Masters of the PM Steamers

Capt. Dority commanded several PM ships, the Ann Arbor 2 and the notorious Eastland

February 20, 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 Captain Frank A. Dority’s maritime career spanned 56 years, from 1876 until his retirement when he was 72 years old. His portfolio included being the first master of the first three Lake Michigan…

Read more »

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…

Read more »

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…

Read more »

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…

Read more »

Ludington fleet captain Duddleson skippered the famed L.C. Waldo during the 1913 storm

December 19, 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 In the historical record of Ludington shipping, Capt. John Wesley Duddleson is remembered as the first skipper of the SS Flint & Pere Marquette No. 2 break-bulk freighter. But, that assignment was a…

Read more »

Eats & Drinks

Eats & Drinks

Area Churches