HARTLAND SMITH'S ECLECTIC BLOG

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

A MACKINAC ISLAND FERRY


S.S. MACKINAC ISLANDERPosted by Hello

Back in 1942 one of the numerous vessels ferrying passengers between the mainland and Mackinac Island, Michigan was the Arnold Line's S.S. MACKINAC ISLANDER. Built in Marine City, Michigan back in 1921 by S. C. McClouth for the Ohio State Fish and Game Commission it was first named THE OLIVER H. PERRY. The vessel was purchased in 1938 by the Arnold Transit Co and was renamed MACKINAC ISLANDER. It was a rugged vessel which was capable of bucking the ice in the Straits of Mackinac until almost mid-winter. One year it made its final run in February. The following day the ice was so thick that a team of horses crossed from the Island to St. Ignace.

As you can see from the black smoke emerging from the stack, the ISLANDER was a small steamer. It carried a Captain, Mate and a combination engineer and fireman. The latter's wife was cook and served meals aboard to the crew.

A few years after this photo was snapped with my Model A Argus, the vessel was sold and converted to Diesel power. It then became a small freighter used to carry hardwood logs cut on various Great Lakes Islands to a veneer mill. In its latter days the M.V. MACKINAC ISLANDER left the Great Lakes. It went to Alaska where it was used to harvest king crabs.

Is there anyone else, still around who remembers this vessel or who was acquainted with the many Mackinac Island ferries that were powered by steam?

--The Old Timer

posted by The Old Timer at 6:45 AM

14 Comments:

  • No, I don’t remember but I am very fascinated. Very fascinating how a “the ice was so thick that a team of horses crossed from the Island to St. Ignace” It is very interesting. I love learning new things. That’s why I used to love physics. I still do but it gets a bit to complex for me. Oh and thank you for the comment on my sons blog. Thank you again!

    By Blogger Tyler Charles Hondel Brauer, at Wednesday, January 19, 2005 9:13:00 AM  

  • Replying to your comment on 'First Post'. Thank you so much, I know he is so cute. That is amazing how they used to do things. I would love to go and try some of the things they done back then. Although with my mother being an Ocupational Health & Saftye Officer I dont think she would allow me with the risk envolved hehe.

    I look foward to hearing alot more about lifes little things. I have bookmarked your blog so I will check up regularly. Again thank you!

    By Blogger Tyler Charles Hondel Brauer, at Wednesday, January 19, 2005 9:40:00 AM  

  • Hi, Hart,

    I remember the MACKINAC ISLANDER well, having been born into a family who first settled on Mackinac Island in 1867. My great, great uncle, George Truscott, had a grocery and dry goods store across the street from the head of what is now Arnold's Fuel and Merchandise dock. My great grandfather, Thomas Cole Truscott owned a bakery and confectionary from around 1887 until at least 1895, and my grandfather, Samuel E. Truscott and his sons Charlie (my dad) and Phil operated a business known as S. E. Truscott & Sons from 1922 until 1949. My dad would sometimes sail for Arnold as the cook on the MACKINAC ISLANDER if the regular cook was sick or on vacation.

    I remember well the NORTH AMERICAN, SOUTH AMERICAN, all of the Arnold ferries that operated from the 50s until I left Mackinac and the Michigan State Ferries and CHIEF WAWATAM and SAINTE MARIE (II).

    A couple of comments about the MACKINAC ISLANDER. Rather than Wyandotte, she was built in 1921 by S. C. McLouth in Marine City for the Ohio State Fish and Game Commission and was named OLIVER H. PERRY. The Arnold company got her in 1938 when she was purchased from the State of Ohio by Otto W. Lang and Prentiss M. Brown. I wish I knew how to post a photo because I have a good one of her arriving at Mackinac breaking ice to get into the harbor. By the way, the little ferry in front of her is Arnold's first OTTAWA, built in 1914 by Johnston Brothers in Ferrysburg for the Ottawa Beach Hotel Company in Holland, MI. The OTTAWA later served at Grand Island in Lake Superior for the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company until 1941 when she was sold to Lang and Brown for the ATCO. She was sold to Franklin Sears of Traverse City in 1958 and converted to a tug. She was later sold to Ward Walstrom of Walstrom Marine in Harbor Springs. Al Hart, a good friend of mine, sent me pictures of her taken this fall on a dock in Cheboygan so the little girl still exists.

