Ferries In Michigan
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Due to its unique geography, being made of two peninsulas surrounded by the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
has depended on many
ferries A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water tax ...
for connections to transport people, vehicles and trade. The most famous modern ferries are those which carry people and goods across the Straits of Mackinac to the car-free
Mackinac Island Mackinac Island ( ; french: Île Mackinac; oj, Mishimikinaak ᒥᔑᒥᑭᓈᒃ; otw, Michilimackinac) is an island and resort area, covering in land area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the island in Odawa is Michilimackinac an ...
but before the
Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...
was built, large numbers of ferries carried people and cars between the two peninsulas. Other ferries continue to provide transportation to small islands and across the
Detroit River The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively refe ...
to Canada. Ferries once provided transport to island parks for city dwellers. The state's only national park,
Isle Royale Isle Royale National Park is an American national park consisting of Isle Royale – known as Minong to the native Ojibwe – along with more than 400 small adjacent islands and the surrounding waters of Lake Superior, in the state of Michigan ...
cannot be reached by road and is normally accessed by ferry. The largest ferries in Michigan are the car ferries which cross Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. One of these, the SS ''Badger'' is one of the last remaining coal steamers on the Great Lakes and serves as a section of US Highway 10 (US 10). The ''Badger'' is also the largest ferry in Michigan, capable of carrying 600 passengers and 180 autos. As of 2018, there are 18 ferry routes in Michigan, 13 of which have ferries which can carry vehicles. Three ferry routes cross the international border between U.S. and Canada. Ferry trips can be as short as a few minutes crossing a river to as long as seven hours crossing Lake Superior. These routes are all closed in the winter when the rivers and lakes are iced over. Winter closures can be as long as four months a year. Four passenger-only ferry destinations are islands without private vehicles and, in some cases, without even roads. One unique human-powered ferry takes passengers across the Kalamazoo River to a park with a Lake Michigan beach. In the early days of lake transport, it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between ferries, package freighters carrying passengers, and
passenger liner A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...
s on regular routes. The lakes and rivers often provided an easier route of travel than primitive or non-existent roads. Rail ferries would carry passenger trains and their occupants as well as freight cars, and later sometimes carried automobiles as well. Several of the busiest ferry routes were replaced by bridges or tunnels: Detroit to Windsor, Belle Isle, the Sault Ste. Maries, St. Ignace to Mackinaw City, Port Huron to Sarnia. Boblo ceased to be a destination with the closure of the amusement park. Changes in laws and industry lead to the end of the Lake Michigan railroad ferries. The first autos crossed the Straits of Mackinac in 1917 on the SS ''Chief Wawatam''. In 1923, the state of Michigan began an auto ferry service that was the first such system to be state-owned. It continued until the day the Mackinac Bridge opened. The law required the ferry service to cease so that the bridge would not have competition and could pay off its construction bonds faster. The passenger ferries and many of the rail ferries across the Detroit and St. Clair rivers had ended after the bridges and tunnels were built. The ferries pioneered concepts in ship design and icebreaking techniques. Bow propellers and steel
spoon-shaped bow The bow () is the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway. The aft end of the boat is the stern. Prow may be used as a synonym for bow or it may mean the forward-most part ...
s made the rail ferries the best icebreakers on the lakes for many years until the dedicated U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers were assigned during World War II. In contrast, the ferries later had some of the most outdated equipment on the Lakes. The ''Badger'', still in service in 2019, is the last coal-fired Great Lakes passenger steamer. The ''Chief Wawatam'' was the last hand-fed coal steamer and the ''Landsdowne'' was the last paddlewheeler when it was converted to a barge in 1970. The Detroit-Windsor ferries were popular with small-scale bootleggers during
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
, especially as border guards were reluctant to search young Canadian women who worked in Detroit offices.


Automobile ferries


Lake Charlevoix

* ''Charlevoix'' At Ironton, Michigan is a four-car cable ferry that crosses a narrow point on the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix in the U.S. Located on Ferry Road off Michigan Route 66.


