service, from the 1906-built St. Marys Challenger, to the Canadian Leader, built in 1967. Black and white photos, mostly current views rather than those of a more historical nature, show the vessels at work. If you want detailed individual histories of each of these 20 vessels, plus a brief overview of steam power on the Lakes, this well-researched book provides it. Twilight of the Great Lakes Steamer: The Last Steam Powered Freighters on the Great Lakes, Raymond A. Bawal, Jr., 2009 (108 pages, many photographs, Inland Expressions, $19.95; available at www.inlandexpressions.com) |
| Great Lakes
Shipping Ports & Cargoes by Patrick D. Lapinski ![]() |
The mix of black and white and color photographs in this book show a slice of industrial America rarely seen by the general public. These images, contemporary and historic, take readers to all of the primary loading and unloading ports from Lake Superior to Lake Erie. View how cargoes are loaded at the grain terminals of Thunder Bay, the ore docks of Minnesota’s north shore or the Midwest Energy coal dock in Superior. See where the ships and cargoes go on the Cuyahoga River, the Ford plant on Detroit’s Rouge River or inside the heart of the U.S. Steel Works in Gary. Photographer and historian Lapinski (and the other photographers represented here) has a good eye for composition, and the accompanying text is well-written and informative. For a behind-the-scenes look at lake boats and the ports they serve, this book gets the job done. Great Lakes Shipping Ports & Cargoes, Patrick D. Lapinski, 2009 (160 pages, $34.95, Iconografix, P.O. Box 446, Hudson, WI 545016, www.iconografixinc.com ) |
| The View From
the Harbor by Lee Murdock (CD) ![]() |
inger/songwriter and guitarist Lee Murdock has released his 16th CD, containing more of his signature Great Lakes-themed tunes. There are some tasty treats here, including the bluesy, spoken-word “The Alva C. Dinky of the Tin Stack Fleet” and “The Lady of Old Maumee Bay,” celebrating the restoration of the Toledo Harbor lighthouse. “Up Anchor” is another traditional tune from the Ivan Walton Collection, “Eight Bells” and “Up Anchor” are jaunty treats and “Just Five Minutes” tells the story of a sailor who fell from the steamer Buckeye a few years back, and survived the swim to shore. Strong songs by Murdock and others, coupled with Sue Demel’s harmony vocals and the backing of a tight, but never overpowering band, make this CD a treat. Play it while chasing boats, or heading for your next lighthouse tour. It’ll get you in the mood, guaranteed. The View From the Harbor, 2009, Lee Murdock (CD, $15, 11 songs, www.leemurdock.com) |
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Deckhand: Life on Freighters of the Great Lakes by Nelson "Mickey" Haydamacker with Alan D. Millar ![]() |
With
numerous photographs and engaging stories, “Deckhand” offers an insider's view
of duties both mundane and intriguing performed by deckhands on Great Lakes
cargo vessels. Boisterous saloons, ice jams, and the daily drudgery of
soogeying – cleaning dirt and grime off the ships – are just a few of the
experiences Mickey Haydamacker had as a young deckhand working on freighters of
the Great Lakes in the early 1960s. Haydamacker sailed five Interlake Steamship
Company boats, from the modern Elton Hoyt 2nd to the ancient coal-powered
Colonel James Pickands, with its backbreaking tarp-covered hatches. Deckhand: Life on Freighters of the Great Lakes, Nelson "Mickey" Haydamacker with Alan D. Millar, 2009; 152 pages, with 32 color photographs; $18.95; http://www.press.umich.edu |
| Buckets and Belts: Evolution of the Great Lakes Self-Unloader by William Lafferty & Valerie van Heest ![]() |
On
a warm summer afternoon in 1927 off South Haven, Mich., an old barge began
taking on water. Realizing their vessel would inevitably sink, the crew escaped
to the accompanying tug, and watched as their ship plunged beneath Lake
Michigan. Its loss unlamented, its career unheralded, it slumbered on the sandy
bottom in the same obscurity that had shrouded its earlier work days as a steam
freighter sailing the Great Lakes. However, the vessel’s anonymity ended in 2006
when Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates located the sunken wreck of the
Hennepin. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the
world’s first self-unloading vessel. Buckets and Belts: Evolution of the Great Lakes Self-Unloader, William Lafferty and Valerie van Heest, 2009 (In-depth Editions, www.in-deptheditions.com ; $24.95, 320 Pages, 275 photographs) |
| The Great Lakes Engineering Works: The Shipyard And Its Vessels by Marine Historical Society of Detroit |
The
Marine Historical Society of Detroit has released it latest book, a complete
history of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, a prominent Detroit area
shipbuilder. Over 500 pages, this hard-cover book took nearly four years
to complete and is divided into two major sections, which are amply illustrated
with more than 1,000 photographs. The Great Lakes Engineering Works: The Shipyard And Its Vessels, the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, 2008. This book is a small run limited edition and can only be ordered directly from the Society. The cost of the book is $59.95 in U.S. funds plus shipping and handling of $5 to U.S. addresses or $12 to Canadian addresses. Order on line http://mhsd.org/publications/GLEW/default.htm or send check or money order to Robert Pocotte, 606 Laurel Ave., Port Clinton, OH 43452-2127. |
| So Terrible a
Storm by Curt Brown ![]() |
