Fraser Industries to secure $40M in financing for shipyard expansion in Superior

Fraser plans to double its workforce, creating hundreds of jobs

By Danielle Kaeding

Published: Tuesday, December 12, 2023, 3:00pm

A company that owns a Superior shipyard is moving ahead with plans to secure up to $40 million in financing to expand its operations, a move its chief executive says will create hundreds of jobs.

Fraser Industries, parent company of Fraser Shipyards, is seeking funds as part of plans to reduce a four-year backlog of contracts to build and repair ships at its 62-acre production site in Superior.

The shipyard, which has operated for 135 years in Superior, repairs vessels of all sizes in Howards Bay along Lake Superior. Fraser owns several companies that repair and build boats for police and fire departments, ferries and the military.

The Superior City Council recently approved a resolution supporting the company’s plans to seek bonds through the Public Finance Authority. The governmental body issues tax-exempt financing on behalf of local governments in Wisconsin and throughout the nation.

Patrick Kelly, chief executive officer of Fraser Industries, said the funding would be used to invest in new tools, cranes and expanded production facilities at its shipyard.

“This funding will really help us accelerate delivery and get more boats out the door and creates a lot of job opportunities and a lot of job security for everybody at the yard,” Kelly told WPR.

Kelly said the company hopes it’s the first of several phases of growth at the shipyard, saying officials are working toward investing up to $100 million.

During a presentation before the Superior City Council, Kelly said the company’s plans are expected to roughly double its full-time workforce from 200 to 400 employees year-round by the end of 2025. Over the winter months, Kelly said the company could employ 600 workers when the shipyard is busiest repairing vessels prior to the start of the shipping season.

Fraser Industries
Fraser Industries owns several companies at its shipyard in Superior, which has been building ships for more than 130 years.

Fraser’s CEO also pointed to a study from the Maritime Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation, which found 2.7 jobs are tied to every direct job in the shipbuilding and repair industry. He estimated that could mean between 1,400 and 2,200 jobs for contractors they rely on for electrical installations, painting and other work at the shipyard.

Superior Mayor Jim Paine said the shipyard is one of the oldest industrial employers in the city.

“The jobs are generally the kind that we like to see: reliable, high-paying jobs,” Paine said. “That’s a real opportunity for growth in the city. On the whole, it looks pretty exciting. Although, I’m eager to learn more of the specifics of what the project will actually involve.”

Fraser is making investments after Infrastructure Acquisition Partners LLC acquired the company two years ago. Kelly said the shipyard currently uses around 15 acres of the 62-acre site.

“We’ve identified some prime locations to expand our footprint, add another 60,000-square-foot building, which allows us to produce more boats both for the Navy, other government contractors, government groups and police and fire departments all over the country,” Kelly said. 

Kelly said half of the company’s business comes from government contracts. The shipyard is currently building several boats for the U.S. Navy that include multi-million dollar contracts for patrol boats that help protect the fleet, as well as boats that aid with response to oil spills. It’s also building vessels that help dock nuclear submarines.

Fraser sought support from city leaders in Superior and Douglas County to secure bonds from the Public Finance Authority because state statutes require local governments, or their highest ranking executives, to approve financing for the project. Both the company and local leaders say neither the city nor the county will face liability for repaying any loans.

Fraser’s CEO said officials are on track to secure funding from investors sometime in the next few months. Once that’s in place, Kelly said they plan to begin making investments at the shipyard in the next year to 18 months.

Superior’s mayor said the city will become more involved about potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods and waterways if the company is making major changes, including new types of shipping or rail development. Paine noted workers have been injured or killed at the shipyard, adding shipbuilding is dangerous work.

“We need to be able to be in a position to protect them, to protect their employees and to make sure that they’re doing everything possible to keep their employees and the broader community safe,” Paine said.
Even so, he said it’s a significant opportunity.

Nick Ledin, president of the Superior City Council, said he would like to see the company use local union labor during the expansion.

“Try and keep as much of this business local as possible whether it is materials or equipment,” Ledin said. “Things along those lines — that they try and keep as much of this money in the city of Superior as possible.”

Kelly said Fraser employs a “union proud workforce” and foresees multiple opportunities going forward. The company estimates about 75 percent of spending will take place locally or throughout the region.

WPR

NEWS14

Billions committed in historic decade of investment
aimed at enhancing Great Lakes-Seaway shipping

A comprehensive independent survey of public and private investment conservatively estimates
that $10.9 billion CAD ($8.4 billion USD) will be spent to enhance marine shipping on the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway between 2018 and 2027.

Prepared by Martin Associates and titled “Infrastructure Investment Survey of the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence Seaway System” the survey quantifies ongoing investments in the navigation
system to help support long term planning and the achievement of economic development goals,
while also building confidence in the system’s future viability.

