Features

Introducing the Masters of the PM Steamers history project

January 19, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief In December, Mason County Press launched a Great Lakes History Log series entitled Masters of the PM Steamers. This series features the stories of the captains of the Ludington-based railroad maritime fleet, which included the carferries and their predecessors, the break-bulk “black boats.” This series is being presented on MCP in a chronological sequence, beginning in…

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Capt. John Doyle, first master of the PM 19

January 17, 2026

This Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Masters of the PM Steamers By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief Grounding the PM 19 On Feb. 6, 1904, the Pere Marquette 19, which had been in service for just over two months, went aground on Fox Point, Wis., while approaching Milwaukee in the…

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Ludington man survived worst Great Lakes maritime disaster, on the SS Eastland

January 9, 2026

This Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief Call it a miracle, good luck, or skill. But, on July 23, 1915, Frederick G. Snow, 33, of Ludington survived the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes. Had the event happened three days earlier, he never even…

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The remarkable career of Capt. Joseph Russell

December 31, 2025

This Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Masters of the PM Steamers By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief Captain Joseph Russell had a remarkable career that consisted of many historical milestones. The first ship he sailed on was the acclaimed schooner Clipper City. He was the inaugural captain of the first…

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1913 newspaper tells of new Hamlin dam, growth of the automobile, Mason County’s salt industry

December 26, 2025

This Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union and the Mason County Historical Society By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief When researching history it’s easy to go down a bunny trail and get side-tracked. This is often the case when I am looking through the massive and impressive collection of newspapers at the Mason County Historical Society’s Rose Hawley…

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