Lake Michigan


Cross-lake

* SS ''Badger'', cross-lake,
Ludington, Michigan Ludington ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Mason County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,076. Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette Rive ...
to
Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with over ...
, connecting US Highway 10 (US 10) with its counterpart in Wisconsin, 4 hours * ''
HSC Lake Express ''Lake Express'' is a high-speed auto and passenger ferry that is in service on a route across Lake Michigan. ''Lake Express'' links the cities of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan, from late spring to the fall of each year. Background ...
'', cross-lake,
Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expa ...
to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
, 2.5 hours


Beaver Island

;Current boats * '' Beaver Islander'', (built 1962),
Charlevoix, Michigan Charlevoix ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County. The population was 2,348 at the 2020 census. Charlevoix is mostly surrounded by Charlevoix Township, but the two are administered autonomously ...
to Beaver Island, 2 hours * ''Emerald Isle'', (built 1997), Charlevoix to Beaver Island, 2 hours ;Retired boats *''Emerald Isle'' (built 1955), in use 1955–62, then a Mackinac ferry until 1982, now ''Diamond Jack'' cruise on the Detroit River *''South Shore'', (built 1945), for Miller Boat Line, Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Operated to Beaver Island from 1973-1997. Sold in 1999 to Shoreline Sightseeing Cruises, Chicago.


St. Marys River

Ferry service to Sugar Island began in 1928 and to Neebish Island service in 1933, provided by private companies. The Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority assumed their operations in 1980.


Neebish Island

*''Neebish Islander II'', (built 1946),
Neebish Island Neebish Island is located in the U.S. state of Michigan, in the St. Marys River, which connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron at the easternmost point of Michigan's upper peninsula. Located west of the international border that separates the Uni ...
ferry, Barbeau, former ''Sugar Islander I'' *''Neebish Islander III'', (built 2022)


Sugar Island

*''Sugar Islander II'', (built 1995), Sugar Island to Sault Ste. Marie


Lake Huron


Bois Blanc Island

* ''Kristen D'' (1987), Cheboygan to Bois Blanc Island


Drummond Island

;Current boats De Tour Village to Drummond Island, connecting M-134 across the DeTour Passage, since 1975, part of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority *''Drummond Islander III'' (built 1989) *''Drummond Islander IV'', (built 2000) ;Retired boats *''Clyde'', in use 1905–08 *''Naida'', in use 1915–24 *''Drummond'', in use 1922–24 and 1931–32 *''Phillip'', in use 1922–30, destroyed by fire *''Wallan'' (built 1933), in use 1933–47, run by Road Commission from 1943 as ''Sam C. Taylor'' *''Drummond Islander I'' (built 1947), sold to Arnold Line and renamed ''Mackinac Islander'' *''Drummond Islander II'', in use 1961–89, sold to MCM Marine as tugboat


St. Clair River

* Champion's Auto Ferry,
Harsens Island Harsens Island is a wet marshy location at the mouth of the St. Clair River on Lake St. Clair, in the U.S. state of Michigan. Politically, the island is in Clay Township of St. Clair County. History The island was named for its first Euro-Ame ...
, connecting M-154 to the mainland **''Arthur R Champion'' (1941) **''North Channel'' (1967) **''South Channel'' (1973) **''Middle Channel'' (1996) *
Walpole–Algonac Ferry The Walpole–Algonac Ferry serves the city of Algonac, Michigan, and the First Nation reserve of Walpole Island, and (indirectly), Wallaceburg, Ontario, via Highway 40 (Ontario), Highway 40 and Chatham-Kent Road 32. It serves as a border crossin ...
*
Sombra–Marine City (Bluewater) Ferry The Sombra – Marine City (Bluewater) Ferry was a ferry service that crossed the St. Clair River, connecting Sombra, Ontario in Canada on the eastern bank with Marine City, Michigan in the United States on the western bank. Vehicles accessed the ...
**''Daldean of Chatham'' **''Ontamich'' (built 1939) *;Former vessel **''Lowell D of Chatham''


Detroit River

* Detroit–Windsor Truck Ferry


Internal

*
Ironton Ferry Ironton Ferry is a four-car cable ferry that crosses a narrow point on the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix in the U.S. state of Michigan in the unincorporated community of Ironton. The ferry connects Ironton, located about from Charlevoix, to B ...
, southern arm of
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over 17,200 acres (70 km2) and 56 miles (90 km) of shoreline. The maximum depth in ...
, the ''Charlevoix'' a
cable ferry A cable ferry (including the terms chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge, or punt) is a ferry that is guided (and in many cases propelled) across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often ...
built 1926 has a capacity of 4 cars.


