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.
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
WMHS honors Founder, longtime Navy reservist and educator
January 20, 2021By Dan Patrinos George Ambrose Parkinson is the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s 2021 honored Founder. He was a patriot, a civic leader, an educator. He served as an enlisted apprentice seaman in World War I and as a commander of a destroyer group hunting enemy submarines during World War II,…Read more
Lake Carriers’ Association: 2020 Shipping prospects were high until Covid-19 struck
January 17, 2021By James Heinz Until the coronavirus hit, 2020 looked like it would be another robust year for American Great Lakes shipping. The Lake Carriers’ Association reports that shipping during the US-flag sailing season was strong in 2019, beating the five-year average by nearly 5 percent across all cargo categories, and the…Read more
From Sidewalks to Ships: Froemming Brothers built ships in Milwaukee during World War II
January 10, 2021By James Heinz What started as a company specializing in masonry jobs, including making concrete sidewalks for the city of Milwaukee, became a shipbuilder during World War II. The company was Froemming Brothers, founded in 1919 by Ben Froemming and his brothers Walter and Herbert. Bernard Arthur Froemming started the…Read more
A little bit of Wisconsin moves in the New York Harbor
January 1, 2021By James Heinz New York City is a city of islands. Its first ferries date to when the city was a Dutch colony named New Amsterdam. As early as 1642 ferries connected these New York islands with each other and the mainland. However, the construction of bridges and tunnels and…Read more
How a forester came to write a prayer honoring sailors lost at sea
December 20, 2020By Dan Patrinos Once a year members of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society pay tribute to those who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes. Although a prayer is recited to commemorate the crew and lumberjacks who perished when their schooner, the Rouse Simmons, went down in a storm…Read more
MADONNA is newest Washington Island ferry, named after schooner built in Milwaukee in 1871
December 9, 2020By Richard Purinton A new ferry vessel joined the Washington Island Ferry Line fleet in July of 2020. A contract was signed with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Inc. of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., in May of 2019, and delivery was made July 17, 2020. The MADONNA officially began transportation service Sunday…Read more
Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co.’s most successful submarine during the Second World War – the USS Rasher
December 2, 2020By James Heinz The highest scoring submarine made in Wisconsin during World War II was the USS Rasher, named after a vermilion rockfish found along the California coast. Of the twenty-eight submarines made by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., the Rasher ranked first with the highest tonnage of ships sunk during…Read more
U.S. Navy to name new Columbia Class submarine after state of Wisconsin
November 21, 2020By James Heinz The U.S. Navy will name a Columbia Class submarine the U.S.S. WISCONSIN with a hull number of SSBN-827. The last Navy vessel to bear the same name (hull number BB 64) served in every major U.S. conflict after it was launched in 1944 until it was decommissioned…Read more
Lighthouse Keeper: The amazing life and times of Georgia Green Stebbins
November 2, 2020By Ken and Barb Wardius Only a few women possessed the title of head lighthouse keeper on the Great Lakes. The vast majority of keepers were men. Occasionally a woman, usually the spouse, would hold a position as an assistant lighthouse keeper. Many times though the federal government did not…Read more
