Under Re-Construction
In a gale on Lake Michigan in November of 1834, the two-masted schooner Prince Eugene was driven ashore and wrecked 8 miles north of the Manistee River mouth. She was carrying a cargo of
mixed merchandise -- fabrics, leather, disassembled parlor stoves, and household goods -- valued at
$70,000. In 1834, a local newspaper seemed surprised at such an event on Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan's waters were navigable when its winter ice thawed in the spring until it froze again in the fall. When the seasons changed, particularly in the fall, Lake Michigan storms were dangerous for ships of all kinds. The Prince Eugene was the first wreck in the Arcadia area but it would not be the
last.
Storm on Lake Michigan
This is a cropped illustration from a postcard mailed in 1913. It shows a picture of a storm viewed from the shoreline behind a break wall.
Schooner Safe in Arcadia's Harbor
This is a view east along Lake Arcadia's northeast shore showing an unknown 2-masted schooner. This ship was probably used by the Arcadia Lumber
Company to haul lumber.
U. S. Life-Saving Station,
FRANKFORT, Mich.
This is a colorized postcard showing the station in Frankfort designed by Albert Bibb and constructed in 1886. This photo
was probably taken prior to 1915, when the service was renamed U.S. Coast Guard. Note the crewman keeping watch on
the roof walkway.
Life-Saving Crew Practicing
This is a colorized postcar photo showing the keeper at the stern and six crewmen manning oars. A seventh crewman is
keeping watch on the roof walkway. In 1911, the Frankfort station got a motorized lifeboat.
Practicing in the Surf
This is a photo showing a USLSS crew bringing a lifeboat to shore. Note the keeper on the left straining hard to control the ship and the crewman in the bow getting ready to reach the shore.
Teamwork was key to saving lives.
Practicing on the Beach
A Lyle gun could fire an eighteen
pound bullet-shaped projectile
about 300 yards on a full charge
of 8 ounces of black powder. The
projectile had an eye at the back
end to which a shot line was tied.
Note the box on the left and the
spindles just to its right
(normally kept within the box).
Continued
Practicing on the Beach
This is a faking box used to help
the shot line play out without
tangling. The intent was to send
the line across a ship so that
someone on the ship could grab
the line and pull in a much
heavier line. The heavier line
could then be used to set up a
breeches buoy or a life car used
to bring people from the ship to
the beach.