Passenger-only ferries


Lake Superior


Isle Royale

*''
Isle Royale Queen IV ''Isle Royale Queen IV'' is a passenger ferry operating on Lake Superior between Copper Harbor, Michigan, and Isle Royale National Park, the largest island on Lake Superior and the State of Michigan's only national park. The ferry operates from ...
'',
Copper Harbor, Michigan Copper Harbor is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Keweenaw County, Michigan, Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located within Grant Township, Keweenaw County, Michigan ...
to Rock Harbor,
Isle Royale National Park Isle Royale National Park is an American national park consisting of Isle Royale – known as Minong to the native Ojibwe – along with more than 400 small adjacent islands and the surrounding waters of Lake Superior, in the state of Michigan. ...
, 3.5 hours *''
Ranger III ''Ranger III'' is a 648-ton vessel built to carry visitors to Isle Royale National Park, on Lake Superior. She was built in 1958, and has undergone several refits. The vessel is designed to carry 125 passengers, as well as 100 tons of cargo. Sh ...
'',
Houghton, Michigan Houghton (; ) is the largest city and seat of government of Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, Houghton is the largest city in the Copper Country region. It is the fifth-largest city in the Uppe ...
to Rock Harbor, Isle Royale, 6 hours *''Sea Hunter'',
Grand Portage, Minnesota Grand Portage is an unorganized territory in Cook County, Minnesota, United States, on Lake Superior, at the northeast corner of the state near the border with northwestern Ontario. The population was 565 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated c ...
to Windigo, Isle Royale, 1.5 hours *''Voyageur II'', Grand Portage, Minnesota to Isle Royale, 2–7.5 hours, multiple stops


Grand Island

*Grand Island ferry,
Grand Island National Recreation Area The Grand Island National Recreation Area is a national recreation area in Hiawatha National Forest under jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. Located on Grand Island, Michigan offshore from Munising, Michigan, the Grand Island National Recr ...


Lake Michigan


Manitou Islands

*''Mishe-Mokwa'', Manitou Island Transit,
North Manitou Island North Manitou Island ( ) is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west-northwest of Leland, Michigan. It is nearly eight miles long and more than four miles (6 km) wide, with of shoreline. It has a land area of 57.876 km2 (22.346 sq ...
, 1 hour, and
South Manitou Island South Manitou Island ( ) is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west of Leland, Michigan. It is part of Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The uninhabited island is in land area and can be accessed by a ferry s ...
, 1.5 hours


Little Traverse Bay

*''Jacob's Run'', the Little Traverse Bay Ferry, begun 2020, connecting Petoskey,
Harbor Springs Harbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County, Michigan. The population was 1,194 in the 2010 census. Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Li ...
and Bay Harbor on
Little Traverse Bay Little Traverse Bay is a small bay, 170 feet (55 m) deep, off Lake Michigan in the northern area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The cities of Harbor Springs and Petoskey are located on this bay. Harbor Springs originated as ''L'arbre de C ...
, half hour trip, a previous ferry on this route closed in the 1940s