    My favorite ATCo boat was the ALGOMAH II which ran at Mackinac from 1936 until the fall of 1960. As a matter of fact it was ALGOMAH II that first took me to Mackinac at the age of 3 weeks when I was taken home from the hospital. I made many happy trips to the mainland aboard her, and to this day can still hear her steam whistle as she arrived at the Island.

    Best wishes.

    Chuck Truscott

    By Blogger Chuck Truscott, at Friday, December 09, 2005 10:01:00 AM  

  • Thanks, Chuck, for the correction concerning the original builder and owner of the MACKINAC ISLANDER.
    I got my information from the Engineer when I rode her from St. Ignace in either 1942 or 1946. I'm not sure on which trip I had the conversation with him. At the time, his wife was cook aboard the little vessel. That's a long time ago and he might have given me the wrong information, or my memory is in error.

    By Blogger Old Timer, at Tuesday, January 24, 2006 11:02:00 AM  

  • I happened upon your site while looking for images of the Mackinac Islander. My dad, Captain Dick Lyons, ran the Islander for the Manthei Veneer Mill out of Petoskey and Sault St. Marie from the late 1950's to the mid 60's. I'll try to find a picture or two of her after she was converted carry logs and send it along. I spent some fine days as a youngster sailing with Dad.
    Mrs. Leslie Lyons Cunningham

    By Blogger lcunning, at Wednesday, January 16, 2008 6:02:00 PM  

  • I'm pleased that you found my item regarding the MACKINAC ISLANDER. I saw the vessel twice after its conversion for use in the logging business. Once at Ironton where it was tied up just north of the unique cable propelled auto ferry and once at Round Lake in Charlevoix.

    When it was at Charlevoix I was lucky enough to have a chance to talk with one of the Manthei brothers. He told me how he obtained hardwood logs on some of the small islands that I had never heard of and brought the timber ashore for use in the veneer plant. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me where the veneer plant was located. Also was the veneer applied to solid lumber, or to plywood or some sort of chipboard.

    Do you know if the vessel still exists or if it was scrapped after working in the king crab trade for a time?

    I'm really pleased to hear from the daughter of the ISLANDER's Captain. Thanks for writing, and if you find any pix of the
    boat when it was in the logging trade I'd appreciate a loan so that I might copy them.

    By Blogger The Old Timer, at Thursday, January 17, 2008 7:25:00 AM  

  • Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
    Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:47:00 PM  

  • If this doesn't work, try a Google Search.

    http://fileshunt.com/rapidshare.php?file=xrumer+5+palladium

    By Blogger The Old Timer, at Saturday, November 21, 2009 7:20:00 PM  

  • Really Great information. I'm going to be travel this summer, so this article is a great help.

    By Anonymous faehren nach, at Friday, January 22, 2010 10:30:00 PM  

  • Thanks for the nice posting,we are going to be ferry travel this summer, so your travel information very helpful for us,

    By Anonymous ferry, at Saturday, January 23, 2010 2:48:00 AM  

  • Great information, I use to travel a lot from U.K to France and always find ferry transport to be the cheapest and most convenient way for channel crossings. So your ferry Travel information helpful for us.Keep up the good work.

    By Blogger ferries, at Tuesday, January 26, 2010 10:53:00 PM  

  • The Mackinac Islander and the ferries of its era were rather slow. Nowadays the ferries to Mackinac Island are speedsters. There are Catamarans, Jet propelled vessels and other boats that can make the run from Mackinaw City to the Island in about 18 minutes.

    By Blogger The Old Timer, at Thursday, January 28, 2010 1:47:00 PM  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger bommana rajesh, at Tuesday, February 09, 2010 5:31:00 AM  

  • Great information, I use to travel a lot from U.K to France and always find ferry transport to be the cheapest and most convenient way for channel crossings. So your ferry Travel information helpful for us.

    By Anonymous prom, at Monday, February 15, 2010 1:48:00 AM  

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