Soon after the Mackinac Bridge opened in November 1957, the celebrated structure was taking a toll--and it had nothing to do with vehicles traveling its length. Among those people not excited about the opening of the bridge were the men who operated the car ferries that carried thousands of Michiganians across the Straits of Mackinac.In 1923, the state of Michigan had begun a car ferry service between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Money was soon expended for the purchase and upgrading of ships and the construction or improvement of attendant docks, breakwaters, parking areas and other support facilities at both Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Each ferry had a crew of approximately thirty-six men. During the busy travel season, up to one hundred extra employees were hired, providing good summer jobs to local kids and lucky college students.
By the time the bridge was finished, only two of the ferries (City of Petoskey and Vacationland) were still under steam; the rest of the fleet had already been retired to berths in St. Ignace. The surviving pair made their last runs on the bridge's opening day (November 1, 1957). The Vacationland, the flagship of the fleet, brought the curtain down. In the afternoon of that final day, she sailed from St. Ignace to Mackinaw City with about a thousand specially invited guests and well-wishers on board. As the Vacationland entered the harbor, auto horns blared and fire engine sirens screamed a farewell salute.
The agreement that allowed Michigan to sell bonds to fund the bridge prohibited the state from operating any ferries at the Straits after the structure opened. This provision was designed to assure bond buyers that the expensive span would have no competition that would diminish revenues needed to pay off the construction costs. Eventually, the ferries were all sold; most were scrapped.
Today, the Mackinac Bridge carries in a single month as many people as the entire fleet carried in a year. But in their time, these hard-working vessels served the people of Michigan well--transporting more than twelve million vehicles and over thirty million paying passengers.
For more on the car ferries that sailed the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Bridge history look for Michigan History magazine's July/August 2007 issue, "50 Years of the Mighty Mac." Visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com or call toll free, 1-800-366-3703.
Photo credit: Car ferry Sainte Marie, Mackinac Straits, LC-D4-5591
11 Comments
This is just another escuse by the State of Michigan, you know they purchased all these railroad for the Economic Development of something. I think we elect a bunch of idiots. I worked for the Ann Arbor Railroad System until corruption took over and the railroad was shut down in a contract dispute. I have a bok out called Betrayal on the Rail that tell all the crooked stuff. The state of Michigan still owes me my wages from last worked on their railroad. I will get my money sometime. Bud
I worked for the State of Michigan owned Ann Arbor Railroad System that was purchased by the State of Michigan for the Economic Development of Northwest Michigan The company was Michigan Interstate Railway Company was given a contract with many obligations and rights, the tracks got so bad the company Michigan Interstate Railway Company got into a contract dispute over the tracks that was so bad trains could only travel 10 miles an hour There is 400 honest railroad workers that is still owed their wages and unpaid vacations the State of Michigan has not paid. Our arbitrations awards was set aside while a settlement was worked out and the trustees purchased a very profitable section of railroad from Toledo, Ohio to Ann Arbor, Michigan for his three business associated who he hired to run the railway company. The employees of Michigan Interstate Railway Company was not included in the settlement. I'm a creditor and a stockholder of the Michigan Interstate Railway Company. Byron M. Mc Clellan Author of Betrayal on the Rail.
Can I tell what really happened?
The Company Michigan was drove into bankruptcy by the Michigan Department of Transportation with the misuse of state ansd federal money, lawyers and other professionals engaged with the State of Michigan represented the company all through it's bankruptcy proceedings, the company was in a contract dispute with the State of Michigan over rights and obligations under contract.We the employees of Michigan Interstate Railway Company took a 12% cut in pay so we could continue to work but we still went under. Byron M. Mc Clellan
During the time of all the crooked stuff of the railroads, Poor John Morberg of the House Fiscal Agency in Lansing, Michigan where the Michigan Department o Transportation gets its money spent 10 years of his natural life in a federal penitentiary, he was running a Finance Company and only lent money to his relation using State of Michigan money, I can only tell things that I was told and what I learned from these professionals. Then there was D. J. Jacobetti who was related the Poor John Morberg who headed the Michigan Appropriation Subcommittee in Lansing, Michigan and his relation was one of the groups that had a bid to operate the Ann Arbor Railroad System and then there was the bankrupted Green Bay and Western Railway Company call the Michigan and Western Railway Company that had the Ann Arbor Railroad for one day that was met with many restraining orders because of the contract Michigan Interstate Railway Company had. It was MSS. Gloria Jeff the once Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation and Mss. Susan G. Brook a Administrator Assistant for the Michigan Department of transportation and Mr. Larry Tibbits that falsify our court documents that went into the court of claims in Lansing, Michigan.How can you win with deals like this? I'm more interested in all the Shetland Ponies the Michigan Department of Transportation purchased with Federal Track rehabilitation money after they said there was no money to repair the baddly needed track repair from Frankfort, Michigan to Claire, Michigan. Byron M. Mc Clellan A creditor and a stock holder of the Michigan Interstate Railway Company.
During this ordeal with the State of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation and all the corruption and mischief. I want to thank two very important people the first is Mr. Louis Mieszko of the Detroit News, News Staff Writer and Mr. Fredick Morris a building inspector for the City of Detroit, Michigan and Mr. Francis R. Spaniola a State Representative from Owosso, Michigan and Mr. Jack Stegeman of Ann Arbor, Michigan who owns the Campus Rentals in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They all did a lot of leg work. Mr. John Stegeman was swindled out of millions and more milllions of dollars by a law firm I do not want to mention very close to the trustee of Michigan Interstate Railway Company/ Byron "Bud" M. Mc Clellan 02-27-09.
Things was so bad concerning railroad the president of Michigan Interstate Railway Company, the professionals in the Michigan Department of Transportation they threaten his live. I was with him when they did this. Byron M. Mc Clellan
Now, if Mss. Susan G. Brook starts to sing, we will find out the truth. Mr. Larry Tibbits and little Mss. Gloria Jeffs will be impilicated in this mess with the railroads owned by the State of Michigan
I'm trying my best to get a congregational investigation on the misuse of state and federal money by the Michigan Department of Transpotation. Poor John Morberg spent 10 years of his national life in a federal pen for lending state money to his relation and here you have Miss. Susan G. Brook that a Shetland Pony Rancy was purchased withstate and Federal Track Rehabilitation money. She told me and Mr. Vincent M. Malanaphy the president of Michigan Interstate Railway Company there was no money for track rehabilitation. We knew she had lied, State Representative Francis R,. Spaniola told me and Mr. Vincent M. Malanaphy they uncovered million and million of dollars the Michigan Department of Transportation had hidden in man different accounts
The Ann Arbor Railroad System was purchased by the State of Michigan for the Economic Devolpment of Northewst Michigan and latter turned into high speed bicycle trails for the Economic Development od Something Bud Mc Clellan autor of Betrayal on the Rail
Hey McClellan, would you please shut up about this? It has nothing to do with this article, so kindly stop spamming.
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