Looking for information on my Uncle Leo Allard's ferry boat that ran between Beaver Island and Charlevoix.
His wife Lela ran a boarding house in Charlevoix on Bridge Street.
Info on Leo Allard ran ferry boat Margaret Mary
Moderator: Gillespie
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Rich
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Roberta
Margaret Mary
Thanks Rich,Rich wrote:Roberta, If I am not mistaken, the Mary Margaret is still running off of Chicago or Milwaukee! Post an e-mail address I will send a couple pictures, Rich Gillespie
mrsrmcjr@bellsouth.net
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Try here. http://www.apostleislandsoutfitters.com/ Site might be down I just tried it and it wouldnt load.
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South Shore
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 2:05 am
- Location: Traverse City
Current fate of "Mary Margaret"
some of these posts are right... once sold by Captain LeRoy Allers, when the ferry North Shore proved to be a better boat, she went to Arnold Transit Co. Renamed the m/v Chippewa, she served faithfully until 1962, when the current Chippewa arrived. She was sold to the Apostle Islands as a charter/excursion boat. Her upper deck was removed. I don't have the dates with me, but in the 80's she was sold to a group in Maine, who restored her to a more original look. She still sails as Chippewa.
PS. Capt. LeRoy Allers followed the Mary Margaret to Mackinac Island and became senior captain, ending up in command of the "Algomah" until his death in 1981. His son, Captain Paul Allers, who was in command of the "Ottawa" then became senior captain, and has held that position to this very day, as he operates the "Straits Express" in the summer and the "Huron" in the winter. I am his cousin, and also work as captain for ATCo, ironically on the Huron in summer along with the Ottawa. Please drop a line if you care to... gatherusin@yahoo.com
PS. Capt. LeRoy Allers followed the Mary Margaret to Mackinac Island and became senior captain, ending up in command of the "Algomah" until his death in 1981. His son, Captain Paul Allers, who was in command of the "Ottawa" then became senior captain, and has held that position to this very day, as he operates the "Straits Express" in the summer and the "Huron" in the winter. I am his cousin, and also work as captain for ATCo, ironically on the Huron in summer along with the Ottawa. Please drop a line if you care to... gatherusin@yahoo.com
Sean Whelan
Hey Captain,
You were right about the island. Made my first visit in over 20 years this past summer. Pretty crowded but enjoyed the visit. Rode the emerald Isle to the the island and returned to the main land on the Beaver Islander. Great weather on both rides. Have any pics of the Mary Margaret in her current state? Or a link to a website?
You were right about the island. Made my first visit in over 20 years this past summer. Pretty crowded but enjoyed the visit. Rode the emerald Isle to the the island and returned to the main land on the Beaver Islander. Great weather on both rides. Have any pics of the Mary Margaret in her current state? Or a link to a website?
Last edited by Sean on Wed Nov 09, 2005 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sean McDonough
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South Shore
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 2:05 am
- Location: Traverse City
The North Shore has been gone for a number of years. She was built in about 30 days to replace another vessel of the same design, also named North Shore. The first boat with that name was lost at sea in a storm. This new North Shore was built by Burger Boat Co. in Manitowoc WI. Her begining was just like that of the Mary Margaret, primarily a fruit boat on the west coast of Michigan. In the early 40's, she made her way up to Washington Island Wisconsin (where the American Girl came to Beaver Island from) and served Carl Richters' fleet. Capt. Allers bought her as a second boat for the Mary Margaret. For a while, the two would run on opposite schedules, with the North Shore laying over on the Island and Mary Margaret in Charlevoix. But due to her speed and size, the North Shore proved the better boat. Capt. Allers sold her to the Lyons who then re-organized the Beaver Island Transit Co, which last operated the Marold II. They ran North Shore heavily, which owed to her certificate of inspection being pulled on Oct. 4, 1954- the last date she made a passenger run for the island. She was converted to a tug, and per what i know, she was dismantled in southern Michigan in the mid-80s.
Its a shame that with the passage of all these boats that none have been saved for museum purposes. Considering what a life line they are and how interwoven with island life, it would be fitting to keep one to share and remember. Who doesn't have a story about one of those boats![/img]
Its a shame that with the passage of all these boats that none have been saved for museum purposes. Considering what a life line they are and how interwoven with island life, it would be fitting to keep one to share and remember. Who doesn't have a story about one of those boats![/img]
Sean Whelan
following this thread
South Shore I've been following this thread and saw where you mentioned the Chippewa.
This morning I ran across a artilce at HistoryLink.org which is the
Online Encylopedia of Washington State history Article by Alan J. stein dated Feb 23,2003.
" Ferry Chippewa ends 64 years of ferry service on Sept 24,1964".
On Sept 24,1964,the 64-year old ferry Chippewa loses her license due to 28 major repairs that need to be made to her hull and superstructure. A year later,the vessel is sold.