Straits of Mackinac

*
Arnold Transit Company Arnold Transit Company was a ferry boat company serving Mackinac Island in Michigan for 140 years. In late 2016 Arnold Line's Assets including the boats, docks along with its name were purchased by Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Service , who co ...
(purchased by Star Line in 2016) :Current boats :*''Algomah'' (1961) :*''Beaver'', (1952), freight :*''Chippewa'' (1962) :*''Corsair'' (1955), freight :*''Huron'' (1955) :*''Mackinac Express'' (1987), catamaran :*''Mackinac Islander'' (1947), formerly ''Drummond Islander'', freight :*''Ottawa'' (1959) :*''Straits Express'' (1995), catamaran :*''Straits of Mackinac II'' (1969) :Former boats :*''Emerald Isle'' Built 1955 for Beaver Island Boat Company. Owned by Arnold Line from 1962 to 1982. Now in Detroit as the ''Diamond Jack''. :*''Algomah'' (built 1881), in use until the 1930s :*''Chippewa'', 1883 to 1943 ran a Cheboygan–Mackinac Island–Sault Ste. Marie route :*''Detroit'', later called ''Iroquois'' (built 1922) :*''Mackinac'' (1909) :*''Mackinac Islander'' (1922), in use 1938–69, originally ''The Oliver H. Perry'', later freighter and sank as Alaska crab fishing boat ''Belair'' in 1974 :*''Mackinac Islander'' (1958), sold in the 1980s, now ''Diamond Belle'' of Diamond Jack's River Cruises on the Detroit River :*''Mohawk'' (1956), since 1995 ''Diamond Queen'' of Diamond Jack's River Cruises :*''Island Express'' (1988), catamaran, now ''Pictured Rocks Express'' of Pictured Rocks Cruises in
Munising, Michigan Munising ( ') is a city in Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,355 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Alger County. The city is partially surrounded by Munising Township, but the two are administered auton ...
. :*''Straits Express'' (1995), catamaran, now in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
being used as a commuter ferry for
Hornblower Cruises Hornblower Cruises & Events NOW City Experiences is a San Francisco-based charter yacht, dining cruise and ferry service company. History The company began in 1974 in Berkeley, California with two ships. In 1980 the original owner, Ward Proes ...
. * Shepler's Ferry **''Capt. Shepler'' (1986) **''Felicity'' (1972) **''The Hope'' (1976) **''Miss Margy'' (2015) **''Sacre Bleu'' (1959), formerly ''Put-in-Bay'', freight **''The Welcome'' (1969) **''Wyandot'' (1979) *
Star Line Ferry Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Service is a ferry boat company serving Mackinac Island in Michigan. The company has a dock at Mackinaw City and two at St. Ignace.http://www.mackinawinfo.com/star-line-ferry-schedule/, 2019 Star Line Ferry Sche ...
, (originally Argosy Boat Line (1962 -1977)) :Current boats :*''La Salle'' (1983) :*''Radisson'' (1988) :*''Cadillac'' (1990) :*''Joliet'' (1993) :*''Marquette II'' (2005) :*''Anna May'' (2012) :Retired boats :*''La Salle'' :*''Nicolet'' :*''Treasure Islander'' :*''Flamingo'' :*''Marquette'' (1979)


St. Clair River

:*'' Russell Island Ferry (private)''


Internal

*''Diane'', the
Saugatuck Chain Ferry The Saugatuck Chain Ferry is a hand-cranked chain ferry that crosses the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck, Michigan. It connects downtown Saugatuck to Mount Baldhead Park and Oval Beach. It is the only operational hand-cranked chain ferry in the G ...
, a
chain ferry A cable ferry (including the terms chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge, or punt) is a ferry that is guided (and in many cases propelled) across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often ...
across the
Kalamazoo River The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch.U.S. Geologica ...
at Saugatuck, site of a ferry since 1838


