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.
414 Celebrates the steamer MILWAUKEE
April 15, 2026On this day April 14, Milwaukeeans celebrate the city they love and call home as 414 is the area code for Milwaukee. In honor of 414, today’s post is of a freight and passenger steamer named MILWAUKEE that was built in 1868. The MILWAUKEE was built at Ogdensburg, New York,…Read more
Ellsworth & Davidson launch the bark NELSON
April 11, 2026On this day April 10, 1866, the square rigged bark NELSON, well actually the square rigged bark WISCONSIN, was launched in Milwaukee at the Ellsworth & Davidson shipyard on River Street just above the Oneida Street Bridge. She was built as the WISCONSIN for Captains N. A. and Isaac…Read more
The ANGELINE was the first to leave Milwaukee
April 9, 2026On this day April 8, 1937, the ANGELINE was the first of the winter fleet to leave Milwaukee after wintering at the Milwaukee Western Fuel Company’s Commerce Street Dock just north of the Holton Street Viaduct. She was headed to Escanaba to begin her season with a load of…Read more
The FRED PABST made quite the splash
April 5, 2026On this day April 5, 1890, the largest wooden steamer ever built on Lake Michigan, at that time, slid into the water at Milwaukee’s Wolf & Davidson shipyard. The FRED PABST made quite the splash as reported below by the Milwaukee Journal of that day. ”The steamer FRED…Read more
The CAYUGA is launched
April 2, 2026On this day April 2, 1889, the steel steamer CAYUGA was launched at Cleveland by Globe Iron Works for the Lehigh Valley Transportation Co. She measured 290 feet in length and 40.8 feet in beam and was valued at about $260,000. She was one of five of this design built…Read more
Fire tug DELUGE was no April Fool’s Day joke
April 1, 2026On this day April 1, 1949, the fire tug DELUGE was launched at Bay City, Michigan by Defore Ship Building Co. She was built for the Milwaukee Fire Department and definitely was no April Fool’s Day joke. She was a serious worker and spent her 35 year career here…Read more
The Steamer VEGA was launched without a hitch
April 1, 2026On this day March 30, 1893, the steamer VEGA was launched without a hitch by the Globe Iron Works Company at Cleveland with an audience of over 400. Built for the Vega Steamship Company of Lorain, Ohio, she was the sister ship of the steamer VULCAN built in 1889.…Read more
The JAMES R. BARKER departs
March 25, 2026Tom Wenstadt, our Door County correspondent, reports that the M/V JAMES R. BARKER departed Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Monday morning March 23rd. The BARKER headed out Sturgeon Bay to the Bay of Green Bay where the USCG Cutter MACKINAW lead the BARKER through Rock Island Passage, into Lake Michigan to its…Read more
The Detroit River welcomes two 10,000 ton steel freighters
March 25, 2026On this day March 25, 1905, the Detroit River welcomed two 10,000 ton steel freighters. This was unusual as the shipyards planned the event together. This partial article from the Marine Review of March 30, 1905, tells the story the best in 1905 language. Photo at top of page: AMASA…Read more
High praise for the US Life Saving Service
March 22, 2026Many of our stories revolve around launchings or losses of Great Lakes vessels. This is about a rescue. The touching letter below was written to the Life Saving Service from a ship’s captain after him and his crew, who had given up hope, were rescued by the service. It…Read more
Presidential Yacht becomes a gunboat
March 19, 2026The YANTIC was launched at Philadelphia on March 19, 1864, at the US Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Originally she was to be a presidential yacht for Abraham Lincoln but at the time a gunboat was needed more than a presidential yacht. She measured 180 feet in length and 30 feet…Read more
Thanks to Herman Runge we have all this
March 16, 2026On this day, March 16, 1958, Herman G. Runge sailed on. His name is not familiar to many today but he was a nationally recognized authority on Great Lakes vessels during his time. Herman lived in Milwaukee on South 34th Street and was a confirmed bachelor who was known…Read more
