Black angels of the ice : the history of chartered ice breaking on the Great Lakes by the rail ferries Sainte Marie and Chief Wawatam / by Brian S. Jaeschke.
| Author/creator | Jaeschke, Brian S. author. |
| Other author | Corbin, Annalies degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of History. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 2003. |
| Description | viii, 212 pages, 5 unnumbered pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The objective of this thesis is to examine the first two vessels used on the Great Lakes as icebreakers, the rail ferries Sainte Marie and Chief Wawatam. The important role of these vessels as heavy icebreakers has been overlooked by previous scholarship and needs to be addressed as an important aspect of Great Lakes and world maritime history. These ferries were the first vessels to incorporate methods for icebreaking and ship design specifically developed to handle ice together and prove them successful on the Great Lakes. These two commercial ferries were chartered to open spring navigation before and after the introduction of Coast Guard icebreakers. During World War II, the ferries were vital to the war effort. Serving as icebreakers, they opened channels for ships that carried vital raw materials to the mills and factories. With the arrival of the heavy icebreaker Mackinaw in 1944, the role of the ferries and their charters began to diminish. By the early 1960s, all Great Lakes icebreaking was handled by the Coast Guard. The Sainte Marie and Chief Wawatam were designed specifically for ice-breaking duty but they were primarily employed as ferries. In order to cover their operations adequately, each of the time periods during which one or both of the ferries were used for ice-breaking duty are discussed. Their histories are pieced together from logbooks, newspapers, ship owner documents, and interviews with individuals familiar with the history of the ferries. Underlying the history is the struggle by sailors, ship owners, and other individuals of the Great Lakes region to extend the shipping season as long as possible. The benefits included industrial growth, financial gain, and increased production of war materiel during times of national crisis. Previous research has focused on the long history of the Chief Wawatam and the role of the Mackinaw conducting icebreaking. The author feels that the services provided by the rail ferry Sainte Marie have been ignored by historians and should be documented as well. Any future research done on the history of Great Lakes icebreaking or the role of the Mackinaw will undoubtedly need to mention the duties performed by both the Sainte Marie and Chief Wawatam. |
| General note | Presented to the faculty of the Department of History. |
| General note | Advisor: Annalies Corbin |
| Dissertation note | M.A. in History East Carolina University 2003 |
| Genre/form | dissertations. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | University Archives | ASK AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DESK | ✔ Available | Request Material |
| Joyner | General Stacks | VM451 .J33 2003 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |