March 28, 2020 • 10 mins
Before highways and airliners, the most stylish way to travel across the Great Lakes was aboard a cruise ship. This episode of End of the Road in Michigan explores the golden era of freshwater cruising, from the mid-1800s to the 1950s, when ships transported passengers in luxury from port to port.
Today, cruise travel on the lakes is making a comeback, and we trace its roots to the heyday of elegant vessels like the SS South American and the SS Noronic. Hear how these floating hotels connected cities, built tourism, and left a lasting legacy on Michigan’s maritime culture.
Now that cruising the Great Lakes is making a comeback, this is a story you might want to hear before you venture out.
Read more at Great Lakes Cruising History - 100 Luxurious Years of Travel.
Today, cruise travel on the lakes is making a comeback, and we trace its roots to the heyday of elegant vessels like the SS South American and the SS Noronic. Hear how these floating hotels connected cities, built tourism, and left a lasting legacy on Michigan’s maritime culture.
Now that cruising the Great Lakes is making a comeback, this is a story you might want to hear before you venture out.
Read more at Great Lakes Cruising History - 100 Luxurious Years of Travel.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(00:06):
Welcome to the end of the road podcast
This week we take you back to when shipping was the only way to lug-sureously travel across the great lakes
We look at cruise ship travel from the mid-18 hundreds until its near end in the 1950s
(00:30):
Now that cruising the great lakes is making a comeback this is a story you might want to hear before you venture out
Each week we select one from several hundred stories about the great lakes region and the tip of Michigan's thumb
These are taken from thumbwind.com and presented here so that you can listen to it anytime, anywhere
(00:53):
So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's story from the end of the road
The lug-surestimes of great lakes cruising history
I'll admit that I've taken a liking to cruising
It must be the influence of having a sailboat that we have taken from port to port on Lake Huron
It appears that great lakes cruising is making a healthy comeback
(01:16):
Recently several cruise ships have announced routes and stops throughout the great lakes region
Currently, there are over three cruise lines that cover the great lakes
Victory cruise lines, great lakes cruise company, and blunt small ship adventures, and more are on their way in the years ahead
One line, the great lakes cruise company has four ships that cover a wide range of ports and destinations
(01:40):
One ship, the Pearl Mist, is small enough to tackle the famous cruising grounds of Georgian Bay and the beautiful north channel
Prior to the railroads and highways being built in Michigan the only quick way to travel between any major Michigan port town
Chicago, Detroit and Bay City was by steamer
Cruising was the primary way to travel in the 1800s
(02:05):
In the days before the highway and autos, the only way to travel the vast distances on the great lakes was by sail and steamer
In the mid-1800s, until well into the 1950s one could travel most of the lakes in style and comfort
One of the most famous and beloved ships was the SS South American
(02:25):
The SS South American was a great lakes overnight passage steamboat, built by the great lakes engineering works in equals Michigan
It was built in 1913 for the Chicago, Duluth, and Georgian Bay Transit Company
The vessel was launched on February 21, 1914, and was the newer of two sister ships, the older one being the SS North American
(02:48):
Along with its sister ship, SS North American carried passengers between Chicago, Mackey, Nor Island, Sue St. Marie, Duluth, Georgian Bay, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo
These were considered the hades of cruising in the northern great lakes. A businessman could board a ship in Chicago for an overnight trip to northern Michigan
(03:12):
Spend the weekend with the family in the cool northern cabin in the woods
And take the ship back to the city on Sunday night and arrive rested for work in the city on Monday morning
It was noted that the famous Michigan author, Ernest Hemingwe's father did just that, early in the 1900s
It was a common occurrence for the 1800s ship traveling public
(03:33):
Only the SS South American visited Lake Superior, and the ship made a short weekly stop in Michigan's up-up an insular town of Houghton, Hancock
She carried over 450 passengers
A picture of the fabled ship hangs in the Rock Harbor Lodon-Ile Royal
It shows tourists being dropped off at the American dock, which still stands today
