Our Blog
Wisconsin Marine Historical Society is a self-supported nonprofit organization committed to collecting, preserving, archiving, and sharing materials that illuminate the rich heritage of the Great Lakes maritime industry. Check out our blog to dive deep into the fascinating narratives and events that have shaped the Great Lakes maritime legacy. Search our blog index to find your favorite stories.
The TREGURTHA is in Duluth
May 10, 2026Elmer Engman, our Duluth correspondent, reports that May 6th was a cold and windy day in the harbor where the PAUL R. TREGURTHA was taking on a cargo of taconite at the CN ore docks in Duluth. You would normally see her load coal at the Midwest Energy Terminal in…Read more
Can you hear me now?
May 10, 2026Sixty years ago on this day May 10, 1966, the 730 foot bulk carrier A. S. GLOSSBRENNER was launched by Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon, Quebec for the Labrador Steamship Company joining their fleet alongside the AUGUSTUS B. WOLVIN and the POINTE NOIRE. In 1971 she was sold to Algoma Central.…Read more
WISCONSIN BUILT WARSHIPS ARE FIGHTING IN THE PERSIAN GULF TODAY
May 9, 2026By James Heinz Between 1987 and 1994, fourteen Avenger class mine counter measure (MCM) ships were built in Wisconsin for the US Navy. All but two were built at the now gone Peterson Brothers shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, and the other two at Marinette Marine, now Fincantieri Marine, on the…Read more
On this day the WILLIAM H. DONNER was launched
May 7, 2026On this day May 7, 1914, the WILLIAM H. DONNER was launched at Ashtabula, Ohio, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Mahoning Steamship Co. Named in honor of the president of the Cambria Steel Co., the DONNER was christened by Miss Margery Russel, the daughter of John…Read more
A Treasure of Whiskey and Wine
May 3, 2026On this day May 3, 1936, three adventurous men sailed out of Milwaukee to salvage a cargo of anywhere from 220 – 350 barrels of whiskey and wine that went down on the WESTMORELAND in 1854 off the Manitou Islands. The WESTMORELAND was also rumored to have had…Read more
The E. C. POPE is launched
May 3, 2026On this day May 2, 1891, the steel steamer E. C. POPE was launched. It was kind of a big deal as is told in the following article from the Marine Record of April 30, 1891. About 600 important guests were invited “along with them a fair sprinkling of…Read more
Long Ships Passing – Loading Cement
April 26, 2026By Chris Winters SOUTHDOWN CHALLENGER loading Type I Portland cement at Charlevoix, Michigan, January, 2004. The SOUTHDOWN CHALLENGER was built in 1906 at Ecorse, Mich., by the Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Shenango Steamship Company as the WILLIAM P. SNYDER. She was a 530 foot steel bulk cargo…Read more
First cruise ship of the season arrives – POLARIS
April 25, 2026Our Milwaukee area correspondent, Bruce Nason, captured these great photos of Milwaukee welcoming the first cruise ship of the 2026 season on Thursday, the Viking Cruise Line POLARIS. He reports it is the first of 64 ship visits scheduled this season, the Port of Milwaukee announced. The economic impact by the estimated twenty…Read more
MILWAUKEE’S FIRST CARGO PIER IS COMMEMORATED
April 24, 2026By James Heinz In honor of National Historical Marker Day we highlight one of Milwaukee’s markers As the first European settlers of the Great Lakes region arrived by ship at their new home, at the end of their long voyage, they found that they had a problem: There was no…Read more
Sch KEWAUNEE in Racine’s Root River
April 20, 2026On this day, April 20, 1893, the two-masted schooner KEWAUNEE went ashore about a quarter mile north of the Racine harbor. The story of her crew’s rescue and the battle for the lumber which washed ashore is a great read and is below. The photo above is a scene…Read more
The LAKE FOREST was a leaker
April 17, 2026On this day April 17, 1869, the two masted schooner LAKE FOREST was launched by Thomas Spear at Little Sturgeon, Wis. Built for Bailey & Vincent she boasted spreading 3,400 yards of canvas. She was well built, a good worker and lasted over 35 years. A great history of…Read more
Long Ships Passing – Dropping Anchor
April 15, 2026By Chris Winters M/V ROGER BLOUGH dropping anchor outside Conneaut harbor, July 2015. The ROGER BLOUGH was built in 1971 at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Co. for the US Steel Corp. as a self-unloader. She measures 833.2 x 105.0 x 39.2. On February 1, 2021, while…Read more