In addition to identifying the level of investment, the survey also revealed investment in specific
aspects of Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway system. This includes: $828 million CAD ($636
million USD) was invested in vessel enhancements between 2018 and 2022, with at least another
$427 million CAD ($328 million USD) planned between 2023 and 2027. $2.7 billion CAD ($2.1
billion USD) was invested to enhance port and terminal infrastructure between 2018 and 2022,
with at least another $1.5 billion CAD ($1.1 billion USD) planned between 2023 and 2027. $3.9
billion CAD ($3 billion USD) was invested in waterway infrastructure such as locks,
breakwaters and navigation channels between 2018-2022, with at least another $1.6 billion CAD
($1.2 billion USD) planned between 2023 and 2027.

• This magnitude of investment reveals several important facts about the future of the economy,
  supply chains, and net zero initiatives in North America – specifically that:

• The marine shipping industry is focused on maintaining and building on its leadership as the
  most efficient, reliable, and sustainable way to move cargo;

• There is broad recognition that economic growth and GHG reduction ambitions can be
  achieved through significant investment in marine shipping;

• Navigation infrastructure and its users provide a key conduit for commercial activity for North
  American businesses – a vital conduit that requires continuous investment to enhance and
  maintain; and, as the world undergoes a historic shift towards more sustainable practices, the
  marine shipping industry and the US and Canadian governments are partnering to actively invest
  billions to lead in the transition.

The survey was developed as part of a larger project that was requested by a public/private sector
committee of American and Canadian maritime organizations. That project produced a study
titled “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” which
was released last July. The intent of this project was to provide the navigation community,
transportation planners, government policy makers, and the public with a credible, independent
assessment of the economic contributions associated with commercial maritime shipping in the
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region throughout North America. The study showed that marine
shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway supports tens of billions in economic
activity in North America, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and billions in wages and taxes each
year.

In addition to the billions invested by private marine shipping organizations in research and
development, new infrastructure, and new service offerings, the survey captures major
governmental funding initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure and improving supply chains.

This includes the U.S. Government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act,
which were aimed in part at investing in green technologies and infrastructure enhancement; the
Canadian Government’s Green Shipping Corridor Program, which will support increased
sustainability within the marine sector; and the Canadian Government’s establishment of a
dedicated Transportation Supply Chain Office to enhance supply chain effectiveness.

“The survey’s conclusion is clear: both the public and private sector recognize that maritime
commerce on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway remain essential to the economies of the
United States and Canada, and are investing to protect this irreplaceable system,’ said U.S.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through President Biden’s infrastructure law, we are
investing in marine shipping, which will continue to support high quality jobs, strengthen
America’s supply chains, and drive sustainable economic growth.

“The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System and its countless ports, terminals, ship owners,
and cargo owners support the most sustainable and cost-effective way to haul goods to and from
North America,” added Adam Tindall-Schlicht, administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence
Seaway Development Corporation. “The importance of this vital conduit for North American
trade is clear, and this survey shows that governments and the maritime industry are jointly
focused on supporting marine shipping’s environmental and technological leadership through
significant ongoing investment. Simultaneously catalyzing this robust trade corridor is the goal.”

20K Mackinac Island cruise ship passengers had $2M impact this year

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI – Around 20,000 cruise ship passengers visited Mackinac Island this
year, making an economic impact of nearly $2 million, officials announced. Nine cruise ships
each visited the National Historic Landmark island in Lake Huron dozens of times during 2023.

“I’m thrilled to witness the growing impact Great Lakes cruising has had on our beautiful island”
said Tim Hygh, Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau Executive Director. “The growing number of
passengers and their enthusiastic exploration once they arrive are a testament to the magic of
Mackinac Island as a must-visit destination. Our island community looks forward to welcoming
more cruise guests back next season and for years to come.”

The charming destination offers unique activities for visitors, including horse-drawn carriage
rides down streets that have been car-free for more than 100 years, walking and bicycle tours,
tasting trademark Mackinac Island fudge, exploring downtown shops, visiting the historic Fort
Mackinac and more.

Regionally, nearly 25,000 vacationers stepped off ships into Great Lakes ports in 2023 during
800 calls, an increase of more than 20% from 2022. Around 100 of those calls were on Mackinac
Island. The season ran from May to mid-October.

There were 11 cruise ships traversing the freshwater seas during 2023, compared to nine in 2022.
Nine of those ships visited Mackinac Island. Detroit and Sault Ste. Marie were also popular
Michigan destinations. Other ports of call were Alpena, Fayette, Houghton, Marquette and
Muskegon.

“The year-on-year growth in passengers, port visits, onshore spending, and the increasing
premium on Great Lakes cruises reflect the region’s growing popularity as a destination,” Anna
Tanski, tourism director of Cruise the Great Lakes, said in a statement.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/12/20k-mackinac-island-cruise-ship-passengers-had-2m-
impact-this-year.html
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Keetac DR-grade facility ready to roll

Keetac is officially in the DR-grade pellet business. United States Steel Corp.’s approximate
$150 million DR-grade pellet production facility, is ready to begin production at its Keetac
taconite plant in Keewatin, MN, say company officials.