(03:58):
Great Lakes cruising was a tradition
The SS South American was well known for its high school trips in the 1950s
As a rite of passage, southeast Michigan high school students in their senior year would take a small cruise from Detroit to Chicago
The last season for the South American was in 1967
(04:19):
Her final route was to offer trips to the 1967 world's fair in Montreal
Sadly, both ships are now part of history
The SS North American sunk on the Atlantic coast while being towed
And the SS South American rotted away and was finally scrapped in 1992
However, with the rapid popularity of cruising now taking place, I expect to see more of these small cruising ships ply their way among the great lakes
(04:48):
The birth of the term "going up north"
By the late 1800s travel by steam ship has gotten luck-shorious
Ship traffic was at its peak in the 1870s with what one historian described as a free way of passenger and freighter traffic moving in and out of Saginaw Bay
Steam ship service on Saginaw Bay
(05:10):
The steamer Charles W. Leicunn was built as a tug in 1880, in Bay City by the West Bay City Shipbuilding Company
It was listed as 63-foot-long, 38-ton, 36-horsepower ship
It lists its home port as Bay City in 1881, then moved to Seabewing in 1883
(05:31):
With a draft of only five feet, it was an ideal craft for 1800s ship travel and the shallow ports along Saginaw Bay
It was transformed from a tug to a passenger steamer in 1898
The craft had two decks and carried passengers and mail
The end of the CW Leicunn
While details are sketchy, the CW Leicunn operated for seven years as a passenger and mail courier
(05:58):
In 1904, it was rebuilt and listed for sale
On August 13, 1905, the CW Leicunn burned to the waterline in the Saginaw River in Bay City and declared a total loss
The ship was officially removed from registered service on August 15, 1905
The steam ship company ships serving Saginaw Bay and Michigan's thumb
(06:22):
Between 1830 and 1910 there were hundreds of ships playing the Great Lakes hauling passengers and freight
Here are some notable transport lines of Great Lakes cruising history and the ships that served the Saginaw Bay and Great Lakes region
These included the Northern Steam Ship Company, Graham, and Morton Transportation Company
(06:44):
and the Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Company
The amazing story of the Great Lakes ship travel with the Starline
The Starline had been in operation since the 1870s
In 1883, A, N Moffat brought a 55% controlling interest in the tug line
(07:04):
and took over established passenger service between Detroit and Port Huron
This was a competitive route
During one season in 1800s ship travel, a rate war commenced between the Starline and its competitor, the Colin Grum and Line
One way fares dropped from 75 to 15 cents and the competition extended to how fast each could complete the river run
(07:27):
The river war, lasted until a truce was called between the companies and rates returned to normal for the rest of the season
Ultimately, the Starline hit hard times forcing its general manager and majority owner, A, N Moffat into retirement
Declining revenues enabled Moffat's company to be taken over by the White Starline
(07:48):
The Starline ships included the Milton D. Ward, built 1870 in marine city
At 182 feet, 500 horsepower
Robert J. Holland, built 1872 marine city
Listed as 156 feet
The Evening Star, built in 1866, in East Saginaw at 168 feet
(08:11):
And finally, the Saginaw Valley
Built in 1881
Saginaw, at an impressive 181 feet in length at the waterline
The Cleveland and Saginaw Transportation Company was headquartered in East Saginaw
This line offered transport of passengers and freight from Bay City and Saginaw to Goodrich Ontario
(08:32):
Sand Beach, Port Hope, Grindstone City, Port Austin, Caseville, East Towers, Tower City, and Alabazdor Ontario
The firm offered Great Lakes ship travel with modern ships with upper Decks Leaper cabins
The Cleveland and Saginaw Transportation ships were the Jacob Birchee, the Kewna, the Benton and the St Joseph
(08:58):
passenger cabin accommodations aboard a Great Lakes steamships ranged from exquisitely appointed to Basic
About 50 crews steamer sailed on the Great Lakes before World War II
These large, luxurious ships have about eight elegant parlors, or staterooms, with double beds and private baths
All finished in paneling, brass lanterns, and gingerbread trim
(09:21):
The remaining 70 to 100 rooms were with a simple double bunk bed, maybe a chair
and a small cabinet. Those with windows or portals corresponded with the second class. Inside cabins,
without portals, might be described as third class, although these designations were not used.