Oldest in the Fleet.
At the time,the chippewa was the oldest ship in the state ferry fleet. built in Toledo,Ohio,in 1900,the vessel originally plied the Great Lakes,but was sold to the Puget sound Navigation Company in 1907. The ferry steamed around the tip of south america to reach Seattle.
There's a picture of the Ferry Chipewa, 1930s.
Was there more then one Chippewa which sailed the Great Lakes
Just curious.
Anna
This morning I ran across a artilce at HistoryLink.org which is the
Online Encylopedia of Washington State history Article by Alan J. stein dated Feb 23,2003.
" Ferry Chippewa ends 64 years of ferry service on Sept 24,1964".
On Sept 24,1964,the 64-year old ferry Chippewa loses her license due to 28 major repairs that need to be made to her hull and superstructure. A year later,the vessel is sold.
Oldest in the Fleet.
At the time,the chippewa was the oldest ship in the state ferry fleet. built in Toledo,Ohio,in 1900,the vessel originally plied the Great Lakes,but was sold to the Puget sound Navigation Company in 1907. The ferry steamed around the tip of south america to reach Seattle.
There's a picture of the Ferry Chipewa, 1930s.
Was there more then one Chippewa which sailed the Great Lakes
Just curious.Anna
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South Shore
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 2:05 am
- Location: Traverse City
Sean: I've been trying to get ahold of Capt. Steve Pagles, her current owner, but yup thats her a few years back. The bow and stern are so unique!
Anna:
I think there have been 6 vessels on the lakes named "Chippewa." The one you have located was a very early vessel in the Arnold Transit Fleet. I don't have dimensions or history right with me, but she was a sidewheeler. This was turn of the century when Arnold Line used to run trips from Cheboygan all the way to the Soo. When Washington State picked her up, she was converted into a double ended car ferry. For those that know anything of the Michigan State Ferries, she looked much like the "Vacationland", only wood.
Right now, there is a medium sized tug named chippewa and the Mary Margaret's successor at Arnold Line is the 3rd boat to carry the name Chippewa.
Anna:
I think there have been 6 vessels on the lakes named "Chippewa." The one you have located was a very early vessel in the Arnold Transit Fleet. I don't have dimensions or history right with me, but she was a sidewheeler. This was turn of the century when Arnold Line used to run trips from Cheboygan all the way to the Soo. When Washington State picked her up, she was converted into a double ended car ferry. For those that know anything of the Michigan State Ferries, she looked much like the "Vacationland", only wood.
Right now, there is a medium sized tug named chippewa and the Mary Margaret's successor at Arnold Line is the 3rd boat to carry the name Chippewa.
Sean Whelan
Chippewa Article
South Shore,
Below is the link to the article and shows the picture of a Chippewa car ferry which appers on a postcard in the 1930s.
http://www.historylink.org/essays/outpu ... le_id=5284
Anna
Below is the link to the article and shows the picture of a Chippewa car ferry which appers on a postcard in the 1930s.
http://www.historylink.org/essays/outpu ... le_id=5284
Anna
Sean,
I sent Downeast Windjammer Cruises email. The good Capt. Emailed me back.
Ill post a scan of the post card when I get it. Ill send you a pm with his email addy.
Dear Sean , Yes , the Chippewa is still in service , I actually just saw her this past week . We sold her to a company in Portland , Maine that uses her for service out to House Island . Harold , the Captain is doing some renovation work on her this fall â?? she looked good . We do have some pictures of her after we rebuilt her in the early 1990â??s back into a ferry configuration . When we did the rebuilding we patterned the superstructure after a New England ferry of the early 1900â??s period â?? slightly different from the Great Lakes configuration . As the Mary Margaret â?? the original ferry superstructure had a relatively flat sheared upper deck and a fairly closed in main deck â?? we followed the New England style of having the upper deck (s) follow the basic shear line of the main deck and also had a more open main deck . If you send us your mailing address we can send off some postcards we have of the Chippewa
I sent Downeast Windjammer Cruises email. The good Capt. Emailed me back.
Ill post a scan of the post card when I get it. Ill send you a pm with his email addy.
Dear Sean , Yes , the Chippewa is still in service , I actually just saw her this past week . We sold her to a company in Portland , Maine that uses her for service out to House Island . Harold , the Captain is doing some renovation work on her this fall â?? she looked good . We do have some pictures of her after we rebuilt her in the early 1990â??s back into a ferry configuration . When we did the rebuilding we patterned the superstructure after a New England ferry of the early 1900â??s period â?? slightly different from the Great Lakes configuration . As the Mary Margaret â?? the original ferry superstructure had a relatively flat sheared upper deck and a fairly closed in main deck â?? we followed the New England style of having the upper deck (s) follow the basic shear line of the main deck and also had a more open main deck . If you send us your mailing address we can send off some postcards we have of the Chippewa
Sean McDonough