“It’s primarily commissioned,” Travis Kolari, head of plant operations said. “We should be
making pellets at the first of the year as scheduled.” The DR-grade facility is a huge morale lift
for workers at an Iron Range taconite plant that’s seen more than its share of ups and downs over
the years.
It means production of a new, higher-value, higher iron content product that brings the plant into
the age of feeding modern steelmaking. DR-grade pellets are used to make hot-briquetted iron
(HBI or direct-reduced iron (DRI). HBI and DRI are a feed for modern electric arc furnace
steelmaking.

“We’re all eagerly waiting for the DR plant to come online,” Jake Friend, United Steelworkers
Local 2660 president at Keetac said. “The addition of DR pellet production will hopefully be our
saving grace when the need for blast furnace pellets is reduced due to varying factors.”

Kolari said Keetac is currently test running the concentrate that will be turned into DR-grade
pellets. To make the DR-grade pellets, United States Steel has made processing upgrades at
Keetac.

“We will take concentrate from the current concentrator and it runs right into the DR process,”
Kolari said. “The only change from a processing standpoint is flotation, which we haven’t used
at Keetac and what’s called a high intensity grinding mill.”

The Eveleth-based Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation on
Wednesday, Dec. 6, approved a Taconite Economic Development Fund (TEDF) rebate of
$1,076,262 to United States Steel/Keetac to help fund installation of an additional beneficiation
process in the Keetac concentrator, enabling Keetac to reduce silica concentration and meet DR-
grade pellet silica (waste) specifications.

The TEDF rebates a portion of the Taconite Production Tax each northeastern Minnesota taconite
facility pays back to the plants to stimulate reinvestment in the facilities.

United States Steel is matching the rebate with a $1,076,262 investment. Together, the funds will
support the DR-grade pellet process improvements.

The new Keetac processing system can be used year-round or bypassed to allow Keetac to make
the blast furnace grade pellets that have been produced at the plant for decades.

A low-silica DR-grade pellet, specially made for customer(s), helps improve the environment on
the steelmaking end, Kolari said. “Downstream it will have environmental benefits because it
will be feeding EAF’s (electric arc furnaces,” Kolari said.

Kolari said it will take some time for the DR-grade pellet system to become fully operational.
“We will ramp up over the next few years,” Kolari said.

The system is capable of producing 4.5 million tons per-year. Meanwhile, Keetac will continue
producing traditional blast furnace pellets, Kolari said. “There’s still quite a bit of marketability
for the blast furnace pellets,” he said.

Mesabi Tribune

Peshtigo father and daughter find shipwreck believed to have been from 1871 fire

PESHTIGO, WI. – It is believed a more than 152-year-old shipwreck has been found after being
lost the night of the Great Peshtigo Fire and a father-daughter duo from Peshtigo are the ones
who discovered it.

Henley Wollak, 6, is used to finding the big one while out on the water with her father, Tim. “I
like fishing with my daddy,” said Henley. The find one day this summer, near Green Island, was
unlike any the duo had discovered before. “I was surprised I had never seen it before because it’s
in an area where people regularly go,” said Tim Wollak.

He thought it was a shipwreck but hadn’t heard of one being in that location before. He posted
pictures to Facebook groups, where someone with the Wisconsin Historical Society came across
them.

“We went back to our database to see if there was anything reported in the area and we didn’t
have anything,” said Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist for the Wisconsin Historical
Society. “However, in the database we have information on historic losses and this fits the loss
location of the George L. Newman.”

The 122-foot-long George L. Newman, carrying lumber from Little Suamico, was trying to
navigate thick black smoke on Oct. 8, 1871, the night of the Peshtigo Fire, when it grounded near
Green Island. The crew was rescued and stayed on the island for a week, trying to salvage what.
they could from the vessel.

“It was actually built in 1855, so it’s a pretty significant shipwreck, pretty old for Wisconsin.
shipwrecks anyways,” said Thomsen. “To have it tied to the Peshtigo Fire, it makes it even more.
special.”

A few shipwrecks are reported to the historical society each year, according to Thomsen, but one
from a 6-year-old and her dad is rare.

“I don’t know how we top it,” said Tim Wollak. “I told her I’m pretty sure there’s no one else in
her school that has ever found a shipwreck that nobody had recorded before….I guess we just
have to fish more and see if we can find more shipwrecks.”

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources did more imaging last week to further confirm.
the historical society’s suspicions of it being the Newman.

A survey is planned for next spring to assess the site for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places.