There is a reconstruction of the 1800s ship traveler accommodations, and cruising history in the
(09:47):
Duluth Maritime Museum. The display is based on the accommodations in the Canadian steamer Kewatine,
which survives today as a museum
So, if you get the opportunity to travel in today's smaller cruise ships in the Great Lakes,
be thankful that the steam ship days are long gone. The amenities, comfortable accommodation safety,
(10:09):
and service of today's cruise ships are much improved over those in the 1800s
This concludes this week's story. We hope to enjoyed it. Thank you, for taking the time to listen
to ThumdWinds, end of the road podcast. If you like this kind of story, you are invited to join our 15,000
other monthly visitors on our website at Thumwin.com. Please watch for, and download next week's story
(10:35):
and take a moment to subscribe to our podcast and give us a review. Have a great day
(10:58):
(11:22):
(00:06):
Welcome to the end of the road podcast
This week we take you back to when shipping was the only way to lug-sureously travel across the great lakes
We look at cruise ship travel from the mid-18 hundreds until its near end in the 1950s
(00:30):
Now that cruising the great lakes is making a comeback this is a story you might want to hear before you venture out
Each week we select one from several hundred stories about the great lakes region and the tip of Michigan's thumb
These are taken from thumbwind.com and presented here so that you can listen to it anytime, anywhere
(00:53):
So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's story from the end of the road
The lug-surestimes of great lakes cruising history
I'll admit that I've taken a liking to cruising
It must be the influence of having a sailboat that we have taken from port to port on Lake Huron
It appears that great lakes cruising is making a healthy comeback
(01:16):
Recently several cruise ships have announced routes and stops throughout the great lakes region
Currently, there are over three cruise lines that cover the great lakes
Victory cruise lines, great lakes cruise company, and blunt small ship adventures, and more are on their way in the years ahead
One line, the great lakes cruise company has four ships that cover a wide range of ports and destinations
(01:40):
One ship, the Pearl Mist, is small enough to tackle the famous cruising grounds of Georgian Bay and the beautiful north channel
Prior to the railroads and highways being built in Michigan the only quick way to travel between any major Michigan port town
Chicago, Detroit and Bay City was by steamer
Cruising was the primary way to travel in the 1800s
(02:05):
In the days before the highway and autos, the only way to travel the vast distances on the great lakes was by sail and steamer
In the mid-1800s, until well into the 1950s one could travel most of the lakes in style and comfort
One of the most famous and beloved ships was the SS South American
(02:25):
The SS South American was a great lakes overnight passage steamboat, built by the great lakes engineering works in equals Michigan
It was built in 1913 for the Chicago, Duluth, and Georgian Bay Transit Company
The vessel was launched on February 21, 1914, and was the newer of two sister ships, the older one being the SS North American
(02:48):
Along with its sister ship, SS North American carried passengers between Chicago, Mackey, Nor Island, Sue St. Marie, Duluth, Georgian Bay, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo
These were considered the hades of cruising in the northern great lakes. A businessman could board a ship in Chicago for an overnight trip to northern Michigan
(03:12):
Spend the weekend with the family in the cool northern cabin in the woods
And take the ship back to the city on Sunday night and arrive rested for work in the city on Monday morning
It was noted that the famous Michigan author, Ernest Hemingwe's father did just that, early in the 1900s
It was a common occurrence for the 1800s ship traveling public
(03:33):
Only the SS South American visited Lake Superior, and the ship made a short weekly stop in Michigan's up-up an insular town of Houghton, Hancock
She carried over 450 passengers
A picture of the fabled ship hangs in the Rock Harbor Lodon-Ile Royal
It shows tourists being dropped off at the American dock, which still stands today
(03:58):
Great Lakes cruising was a tradition
The SS South American was well known for its high school trips in the 1950s
As a rite of passage, southeast Michigan high school students in their senior year would take a small cruise from Detroit to Chicago
The last season for the South American was in 1967
(04:19):
Her final route was to offer trips to the 1967 world's fair in Montreal
Sadly, both ships are now part of history
The SS North American sunk on the Atlantic coast while being towed
And the SS South American rotted away and was finally scrapped in 1992
However, with the rapid popularity of cruising now taking place, I expect to see more of these small cruising ships ply their way among the great lakes