It was Thanksgiving 1905 and 31 ships were on Lake Superior, making the season's last run. What none of the sailors knew until it was too late was that they would soon face the worst storm ever to hit the Great Lake, a storm that nearly half of their number would not survive. This is the story of that fateful storm, and of one of the worst shipping disasters in the nation's history. Readers are taken aboard the steamer Mataafa as it crashes into Duluth's piers, half of the crew freezing to death overnight as the other half survives by dancing through the dark around bathtubs set ablaze with scuttled pieces of the ship. Next, go aboard the steamer Ira H. Owen, crashing into the cliff where Split Rock Lighthouse would later be built, too late for these men. This, a story drawn from the accounts of witnesses and survivors, is a tale of people pitted against the elements, of a disaster so extreme that, in its wake, weather forecasting, shipbuilding and even compass-reading were changed forever. So Terrible a Storm, Curt Brown, 2008, Voyageur Press, www.voyageurpress.com. 320 pages, hardbound, many black and white photos, $25 |
| Capt'n
Willie's Great Lakes Adventures: Henry Ford's Maritime Heritage Part 1 1918 - 1927 DVD ![]() |
Don’t let the pirate on the cover fool you – this new DVD, which uses historical film and live commentary to chronicle the maritime activities of Henry Ford, is a fascinating glimpse into the building of Ford Motor Co.’s huge River Rouge, Mich., complex and the launching of a fleet of freighters to serve it. Capt’n Willie provides the nautical commentary (the one-hour DVD is aimed to educate kids as well as to inform adults), interpreting footage that includes the excavation of the slip at the Rouge, the assembly line that produced Eagle Boats for the U. S. Navy, construction of a Hulett ore unloader at the Rouge dock, Great Lakes freighters stockpiling raw materials at the dock, the blast furnace operation to make iron, the launching of the freighter Henry Ford II in 1924 at Lorain, Ohio, the launching of the Benson Ford in 1924 at River Rouge, the Ford family yacht Sialia, the creation of the Ford Fleet of tug boats and more. This the first of at least three such documentaries, made possible by an abundance of high-quality footage shot by Ford photographers, and the help of Detroit/Great Lakes historian John Polacsek. Capt’n Willie’s Great Lakes Adventures: Henry Ford’s Maritime Heritage Part 1 1918-1927, DVD, 2008, Captain of the Fleet, Box 24697, Detroit, MI 48224 or www.captainofthefleet.com, $24.95 + $5 s-h) |
| Ninety Years
Crossing Lake Michigan: The History of the Ann Arbor Car Ferries by Grant Brown, Jr. ![]() |
Surprising
as it may seem, landlocked Ann Arbor’s name once graced the high bows of a
number of staunch Great Lakes vessels. In 1892, the Ann Arbor car ferries – part
of James Ashley’s Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan Railroad – began a
cross-lake service to Wisconsin that many deemed impossible, especially in the
winter when ice made West Michigan harbors nearly impenetrable. Ninety Years Crossing Lake Michigan: The History of the Ann Arbor Car Ferries, Grant Brown, Jr., 2008 (University of Michigan Press, www.press.umich.edu, 284 pages, $24.95) |
| Sailor Girl by Sheree-Lee Olson ![]() |
“Sailor Girl” is a fictional coming-of-age tale set on the grain boats of Canada’s Great Lakes in the summer of 1981. It follows the literal and figurative journey of Kate McLeod, a rebellious photography student looking to earn money for school. She strikes out from her safe suburban origins to the closed world of the lakes and learns what it is to be tested to her limits. Using salty dialogue and gripping description, the book renders a sharp portrait of life lived on the edges of society. It is also a love story in which a middle-class girl finds a deep connection with the unruly young men and tough-minded women of the lakes. “Sailor Girl” is a uniquely Canadian story, one that preserves a vanishing part of the Great Lakes’ heritage. Sailor Girl, Sheree-Lee Olson, 2008 (The Porcupine’s Quill, Inc., sentex.net, 288 pages, $27.95) |
| Ships of the
St. Clair River by Raymond A. Bawal, Jr. ![]() |
In this volume, 20 current Great Lakes vessels are described with detailed histories. Meant to showcase a cross-section of ships in operation on the Great Lakes, this book includes vessels ranging in size from the small Yankcanuck to the huge Paul R. Tregurtha. Many of the pictures were taken in the St. Clair area by the author – the historic Maumee graces the cover. The author has done his research, and it shows. Ships of the St. Clair River, Raymond A. Bawal, Jr., 2008 (Inland Expressions, St. Clair, Mich., $19.95, many black and white photos, inlandexpressions.com ) |
| Collision
Under the Bridge by Jon Paul Michaels & Brent Michaels ![]() |
The collision between the steamers Sidney E. Smith Jr. and Parker Evans took place June 5. 1972, near the Blue Water Bridge spanning the U.S. and Canada. This is a detailed volume about the accident that led to the establishment of both Sarnia Traffic and one-way traffic under the Blue Water Bridge. This book follows the story through the histories of both vessels, the days leading up to the collision, the final moments before the crash and the monumental salvage effort to clear the channel. It's a fascinating look at a Great Lakes shipwreck that happened not so long ago. Collision Under the Bridge, Jon Paul Michaels and Brent Michaels, 2008 (Bullhead Publishing, 86 pages; many black and white photos, drawings; $19.95) |
| Centennial: Steaming Through the American Century by Chris Winters ![]() |
Great Lakes marine photographer and historian Chris Winters spent five years creating a vivid record of life aboard steamer St. Marys Challenger as she approached the centennial anniversary of her maiden voyage in 2006. Reportedly the oldest operational freight ship in the world, the Challenger began her remarkable freshwater career on the Great Lakes on April 28, 1906 – six years before the launch of the Titanic. This is a stunning, hardcover record of an extraordinary ship, beautifully photographed and lovingly produced to exacting standards, with text capturing perfectly the magic that is a steamboat in action. Books like this are rare – despite the price, don’t leave this one on the shelves! Centennial: Steaming Through the American Century, Chris Winters, 2008. 247 pages, hardcover, many current and historic photos, $50 + s-h, order at http://www.runninglightpress.com/books.php or 414-257-4168 |
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