FOX 11: View images at this link: https://fox11online.com/news/local/northwoods/peshtigo-
father-and-daughter-find-shipwreck-believed-to-have-been-from-1871-
fire?fbclid=IwAR3OGyKtCQ0OsCDTb6qVd1HEBL2YiKPhfT-
dOxMZphxmQSip8bSqC8JBZu0

Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society wins documentary short award
Corey Adkins, the content /communications director for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical
Society has won the Best Documentary Short award at the 2023 Great Lakes International Film
Festival which was held in Erie, Pa. The award was for the mini documentary &The Great Storm
of 1872.  To review the documentary, click on the link below.

hODxoMKwnQMxJGx1Ilw

The barge Viking towed to Gladstone, Michigan for scrapping

The barge Viking, formerly the rail carferry Ann Arbor No. 7 and, later, Viking, was towed to
Gladstone, MI, Dec. 11 for scrapping.

Ann Arbor No. 7 was built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI, for the Ann ArborRailroad Co. It was launched on January 2, 1925.

In 1964, The ANN ARBOR NO. 7 was sent to Lake Superior (she was the only carferry to go
through the Soo Locks) where she was extensively rebuilt at Superior, Wisconsin at a cost of $2
million. The original triple expansion steam engines were replaced with four diesel engines and
electric drive. The upper deck was raised to handle taller rail cars.

In 2002, The Erie Times-News reported that the VIKING 1 had been sold to K&K Warehousing
of Menominee, MI, to be reduced to a barge. Although cut down to a deck barge in 2103 she was
never used as such, and on December 11, 2023, she was towed to Gladstone, Michigan, for
scrapping.

Obituary: Capt. Joe Heaney

Capt. Joe Heaney, a well-known fixture on the Detroit waterfront for the past 50 years, passed away unexpectedly on December 10, 2023 at the age of 67.

The majority of his 50-year maritime career was spent in and around the Port of Detroit, beginning with the Norfolk Southern Railroad aboard the Detroit-Windsor rail ferries, then moving on to the Ford Fleet, Gaelic Tugboat Co., J.W. Westcott Co., and for the past 33 years as a Detroit-based captain with the Great Lakes Towing Co.

Captain Heaney is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Keri, and son Mitchell. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Please check the Martenson Funeral Home Website for updates. https://www.martenson.com/obituaries/Joseph-G-Heaney?obId=30086776#/obituaryInfo

Detroit slag grinder gets air permit
despite environmental objections

By Garret Ellison

DETROIT, MI — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has approved an air pollution permit for a new slag grinding plant near Zug Island despite opposition from local environmental justice advocates.

On Nov. 30, EGLE approved an air permit for Edwin C. Levy Co., a Dearborn company which plans to build plant at 8941 West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit which would grind up blast furnace slag from the nearby Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill. The plant would produce a granular material used as a construction aggregate, which the company says is a less carbon-intensive alternative to traditional Portland cement.

Regulators approved the permit over the objections of environmental groups who say another southeast Michigan Levy facility is accumulating violations and the new plant would add more air pollution to an already overburdened area.

“We still believe EGLE has significantly underestimated the high level of particulate matter pollution in this community and that its decision was faulty,” said Nick Leonard, director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, which opposed the permit.

According to EGLE, the new Levy plant will emit an estimated 22.8 tons-per-year of different particulate types and is being classified as a minor emissions source for other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, carbon, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The natural-gas powered plant will use dust collectors to cut down on particulate emissions.

Leonard’s group criticized the state’s background air quality calculations, saying EGLE relied on data from an air monitor in Allen Park rather than one closer.

According to the Detroit News, Levy’s Plant 6 at 3001 Miller Road in Dearborn has accumulated 23 violations notices from EGLE since 2013, including four this year.

The Dearborn plant neighbors have complained about fallout dust from the Miller Road plant. The company has disputed responsibility for some of the dusting.The Miller Road plant processes slag byproduct from Cleveland-Cliffs, formerly AK Steel. The plant’s air quality permitting was the formerly subject of litigation between Levy and EGLE.

A message left with Levy government relations director Reuben Maxbauer was not returned last week.

Read more at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/12/detroit-slag-grinder-gets-air-permit-despite-environmental-objections.html

Lake levels declining more than average

Dry conditions in November resulted in the levels of the Great Lakes declining more than the

seasonal average.

That’s the word from the International Lake Superior Board of Control in its latest update. Lake

Superior declined by 3.9 inches last month. The seasonal long-term average pattern is for

Superior to decline by 2 inches, the board said.

At the same time, Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 3.9 inches last month. The seasonal long-

term average pattern is for Lake Michigan-Huron to decline by 1.6 inches in November,

according to the board.

Water supply conditions were quite dry in Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron basins in

November, the board said.

At the beginning of December, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior was

2 inches below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2022) and 8.7 inches below the level of a

year ago. At the beginning of December, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-

Huron was 3.1 inches above the seasonal long-term average (1918-2022) and 1.6 inches below

the level of a year ago.