Defunct ferries


Lake Michigan


Rail ferries to Wisconsin

The Ann Arbor Railroad, Grand Trunk, and Chesapeake and Ohio ran train ferries across Lake Michigan. Several of these also carried passengers in the upper decks. * Ann Arbor Railroad ran ferries from Betsie Lake,
Elberta, Michigan Elberta is a village in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 372 at the 2010 census. The village located in the east of Gilmore Township, on the south side of Lake Betsie, which is formed by the Betsie River before flow ...
to
Manistique, Michigan Manistique, formerly Monistique, is the only city and county seat of Schoolcraft County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 2,828. The city borders the adjacent Manistique Township, but the two are a ...
and
Kewaunee, Wisconsin Kewaunee is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2020 census. Located on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan, the city is the county seat of Kewaunee County. Its Menominee name is ''Kewāneh'', ...
from 1892,
Menominee, Michigan Menominee ( ) is a city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,599 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Menominee County, Michigan, Menominee Cou ...
from 1894,
Gladstone, Michigan Gladstone is a city in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. First settled in 1877, Gladstone's original name was Minnewasca. The population was 4,973 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highways 2 and 41 run concurrently t ...
from 1895,
Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with over ...
from 1896. Service ended in 1982. ** (built 1892), burned to the waterline, 1910 ** (1892), in use until 1912, converted to barge ''Whale'', a sandsucker ** (1898) ** (1906), sold to the state to ferry autos at Mackinac, renamed ''City of Cheboygan'', 1937 ** (1910), sold to Bultema Dredge & Dock Co in 1967, used for the construction of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant near South Haven. 150 ft of stern sank on way to Padnos salvage in 1970. Stern rediscovered in May 2005 by Michigan Shipwreck Research Association(MSRA) ** (1917), renamed ''Arthur K. Atkinson'' in 1959, served a route from
Frankfort, Michigan Frankfort is a city in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,286 at the 2010 census. The elevation of Frankfort is above sea level. The city is situated with Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Betsie, formed by the Betsi ...
to Manitowoc, Wisconsin from 1980-1982 ** (1925), rebuilt as ''Viking'' and in service until 1982 **''Maitland No. 1'', chartered for part of 1915 ** (1927) **, a Grand Trunk Western vessel was leased in 1978. *
Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company The Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company was the Grand Trunk Western Railroad's subsidiary company operating its Lake Michigan railroad car ferry operations between Muskegon, Michigan, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1905 to 1978. Major rail ...
ran rail ferries from
Grand Haven, Michigan Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Ha ...
to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
from 1903 to 1933. From 1933 to 1978 the route was
Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expan ...
to Milwaukee. ** (built 1902) formerly ''Manistique, Marquette & Northern 1'', sank near Milwaukee in 1929, with 52 dead ** (built 1903) ** (1926) ** (1927) **, (built 1930), sailed for Grand Trunk until 1978. *
Pere Marquette Railway The Pere Marquette Railway operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and southern parts of Ontario in Canada. It had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections in ...
, later part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, ran rail ferries from Ludington to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
,
Kewaunee, Wisconsin Kewaunee is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2020 census. Located on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan, the city is the county seat of Kewaunee County. Its Menominee name is ''Kewāneh'', ...
and
Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with over ...
in Wisconsin. Their superintendent for over 30 years was
William L. Mercereau William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
. The last route (Kewaunee) ended on July 1, 1983. Michigan-Wisconsin Transportation Company acquired the ferries and ran until 1990. **'' Pere Marquette 15'' (built 1896), in service 1900–35 **''Pere Marquette 16'' (1895), in service 1900–14, worked for Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western 1898–99 **''Pere Marquette 17'' (1901), in service until 1940, converted to auto ferry in 1940 at Straits of Mackinac, scrapped in 1961 **''Pere Marquette 18'' (1st) (1902), in service until 1910, sank in Lake Michigan with 29 lives lost **''Pere Marquette 19'' (1903), in service until 1940 **''Pere Marquette 20'' (1903), in service until 1938, converted to auto ferry at Straits of Mackinac in 1938, converted to warehouse in 1959 **''Pere Marquette 18'' (2nd) (1911), in service until 1952 **''Pere Marquette 21'' (1924), in service until 1973 **''Pere Marquette 22'' (1924), in service until 1973 **''City of Saginaw 31'' (1929), in service until 1973 **''City of Flint 32'' (1930), in service until 1969, converted to barge ''Roanoke'' ** SS ''City of Midland 41'' (1941), in use until 1983, now the barge ''Pere Marquette 41'' ** SS ''Badger'' (1952), in use until 1990, later converted to an auto ferry, still in that service ** SS ''Spartan'' (1952), in use until 1979, laid up in Ludington, used for parts for ''Badger''


Passenger and auto ferries

*Wisconsin and Michigan Steamship Company **''Illinois'' **SS ''
Milwaukee Clipper SS ''Milwaukee Clipper'', also known as SS ''Clipper'' , and formerly as SS ''Juniata'', is a retired passenger ship and automobile ferry that sailed under two configurations and traveled on all of the Great Lakes except Lake Ontario. The vessel ...
'' (built 1904), in use 1941–70, Muskegon, Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 900 passengers and 180 autos


Straits of Mackinac

Before the construction of the
Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...
connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan, car and train ferries crossed between
Mackinaw City, Michigan Mackinaw City ( ) is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, the population increases during summertime, including an influx of tourists and seasonal workers who serve ...
and
St. Ignace St. Ignace is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County. The city had a population of 2,452 at the 2010 census. St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city, but the two are administered auto ...
. The early transport across the Straits was by private boat. The first large commercial concerns were the railways whose ferries pioneered concepts in ice breaking and ship design. The state took over auto traffic after complaints that the railways service was too expensive and unreliable for motorists.


