|
Lives and Legends of the Christmas Tree Ships
|
| List Price: | $24.95 |
| Price: | $21.46 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
25 new or used available from $5.99
Average customer review:
Product Description
Lives and Legends of the Christmas Tree Ships brings the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes to life, using the tragic story of the schooner Rouse Simmons as a porthole into the robust but often forgotten communities that thrived along Lake Michigan from the Civil War to World War I.
Memorialized in songs, poems, fiction, and even a musical, the infamous ship that went down in a Thanksgiving storm while delivering Christmas trees to Chicago has long been shrouded in myth and legend. As a result, the larger story of the captain, crew, and affected communities has often been overlooked. Fred Neuschel delves into this everyday life of camaraderie, drudgery, ambition, and adventure—with tales of the Midwest’s burgeoning immigrant groups and rapid industrialization—to create a true story that is even more fascinating than the celebrated legends.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #544499 in Books
- Published on: 2007-09-06
- Released on: 2007-09-26
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 288 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Fred Neuschel is author of numerous articles on Great Lakes maritime history and has been published in Anchor News, Chicago History, and Wisconsin Magazine of History.
Customer Reviews
More than a ship was lost
On November 23, 1912 the schooner Rouse Simmons disappeared in a gale on Lake Michigan. When the vessel sank beneath the wind-frenzied waves, thousands of freshly cut Christmas trees, which were en route to eager Chicago buyers, were lost forever. So was the beloved captain, Herman Schuenemann, whom Chicagoans dubbed 'Captain Santa' because the annual appearance of his tree-laden ship at Thanksgiving symbolized the arrival of the holidays.
"Lives and Legends of the Christmas Tree Ships" is not an ode to a lost schooner or even a lament for a beloved yet dead holiday tradition. Fred Neuschel uses the wreck of the Rouse Simmons as a focal point in telling the story of the Great Lakes sailors who risked life and limb in the November gales. Herman Schuenemann and his brother August were representatives of a hardy breed that experienced its zenith during the 1870s and 1880s, before railways and roads diminished the reliance of the lake ports on water-based transportation. They persisted in their marine livelihood, even when necessity no longer outweighed the potential danger.
To explain, if not necessarily justify their determination, Neuschel delves into the history of Algoma, WI, and the other lake ports that these men called home. The reader gradually understands that for the Schuenemanns and their contemporaries, fragile wooden vessels and risky autumn excursions were all part of maintaining a proud independence that had been instilled in them since their youth. When improved railways took away much of their business, they resorted to nostalgic traditions such as Christmas tree transport.
In addition, Neuschel explores the evolution and development of the Great Lakes shoreline communities and the impact of European immigrants on the traditions and culture of the American Midwest. The end result is a rich, multifaceted work that will appeal to the general history enthusiast as well as those who enjoy marine memories.