As for the forecast outlook, the board noted both Lake Superior and Michigan-Huron are in

their seasonal decline.

• If weather and water supply conditions are near average, both Lake Superior and Lake

Michigan-Huron are expected to decline in December by 3.1 inches and 2.4 inches,

respectively.

• If conditions are wetter than average, Lake Superior may decline by 1.6 inches and Lake

Michigan-Huron may rise slightly by 0.4 inches.

• If conditions are drier than average, the water level of Lake Superior is expected to

decline by as much as 5.1 inches, and Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to decline by as

much as 4.7 inches.

The board said an adjustment to the gate setting on the St. Marys River compensating works

will take place this week, with the gate setting being lowered to approximately one-half gate

fully open with the water flow being 74,900 ft 3 /s, as prescribed by a regulation plan from 2012.

Actual day-to-day flows may vary depending on conditions, as well as variations in flow from

the hydropower plants.

International Lake Superior Board of Control

Museum tug John Purves to head to shipyard Monday

The Door County Maritime Museum expects to move the tug John Purves Monday morning, December 11. She will be moved by tugs from Roen Salvage and brought to Fincatiari Bay Ship in Sturgeon Bay for drydocking to do some needed maintenance.  The 1919-built tug will return to the west waterfront and moor in her berth alongside the Door County Maritime Museum in early spring.

The Door County Maritime Museum, which began offering tours of the tug boat in 2008, secured the last piece of funding needed to make a number of repairs to the vessel’s hull among other improvements. Deputy Director and Development Manager Sam Perlman says it is important for the tug to be preserved for future generations to tour, something over 70,000 people have already been able to experience.

Read more about this vintage tug at this link: https://dcmm.org/tug-john-purves-sturgeon-bay/

Door Country Daily News

True stories behind 12 of Wisconsin’s coolest lighthouses

There are 55 lighthouses along Wisconsin’s shores, the majority dating back to the 1800s. For centuries, the beacons of light ensured the safe passage of ships crossing the Great Lakes, bringing all sorts of cargo and passengers across the oft-angry waters.

Although many of them are no longer in service, each lighthouse that still stands serves as a scenic reminder of the state’s maritime past—a past that includes deadly shipwrecks, haunted encounters, tragic love affairs, and scenes reminiscent of the 2019 thriller “The Lighthouse.”

Content warning: The following article mentions suicide.

Michigan Island Lighthouse, Apostle Islands
It wasn’t until the beacon of Michigan Island Lighthouse was finally lit in 1857 that someone realized a monumental mistake had occurred. You see, the lighthouse was supposed to be housed on Long Island, which was just a hop, skip, and jump away from Michigan Island, where it was built. At some point in the planning process, lines had gotten crossed and the construction took place on the wrong island. After one shipping season, the Lighthouse Service moved the lantern room to a different structure. A decade or so later, a new lantern room was installed on Michigan Island.
Another notable story about this lighthouse occurred in 1895 when a keeper spent the winter there. While fishing one day, the ice broke and his wife and three kids watched as he floated away on top of the berg. He ended up stranded for four days but was eventually rescued.

Asylum Lighthouse, Oshkosh
With such a foreboding name, you just know this lighthouse has a backstory. The Northern Asylum for the Insane (later changed to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute) was built in 1871 on the small island of Lake Winnebago. The surrounding bay and subsequent lighthouse were named after the psychiatric hospital.
One of the asylum’s notable patients was John Flammang Schrank, who attempted to assassinate Theodore Roosevelt. Another infamous patient who is still currently housed there is Morgan Geyser, one of two 12-year-old girls who lured their friend into the woods and attempted to murder her to appease the fictional character Slender Man in 2014.
After the suspicious death of a patient in 1934, a legislative inquiry into treatment at Wisconsin’s mental health facilities was launched, resulting in a mass firing of staff. There’s even a cemetery on Asylum Point, though few of the former patients buried there have headstones.

Cana Island Lighthouse, Baileys Harbor
Built in 1869 and considered the most iconic of Door County’s 11 lighthouses, Cana Island Lighthouse has stood watch at Baileys Harbor for more than 150 years.
Two decades after the lighthouse was built, a disastrous storm hit the Great Lakes. Nicknamed the “Big Blow of 1880,” the October storm destroyed a total of seven ships, the most notable being the Alpena, a 200-foot side-wheel steamer that capsized after hitting what was called the “worst gale in Lake Michigan recorded history.” After the wreck, thousands of apples that the Alpena had been carrying were seen bobbing around Saugatuck. Though the only known passenger list was aboard the vessel, it’s believed that all 80+ people aboard lost their lives that night.
These days, you can take a complimentary tractor-and-hay-wagon ride to shuttle you over the causeway to Cana Island, where you can climb the 97 steps up to the top of the lighthouse. 