Early ferries

*''Mary Queen'' *''Gazelle'' *''Lotus''


Straits of Mackinac auto ferries

The state provided auto ferry service between 1923 and 1957. The ferries carried almost 1 million cars a year in the mid-1950s before the bridge opened in 1957. At that time, there were five ferries running with a total capacity of 500 cars; the largest ferry could carry 150. In their last year of service, the state ferries employed 400 people. *Michigan State Ferries **''Ariel'' (bought used 1923) unused after 1923, sold 1925 **''Sainte Ignace'' (1924) sold 1940 **''Mackinaw City'' (1924) sold 1940 **''The Straits of Mackinac'' (1928) **''City of Cheboygan'' (1937), formerly ''Ann Arbor No.4'' **''City of Munising'' (1938), formerly ''Pere Marquette 20'' **''City of Petoskey'' (1940) formerly ''Pere Marquette 17'' ** ''Vacationland'' (1952), largest ferry, made last run of the service in November, 1957.


Rail ferries across the Straits of Mackinac

*
Mackinac Transportation Company The Mackinac Transportation Company was a train ferry service that shuttled railroad cars across the Straits of Mackinac from 1881 until 1984. It was best known as the owner and operator, from 1911 until 1984, of the SS ''Chief Wawatam'', an icebr ...
formed in 1881 by Grand Rapids & Indiana,
Michigan Central The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in ...
, and Detroit, Mackinac, and Marquette railroads. Service continued until 1984 when the dock at St. Ignace collapsed. From 1923 until 1952, the ''Sainte Marie II'' and ''Chief Wawatam'' carried autos for the state ferry service during the heavy ice periods in winter. **''Algomah'' (1880–95), also towed the
rail barge A railroad car float or rail barge is a specialised form of Lighter (barge), lighter with railway tracks mounted on its deck used to move rolling stock across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go. An unpowered barge, it i ...
''Betsy'', after 1895 sold to Island Transportation Company **''St. Ignace'' **''Saint Marie I '' **''Saint Marie II'' (1912–61) ** ''Chief Wawatam'' (1910–84), the last hand-fed coal steamer on the Great Lakes


Mackinac Island

*Island Transportation Company was part owned by George Arnold and employed Bill Shepler as one of its captains. The service ran from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island. It merged with the Arnold Line (whose service was Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island) in June 1946. **''Algoma'', (built 1880), in service from 1895 **''Algoma II'' (1922), in service 1936–46, later with Arnold Line until 1960


Sault Ste. Marie (St. Mary's River)

**''Dime'', first steam ferry at Soo, wood-fired *American-based company started by Sam Bernier (by 1865 - 1903) **''M.I. Mills'' (in service by 1865 - ), passenger only * International Transit Company (Canadian company) (1901 - 1962) **''Bawating'', (1910-1915) passenger ferry (had been ''Fortune'' running Detroit-Windsor route) **''Agoming'', (1926-1962), auto ferry **''James W. Curran'', (1947-1962), auto ferry **''John A. McPhail'', (1955-1962) auto ferry International Transit Company was purchased by Ontario during the building of the
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge is operated by the International Bridge ...
; the government operated the ferries until the bridge opened in 1962.