(04:48):
The birth of the term "going up north"
By the late 1800s travel by steam ship has gotten luck-shorious
Ship traffic was at its peak in the 1870s with what one historian described as a free way of passenger and freighter traffic moving in and out of Saginaw Bay
Steam ship service on Saginaw Bay
(05:10):
The steamer Charles W. Leicunn was built as a tug in 1880, in Bay City by the West Bay City Shipbuilding Company
It was listed as 63-foot-long, 38-ton, 36-horsepower ship
It lists its home port as Bay City in 1881, then moved to Seabewing in 1883
(05:31):
With a draft of only five feet, it was an ideal craft for 1800s ship travel and the shallow ports along Saginaw Bay
It was transformed from a tug to a passenger steamer in 1898
The craft had two decks and carried passengers and mail
The end of the CW Leicunn
While details are sketchy, the CW Leicunn operated for seven years as a passenger and mail courier
(05:58):
In 1904, it was rebuilt and listed for sale
On August 13, 1905, the CW Leicunn burned to the waterline in the Saginaw River in Bay City and declared a total loss
The ship was officially removed from registered service on August 15, 1905
The steam ship company ships serving Saginaw Bay and Michigan's thumb
(06:22):
Between 1830 and 1910 there were hundreds of ships playing the Great Lakes hauling passengers and freight
Here are some notable transport lines of Great Lakes cruising history and the ships that served the Saginaw Bay and Great Lakes region
These included the Northern Steam Ship Company, Graham, and Morton Transportation Company
(06:44):
and the Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Company
The amazing story of the Great Lakes ship travel with the Starline
The Starline had been in operation since the 1870s
In 1883, A, N Moffat brought a 55% controlling interest in the tug line
(07:04):
and took over established passenger service between Detroit and Port Huron
This was a competitive route
During one season in 1800s ship travel, a rate war commenced between the Starline and its competitor, the Colin Grum and Line
One way fares dropped from 75 to 15 cents and the competition extended to how fast each could complete the river run
(07:27):
The river war, lasted until a truce was called between the companies and rates returned to normal for the rest of the season
Ultimately, the Starline hit hard times forcing its general manager and majority owner, A, N Moffat into retirement
Declining revenues enabled Moffat's company to be taken over by the White Starline
(07:48):
The Starline ships included the Milton D. Ward, built 1870 in marine city
At 182 feet, 500 horsepower
Robert J. Holland, built 1872 marine city
Listed as 156 feet
The Evening Star, built in 1866, in East Saginaw at 168 feet
(08:11):
And finally, the Saginaw Valley
Built in 1881
Saginaw, at an impressive 181 feet in length at the waterline
The Cleveland and Saginaw Transportation Company was headquartered in East Saginaw
This line offered transport of passengers and freight from Bay City and Saginaw to Goodrich Ontario
(08:32):
Sand Beach, Port Hope, Grindstone City, Port Austin, Caseville, East Towers, Tower City, and Alabazdor Ontario
The firm offered Great Lakes ship travel with modern ships with upper Decks Leaper cabins
The Cleveland and Saginaw Transportation ships were the Jacob Birchee, the Kewna, the Benton and the St Joseph
(08:58):
passenger cabin accommodations aboard a Great Lakes steamships ranged from exquisitely appointed to Basic
About 50 crews steamer sailed on the Great Lakes before World War II
These large, luxurious ships have about eight elegant parlors, or staterooms, with double beds and private baths
All finished in paneling, brass lanterns, and gingerbread trim
(09:21):
The remaining 70 to 100 rooms were with a simple double bunk bed, maybe a chair
and a small cabinet. Those with windows or portals corresponded with the second class. Inside cabins,
without portals, might be described as third class, although these designations were not used.
There is a reconstruction of the 1800s ship traveler accommodations, and cruising history in the
(09:47):
Duluth Maritime Museum. The display is based on the accommodations in the Canadian steamer Kewatine,
which survives today as a museum
So, if you get the opportunity to travel in today's smaller cruise ships in the Great Lakes,
be thankful that the steam ship days are long gone. The amenities, comfortable accommodation safety,
(10:09):
and service of today's cruise ships are much improved over those in the 1800s
This concludes this week's story. We hope to enjoyed it. Thank you, for taking the time to listen
to ThumdWinds, end of the road podcast. If you like this kind of story, you are invited to join our 15,000
other monthly visitors on our website at Thumwin.com. Please watch for, and download next week's story
(10:35):
and take a moment to subscribe to our podcast and give us a review. Have a great day
(10:58):
(11:22):
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