Pottawatomie Lighthouse, Rock Island
Built in 1836, the Pottawatomie Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Wisconsin. In fact, it’s even older than the state itself. With so many keepers coming in and out over the years, it comes as no surprise that the lighthouse has a few ghost stories attached to it.
According to Travel Wisconsin, visitors have reported strange noises, doors opening and closing on their own, and thumping sounds coming from the second floor. Many attribute the encounters to the lighthouse’s first keeper, David Corbin, who happens to be buried just outside. You can tour the lighthouse from Memorial Day to Columbus Day if you want to check it out for yourself.

Sherwood Point Lighthouse, Nasewaupee
Sherwood Point Lighthouse is another supposedly haunted destination in Door County. About 50 years after it was built, the then-keeper—named William Cochems—married Minnie Hesh, who later became one of the few women in history to hold the title of assistant keeper. Her position didn’t last long, though, as she suffered a stroke and died within the lighthouse walls.
Ever since, people have reported hearing creepy noises including muffled voices and teacups clinking. Perhaps the spookiest encounter happened when a relative of Hesh’s visited the lighthouse in 1984 and took a photograph that appeared to show her face in a window.

Outer Island Light, Apostle Islands
Aside from its stately structure and inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the Outer Island Light is known for two eerie shipwrecks that occurred there on the same night.
On Sept. 2, 1905, a 337-foot schooner barge named Pretoria lost the line to the steamer it was towing amid a wild storm and began to break apart. The 10 men aboard hopped into a lifeboat and tried to make it to shore, but the lifeboat flipped over. Even though 61-year-old keeper John Irvine was alone and without his two assistants that night, he swam to the boat and heroically rescued half the crew.
Sadly, the steamer Sevona didn’t have the same luck, as it struck a reef that same night and sank to Lake Superior’s floor along with its seven-man crew.

Rawley Point Lighthouse, Two Rivers
Rawley Point houses the tallest lighthouse in Wisconsin. Under the control of the US Coast Guard since its construction in 1853, the lighthouse stands 113 feet high and is one of the brightest lights on the Great Lakes.
Before (and after) the navigational aid was erected, the area saw a number of deadly shipwrecks. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, a total of 26 ships were “founded or stranded on the point,” including a barge, two steamers, three brigs, and 20 schooners.
The most infamous of them all was a steamship called Vernon, which at the time was one of the biggest and most elegant ships on the Great Lakes. On one fateful journey in October 1887, the massive ship sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan, killing 48 people—leaving one lone survivor.

Algoma Lighthouse, Algoma
The Algoma Lighthouse, also called Algoma Pierhead, was initially built as a set of range lights in 1893. Even before the actual tower and accommodations were built at the end of the pier, Algoma Lighthouse had several keepers that manned the tower.
In 1901, the third keeper of the light—Gustavus Umberham—made his way to the area, bringing his five children with him. A decade later, he sadly met his demise while boating with friends when a giant wave pushed him overboard. At the time of his death, his salary was $600.

Green Island Lighthouse, Peshtigo
The two-story Green Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1862, and Samuel Drew was hired to be its very first keeper. He, his wife, and their six children moved onto the island to begin their new job.
Three months after having their seventh child, Anna H. Drew, a storm hit the area. Anna fell ill, but the weather prevented the family from heading to the mainland to seek medical care for her. She died and was subsequently buried on the island, where you can still see her grave. Two other Drew kids—Helen Marie and Frank—went on to become keepers themselves.
If you travel to the spooky site now, all you’ll see is an abandoned, hollow shell surrounded by overgrown weeds, as the lighthouse was deactivated back in 1956.

Chambers Island Lighthouse, Gibraltar
To get to Chambers Island Lighthouse, constructed in 1868, you have to take a boat across Green Bay. Many keepers have tended to the light over the years, and a ghost or two have reportedly taken up residence as well.
According to Travel Wisconsin, the first paranormal experience happened in spring 1976, when a caretaker heard footsteps coming down the staircase and crossing the living room and kitchen before the kitchen door closed on its own. When renovations took place a few years later, workers noticed tools disappearing and reappearing in strange places. Overnight visitors also reported their beds shaking in the middle of the night.
Some have attributed the occurrences to the ghost of the lighthouse’s first keeper, Lewis S. Williams.

