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.
Historic World War II tug and once-famed ferry now ply Great Lakes tied together
March 16, 2021By James Heinz A U.S. Navy tug that towed ships around the Pacific during World War II and an old passenger ferry cutdown to a barge are now an articulated team on the Great Lakes. Occasionally, this odd couple visits Milwaukee’s harbor. The tug is one of three former war…Read more
Wearing her battle ribbons, World War II veteran still sails the Great Lakes
March 9, 2021By James Heinz Herman Goering, second in command of the Third Reich, was once asked why Nazi Germany declared war on the United States. He reportedly replied that America’s ability to build large numbers of ships in short time surprised the Nazis. By ships, Goering did not mean warships. He…Read more
Life, death and rebirth of Milwaukee Port’s Harbor Seagull
March 4, 2021By James Heinz In 1960 the Port of Milwaukee had a problem. Fallen trees, logs and other debris frequently clogged its waterways, posing hazards to ships and boats. Winter ice created another problem. Those conditions obstructed fireboats from fighting fires along the city’s rivers and aboard ships in the harbor.…Read more
U.S. shipping companies expect to invest $87 million in Great Lakes region
February 27, 2021By Dan Patrinos This year U.S.-flag Great Lakes shipping companies will invest nearly $87 million in their vessels at shipyards and facilities, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. That includes over $36 million in Wisconsin, $33 million in Ohio, $13 million in Pennsylvania, and over $4 million in Michigan. The…Read more
Landmark maritime exhibition tower rises in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, alongside busy waterfront. Partial opening is set for May.
February 26, 2021By Dan Patrinos A landmark exhibition tower on Sturgeon Bay’s working waterfront promises to celebrate the rich maritime history of the Great Lakes and Door County where the shipbuilding industry accounts for the largest number of jobs in the area. The Door County Maritime Museum is expanding its main location in Sturgeon…Read more
A video on iceboating recalls a rendezvous with speed
February 19, 2021By Carl Eisenberg Iceboating is also known as hard water sailing. In the 1992 Winter edition of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s newsletter, Soundings, Gene C. Harrison, quoted from the Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 14: “It appears that the ingenious Dutch were the first iceboatmen, for in 1768, Fredrik Hendrik Chapman published a…Read more
U.S. Corps of Engineers lists repairs to Wisconsin harbor projects
February 17, 2021By Dan Patrinos Five Lake Michigan harbor structures in Wisconsin are scheduled for maintenance repairs, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fiscal 2021 civil work plan sent to Congress in January. Unused buildings at a sixth harbor will be demolished. The work plan includes $62.6 million for the…Read more
Hunting dinosaurs: a family fishing tradition
February 12, 2021By Matt Preissner It’s February on Lake Winnebago. It is not a very friendly place. Wind, cold, ice shoves, ice cracks spanning a foot or more. Most times the ice is thick enough to hold the weight of a pickup truck. Fifteen-plus inches of ice can support a vehicle. On…Read more
World’s richest man you probably never heard of
February 8, 2021By James Heinz In 1977 I was 20 years old. I remember seeing a picture in a magazine of a man walking down a Manhattan sidewalk. The accompanying caption said he was the richest man in the world and that no one knew who he was. His name stuck in…Read more
Floating lighthouses guided mariners for centuries
February 3, 2021By Ken and Barb Wardius A lightship is a vessel that acts as a lighthouse. Sometimes called a floating lighthouse, lightvessel, or lightboat, the lightship was located primarily in an area where it was difficult or impractical to economically construct a traditional lighthouse. Lightships served as an alternative to brick…Read more
Harbor District plans envision vibrant waterfront that strengthens the regional economy
February 1, 2021By Natalia B. Hernández The harbor had once been a vast marsh, home to a thriving ecosystem of fish, mammals, birds, and native people. In the 19th century, the deep river and protected harbor attracted European settlers in droves and put Milwaukee on the map, and a bustling economy replaced…Read more
Port Milwaukee reports overall tonnage gain in 2020
January 25, 2021By James Heinz Port Milwaukee reports that overall tonnage for the municipal port and adjacent private docks in the Milwaukee Harbor rose more than 5%, led by agricultural exports and cement handling, during 2020. In a press release, dated January 19, 2021, the port said tonnage at the municipal facilities…Read more