St. Clair River

Many ferries carried passengers, mostly between Sarnia and Port Huron before the
Blue Water Bridge The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, United States, and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with both Interstate 69 ( ...
opened in 1938. In 1937, ferries had carried 1,174,846 passengers, 220,555 automobiles, 1,222 trucks and 267 motorcycles. Rail transport continued for many years. *Early ferries **The first licensed ferry was in 1836, a sailboat owned by Crampton **George Moffat began a ferry service with a craft made of 3 canoes and powered by two ponies in the 1840s **A 4-horse boat and a 4-mule boat were in competition in the later 1840s **''United'', the first steam powered ferry owned by Moffatt began service in 1850 **''Sarnia'', a paddlewheel steamer was brought into service by Moffatt in 1860, burned in 1877 **''G.A. Brush'', 1860s, competitor to Moffatt's Sarnia **''Fanny White'', 1860s, competitor to Moffatt's Sarnia **''Mystic'', in service in 1877 **''Essex'' (built 1859, original route Detroit-Windsor) *Port Huron Ferry Company formed in 1891 with ferries already in service, Company was bought out by state of Michigan in 1937 to prevent competition with the new bridge. **''Grace Dormer'' (built 1868-after 1923), abandoned by 1925 when it was destroyed in a fire at a boneyard in Buffalo **''James Beard'' (in use 1873-after 1923) **''Omar D. Conger'' (1882-1922), on March 26, 1922 exploded at dock in Black River, 4 deaths **''J.C. Clark'', at Sarnia-Port Huron from late 1880s, burned 1905 **''Hiawatha'', at Sarnia-Port Huron from late 1880s until about 1923 **''City of Cheboygan'', renamed ''City of Port Huron'' at Port Huron-Sarnia 1917 to 1937, sank at dock 1939 **''Ariel'', 1920s-1937, sold for scrap 1941 **''Louis Philippe'', 1921 only, first auto ferry at Port Huron-Sarnia **''Lawrence'', 1921-1934, first auto ferry at Port Huron-Sarnia **''City of Sarnia'', 1923-1937, sold for scrap 1953, largest ferry could carry 1000 passengers and 42 autos. *Blue Water Ferry Company (1946-1957) using converted military landing craft as passenger only ferries and reusing the older ship's names. **''City of Sarnia'' **''City of Port Huron'' *Rail ferries served
Sarnia, Ontario Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...
to
Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...
from 1859 to 1890. **The earliest ferry was a
chain ferry A cable ferry (including the terms chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge, or punt) is a ferry that is guided (and in many cases propelled) across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often ...
on a 1000-foot chain across the river in the 1860s. The unpowered vessel and its chain became a navigation concern. * Grand Trunk/
Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
**''International'' (1872), hull built in England, assembled in Canada, later in use for Pere Marquette on St. Clair River from 1903–27 **''Huron'', (1875), hull built in England, assembled in Canada *
Pere Marquette Railroad The Pere Marquette Railway operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and southern parts of Ontario in Canada. It had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections in ...
**''International'' (1872), built for Grand Trunk, later in use for Pere Marquette on St. Clair River from 1903–27 ** ''Pere Marquette'' ''10'' (built 1945), in use as ferry until 1974, in use as barge until 1995 **''Pere Marquette 12'' (1927), sold to
Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
in 1969, renamed ''St. Clair'', converted to barge 1980s, in use until 1995 **''Pere Marquette 14'' (1904), in use until 1957 *
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
service ended October 7, 1994