Pilot Island Lighthouse, Gills Rock
In the mid-19th century, it became increasingly apparent that the narrow strait that links Lake Michigan and Green Bay required a lighthouse. The waters were so treacherous that the area was named Porte des Morts, which translates to “Death’s Door.” In 1848, Congress approved the construction of a lighthouse, which was initially built on Plum Island.
After the lighthouse was rebuilt on the nearby Pilot Island, a number of keepers manned the structure. Victor Rohn served a total of 10 years there, where he and his wife raised their seven children. He once described the island as affording “about as much independence and liberty as Libby Prison,” which was an infamously overcrowded and derelict institution.
A couple years after Rohn ended his stint, Emmanuel Davidson and John Boyce took over. Shortly into Boyce’s new role, he helped a farmer butcher his cow, making sure to ask where the jugular vein was located. Soon after, his body was located with both his jugular veins having been sliced by a razor. According to Lighthouse Friends, “Boyce had been depressed prior to taking his life, and many people believed it was the isolation and loneliness of being a keeper on Pilot Island that drove him to take his own life, but a relative of Boyce insisted his depression was due to a failed romantic relationship.”

Sand Island Lighthouse, Apostle Islands
 Sand Island Lighthouse was built at the west end of Lake Superior’s Apostle Island chain in 1881. Although it was one of the first lighthouses in Wisconsin to become automated in 1921, and only had two keepers before then, they both led interesting lives.
The first keeper, Charles Lederle, single-handedly rescued the crew of the steamer Prussia, which had caught fire several miles from shore. The second keeper, Emmanuel Luick, moved in with his wife Ella in 1892. When Luick became ill in 1901, Ella completed all of his duties herself. As soon as the Lighthouse Board secured a permanent assistant keeper, though, Ella boarded a ship for Bayfield, never to return to the lighthouse (or her husband) again.

[Article from UPNORTHNEWS}

Obituary:  Prentiss Marsh “Moey” Brown Jr.

Prentiss Marsh “Moey” Brown Jr., age 97, of St. Ignace, Michigan, died on December 3, 2023, at Evergreen Living Center. He was born in St. Ignace on December 5, 1925, to Prentiss Sr. and Marion (Walker) Brown.

Moey attend the public schools in St. Ignace and Washington D.C. He was drafted in 1944, while still a senior at LaSalle High School in St. Ignace. He was honorably discharged in 1946 from the United States Navy. In the Fall of 1946, he attended Albion College. While he was there, he became the MIAA Champion in the half mile. Spring of 1948, he graduated from Albion College and married Margaret Alice Dolese. He then went on to attend the University of Michigan Law School in late 1948. He graduated from the UofM Law School in June of 1951 and went on to join Brown & Brown Law Office with his father, Prentiss M. Brown, and brother, James J. Brown.

Moey was the Democratic candidate for 11th U.S. Congressional Seat 1952, 1956, 1958, and 1960. He was the City of St. Ignace Attorney from April 22, 1957, thru May of 2012. He was a Board Member of the First National Bank of St. Ignace from 1953 to present date and Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank of St. Ignace 1964 to present date. He was also a board member of Union Terminal Piers/Arnold Line from 1953 thru 2010, Trustee of Albion College 1966 thru 1996, and St. Ignace Kiwanis Club charter member from 1951 thru present date.

He was a lifelong devoted member of the United Methodist Church and avid fan of St. Ignace LaSalle High School and University of Michigan sporting events. He was on the original Michigan Title Standards Committee of the State Bar of Michigan for more than ten years. Moey had been on the Board of the Mackinac Straits Hospital & Health Care Center from its inception and has served on its legal counsel for many years. He served as a Board Member for over 30 years for The St. Ignace Golf & Country Club. Prentiss and his brother, James, were also co-owners of Whiteside Abstract & Title Insurance Company for over 50 years. Moey was the City Attorney for the City of Mackinac Island for many years and has been the attorney for many townships in the surrounding area over many years.

Moey is survived by three sons and a daughter; Stephen, Charles, Benjamin, and Mary Margaret “Diggy”; brother, Paul (Meg) Brown; ten grandchildren; and twelve great- grandchildren with another on the way.

Moey was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret; parents, Prentiss Sr. and Marion; siblings, Maryanna Rudolph, Ruth Evashevski, Barbara Laing, Patricia Watson, and James brown Jr.

Memorial donations in Moey’s memory may be made out to the St. Ignace Methodist Church, the Mackinac Straits Hospital or another charity of your choice.

His father, Prentiss M. Brown, was often called “The Father of the Mackinac Bridge,” Brown grew up beside the Straits of Mackinac and from boyhood envisioned a bridge that would link Michigan’s two peninsulas. He devoted his skill and resources unselfishly toward that end for some 30 years prior to the opening in 1957 of the great twin-towered suspension structure that ranks among the world’s outstanding engineering achievements. Brown served as chairman of the Mackinac Bridge Authority from its inception in 1950 until his death in 1973.

2 filmmakers with an underwater drone accidentally found a 128-year-old shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Huron

A pair of filmmakers who spent two years shooting footage for a documentary about invasive mussels in the Great Lakes accidentally discovered a 128-year-old shipwreck that vanished in 1895.
The wreck is believed to be the Africa, which was carrying coal — along with 11 doomed sailors — from Ohio to Ontario in October of 1895 before disappearing into Lake Huron amid an early season snowstorm, according to the filmmakers.

