Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union with offices in Manistee, Ludington, East Lake, and Bear Lake and the Mason County Historical Society, which operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, Historic White Pine Village and the Rose Hawley Archives in downtown Ludington. Part 2: S.S. Milwaukee By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief The last four months of 1929…
Part 6 By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — Bernard “Bunny” Robertson, Bjoruin “Lindy” Johnson, Ernest Barth, John Bissell, Bruce Masse, Gregg Anderson, Dean Hobbs, Kevin Fitch. Those are just some of the men who have been the masters of the S.S. Badger, the last of a long line of car ferries based out of Ludington. In 2023, another captain joined…
Part 5 Story and photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LAKE MICHIGAN — When Kevin Diedrich was growing up in Manitowoc, Wis. his grandparents lived near the lakeshore. Kevin and his sister had the chore of mowing their grandparents’ lawn. When they were done they would go down by the shore and watch the carferries come and go. “My sister used…
Part 4 Story by Mark Varenhorst, Contributing Writer Photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LAKE MICHIGAN — On Tuesday, Sept. 29 2025, I boarded the S.S. Badger with my editor and friend Rob Alway. We were both covering that trip from different views and also from different crew members we spoke to along the way. In my earlier article I mentioned…
Part 3 By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LAKE MICHIGAN — Max Hockanson, 22, has been working on the S.S. Badger since he was 16-years-old. Now in his eighth year at Lake Michigan Carferry, he is an able bodied seaman working in the deck department. His duties even include steering the ship. His career has also expanded beyond working on the Badger…
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