Ann Arbor Car Ferry No. 4 Sinks To Bottom Of Manistique Harbor Slip On May 29th, 1909

Car Ferry “turtled”
Ann Arbor car ferry No. 4 sinks
in the slip Saturday evening.
Twenty-four cars wrecked
Loss will greatly exceed $100,000
The apron was also damaged.

The Ann Arbor car ferry No. 4, while being loaded at this port Saturday night turned turtle and went to the bottom of the slip, port side downward. It contained 24 cars, loaded with iron ore, in all about 1,200 tons.

The ferry, which is constructed of steel, is 270 feet over all and 52 feet beam, is in command of Capt. Fred Robertson, and Thos. Hardkins is chief engineer. The crew numbered twenty four men and Mrs. Wilson, cabin maid and her daughter, Miss Wilson, waitress. Read More...

Manistique Centennial Parade 1960-Video


153 years ago, our waterway community was founded in 1860 by Charles Harvey, a business man who sought to build a small dam on the Manistique River. He would first name the area Epsport, after his wife’s family name. Enjoy a very rare look back in time and enjoy the Manistique Centennial Parade 1960. Shot on 8mm film. See if you recognize some names of people on the floats at the end.

Henry Rowe Schoolcraft-Founder Schoolcraft County

Surveys of of the Northwest Territories began in our area (Schoolcraft County) in the 1820’s, once the surveys were completed the government began handing out patents (land grants) of our territory from 1848 to 1860. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft originally came to the Great Lakes as a member of Lewis Cass’s survey expedition. The purpose of this expedition was to make topographical survey maps of Northern Michigan and the upper Great Lakes. In 1822, Schoolcraft was appointed Indian Agent with headquarters in Sault St. Marie and from 1836 to 1841 became the superintendent for the Native American affairs for Michigan. Besides being know for his writings about the manners and customs of the Chippewa Indians, his notable achievement to the government was his Treaty of March 28th, 1836, with the Native American and the Eastern half of the Upper Peninsula. Read More...

Baraga Park on Indian Lake, where (then Fr.) Baraga celebrated his first Mass

Baraga Park on Indian Lake, where (then Fr.) Baraga celebrated his first Mass in what is now the Diocese of Marquette, having come across Lake Michigan in a canoe. (1833)

Baraga Park on Indian Lake, where (then Fr.) Baraga celebrated his first Mass in what is now the Diocese of Marquette, having come across Lake Michigan in a canoe. (1833)

Manistique is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Michigan and is the county seat for Schoolcraft County. Schoolcraft County’s orginal inhabitants were members of the Chippewa Tribes. As a result of the War of 1812, the father of Antoine Ossawinamakee was given a portion of Schoolcraft County. Their primary settlement, consisting of 10 to 12 houses, was on Indian Lake which was three miles from Manistique. In 1833, Fr Frederick Baraga established his first Native American Mission at Indian Lake and converted all but one of the inhabitants to Catholicism. Father Baraga continued his missionary work but visited the Mission Church at Indian Lake frequently. In 1853, he became the bishop of Sault St. Marie.
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