This Maritime History Blog is a presentation of the Mason County Historical Society’s Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, ludingtonmaritimemuseum.org, located at 217 S. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief The first railroad to offer car ferry service across Lake Michigan was the Toledo Ann Arbor & North Michigan Railway, predecessor of the Ann Arbor Railroad, with the debut of…
This Maritime History Blog is a presentation of the Mason County Historical Society’s Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, ludingtonmaritimemuseum.org, located at 217 S. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief Construction of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway began in Saginaw, Michigan in 1859 and terminated in Ludington December 1874. From its inception the railroad’s executives envisioned transporting freight…
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The SS Badger turns 72 years ago today. On March 21, 1953, the 410-foot Badger made its maiden voyage from Ludington to Milwaukee. It was the last of the great cross-lake ferries built for service on Lake Michigan, a tradition that began in Ludington 150 years ago this year. In 1951, the C&O Railroad…
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The Mason County Historical Society is seeking Mason County school yearbooks to add to its Rose Hawley Memorial Archives. While the Society’s yearbook collection is extensive, many years are missing. Yearbooks from any era are welcome, including recent yearbooks. The books serve as a valuable resource in historical preservation and research. The goal of…
This year marks the 150th anniversary of cross-lake service out of Ludington. The service began in 1875, a year after the completion of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway, which terminated in Ludington. Initially, break-bulk freighters were used — a process that required freight to be unloaded at the dock, placed on the ship, then unloaded at the other dock.…
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