Detroit River


Detroit to Windsor

*Passenger and auto ferries **Early ferries, ordered by date of entering serviceRiver Ferries From Hand To Steam)
1910
****Among the earliest ferry service were the canoes owned by Louis Davenport, which were fitted with runners and pushed across the ice in wintertime ***''Olive Branch'' (the Horse Ferry), (1825-?), a horse-powered siddewheeler, could carry wagons and cattle ***''Argo'', (1830-1834), first steamboat ferry at Detroit ***''Lady of the Lake'' (1834-?) ***''United'' (1836-1853) later called ''Alliance'', then called ''Undine'' ***''Argo No. 2'', built in 1848, in use until 1880 ***''Ottawa'', mostly used as tow barge due to oversupply of ferry boats in the 1860s ***''Windsor'' (1856-1866), steamer, burned with the loss of 30 lives, April 23, 1866 (hull rebuilt as barge, in use until it sank in Green Bay in 1893) ***''Mohawk'', built about 1844 for British Revenue Service, ferry at Detroit mid-1850s, one of the first iron boats on the Great Lakes, later used on Great Lakes as passenger steamer, sank Lake Huron ***''Gem'' (1858-?), sidewheeler (ran Detroit to Amherstburg its first season) ***''Essex'' (built 1859 - in use until 1877), sold for use as ferry from Port Huron to Sarnia ***''Detroit'' (1862-1875), pulled burning Windsor out of dock in 1866, itself burned at Sandwich in September, 1875 ***''Clara'', early 1860s, screw steamer, ran Detroit-Windsor in winter, Detroit-Fort Wayne in summer ***''Favorite'', in use 1867, out of service within a few years **Detroit Ferry Company and the Windsor Ferry Company combined in 1877 to form the Detroit and Windsor Ferry Company. In 1883 the company was renamed Detroit, Belle Isle and Windsor Ferry Company. It served Amhurstburg, Detroit, Windsor, Belle Isle, Bois Blanc Island (Boblo), and owned
Peche Island Peche Island ( French pronunciation anglicized to , therefore occasionally misspelled "Peach"), is an uninhabited, currently (reduced by erosion from a 1965 measurement of 109 acres / 43.7 ha) Canadian-owned island in the Detroit River, at it ...
. ***''Hope'' (built 1870) ("soon after converted into a propeller for lake service") ***''Victoria'' (1872), the first Great Lakes ferry built with ice-breaking hull ***''Fortune'' (1875-1910), later ''Bawating'' ferry at Sault Ste. Marie (1910-1915), converted to a tug and sank off Jekyll Island, Georgia, 1920 ***''Excelsior'' (1876) ***''Garland'' (1880) ***''Sappho'' (1883), originally part of Walkerville and Detroit Ferry Company ***''Promise'' (1892) ***''Pleasure'' (1894) ***''Britannia'' (1906) ***''Lasalle'' (1922) ***''Cadillac'' (1928) **Walkerville and Detroit Ferry Company formed in 1881 by
Hiram Walker Hiram Walker (July 4, 1816 – January 12, 1899) was an American entrepreneur and founder of the Hiram Walker and Sons Ltd. distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Walker was born in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and moved to Detroit in 1838. He p ...
and served a route from Detroit to Belle Isle to
Walkerville, Ontario Walkerville, Ontario, is a former town in Canada, that is today a heritage precinct of Windsor, Ontario. The town was founded by Hiram Walker in 1890, owner and producer of Canadian Club Whisky. Walker planned it as a 'model town’, (originally ...
. Service ended in 1942. ***''Essex'' (built 1913), converted to tug 1942, ended career in Peru ***''Ariel'' (1882)


Detroit to Belle Isle ferry

*
Belle Isle Park Belle Isle Park, known simply as Belle Isle (), is a island park in Detroit, Michigan, developed in the late 19th century. It consists of Belle Isle, an island in the Detroit River, as well as several surrounding islets. The U.S.-Canada border ...
, 1840–1957


Detroit to Boblo Island

Ferry service ran to the island from 1898-1993 by the Bois Blanc Excursion Line (part of the Detroit, Belle Island, and Windsor Ferry Company) * , Detroit to
Boblo Island Amusement Park Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the ...
on Bois Blanc Island, 1.5 hours, 1902–91 * SS ''Ste. Clair'', 1.5 hours, 1910–91


Detroit to Windsor rail ferries

*
Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
CN discontinued passenger service in 1955. ** SS ''Lansdowne'' (built 1884), served until 1956, scrapped 2009, a sidewheel paddleboat ** ''Huron'' ** ''Great Western'' *
Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
**''Michigan'' **''Ontario'' * Grand Trunk *
Michigan Central The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in ...
**''Transport'' (built 1880) **''Transfer'' (1873) **''Transfer II'' **''Detroit'' *
Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including track in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri and the province of Ontario. Its primary con ...
, later
Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the ...
purchased three ferries from Michigan Central in 1910 when the Michigan Central tunnel opened. The service continued until April 30, 1994. **''Transport'' (built 1880), in use until 1933 **''Transfer II'', in use until 1938 **''Detroit'' **''Manitowoc'' (built 1926) **''Windsor'' (1930)


Grosse Ile to Gordon, Ontario rail ferry

* Ferry from Grosse Ile to Gordon, Ontario between 1873 and 1888 on the Canada Southern Railway, later Michigan Central


Lake Erie

*Michigan-Ohio Navigation Company ** SS ''Aquarama'', (built 1945), in use 1957–62, Detroit to
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 2,500 passengers and 160 automobiles *Detroit-Atlantic Navigation Company of Detroit, MI. **MV ''Jack Dalton'', the former Michigan state ferry ''Vacationland'', was used briefly in the summer of 1960 to ship truck trailers in "fishyback" service between Detroit and Cleveland, OH. The venture quickly proved uneconomical and the service was suspended within 90 days of inauguration. Michigan seized the ferry for non-payment and resold the ship for use off lakes.


References

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Further reading

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External links

{{commons category
The Ludington CarferriesIronton FerryStarline Mackinac Island Ferry
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