Over a century later, Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick received a tip from scientists while they were working on their documentary.
“Scientists doing an offshore fish survey had noticed an anomaly on their sonar readout, basically an unusual bump on an otherwise flat lakebed,” Melnick said in a press release. The couple, who specialize in underwater videography, grabbed their ultra-low-light, high-resolution camera system and journeyed out to the site of the anomaly, expecting to find “a pile of rocks.”
Instead, when their remotely operated vehicle descended 85 meters, “a huge structure loomed up from the depths — it was a shipwreck. We couldn’t believe it,” Melnick said.

The wreck was difficult to identify — images from the filmmakers show the ship is covered by the invasive quagga mussels that have been overhauling the ecosystem of the Great Lakes.
quagga mussels on shipwreck
Every inch of the Africa is covered with invasive quagga mussels, which have been plaguing the Great Lakes for years.
But the filmmakers said that with the help of a local maritime historian and a marine archaeologist, the Africa emerged as the likeliest possibility. The vessel’s measurements matched that of the “Africa,” plus Melnick and Drebert saw coal scattered across the lake bottom near the wreck.
“There are so many quaggas filtering the Great Lakes, that the lakes are up to three times as clear as they were before the mussels,” Drebert said in the press release. “The quaggas are the reason we’re able to see the shipwreck in almost 300 feet of water without any additional lights. But they’re also responsible for making wreck identification in the Great Lakes incredibly difficult.”

The couple’s documentary, “All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes,” is set to be released in early 2024.

Minnesota, Wisconsin Governors request over $1B in federal funds to replace Blatnik Bridge in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers say a critical bridge between the bordering states on Lake Superior needs to be replaced.
We need to rebuild the aging Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior.
I’m proud to partner with @GovEvers in supporting this project, bolstering our national supply chains, and strengthening the transportation network that serves hundreds of communities between our states.

On Monday, both governors announced that their respective transportation departments have requested over $1 billion in federal funding to rebuild the John A. Blatnik Bridge, which connects Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin.
“The Blatnik Bridge is a critical connection point for transportation and commerce between Minnesota and Wisconsin — and it needs an upgrade,” Walz said. “I’m proud to partner with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as we urge our federal partners to support this project that will foster regional economic growth, bolster our national supply chains, and strengthen the reliability of our transportation network that serves hundreds of communities between our states.”

The total project cost is estimated to be $1.8 billion, with each state committing $400 million to the project this year. The federal funding portion would come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program.
The bridge is more than 60 years old, serving as a vital link between the two cities via Interstate 535 and U.S. Highway 53.
“As the bridge reaches the end of its service life, its condition continues to deteriorate — and it’s time for us to exhaust every opportunity to replace this crucial connector with a safer, more efficient, and more reliable structure for the next generation,” Evers said. “This submittal is a major step forward for our two states, and I look forward to continuing to work with Gov. Walz and our partners in Minnesota and our federal partners to build the 21st-century infrastructure the people of our states deserve.”
Officials say the project will improve safety and accommodate oversized and overweight loads.

Last March, President Joe Biden visited the bridge with both governors to highlight a $1 trillion federal infrastructure law.

Lake Superior, known for icy waters, one of the fastest warming lakes in the world.

MINNEAPOLIS — Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world — a sea known for its pristine cold water. But in a warming world, that’s changing.

Before dawn, a crew boards the Blue Heron, an old fishing boat converted into a floating lab for research.

The Department of Natural Resources checks on the lake’s fish populations to manage and support one of the state’s great resources and pastimes. On a chilly Madison Lake in central Minnesota, they’re electro-shocking those fish to collect samples. Experts then look at their size, age and diets to get a baseline, then compare it to winter.

As students work on the water, professors like oceanographer Jay Austin are back at their home base — the Large Lakes Observatory at University of Minnesota Duluth.
Austin says Superior has warmed one degree per decade since the 80s, making it one of the fastest-warming lakes in the world.
“Temperature is sort of this master control knob on how ecosystems work,” Austin said.
Austin’s colleague, Ted Ozersky, says that’s churning a number of concerns.
“If we look at historical trends over the last 100 years, we’ve lost about 15 days of ice cover,” Ozersky said. “So loss of ice and loss of winter is stimulating these summertime algal blooms.”
In July 2012, the first algae bloom ever recorded was spotted on Lake Superior. About 30 days after a 500-year storm washed zoo animals out of their enclosures, dumping sediment into the lake that could be seen from space.

“It’s by far the cleanest and the clearest of all of the great lakes,” Ozersky said. “And it’s size. It feels like an ocean.”

Anthropologist John Shepard from Hamline University was there this summer as six marathon swimmers set a record going from Two Harbors to Duluth. No wetsuit needed in this balmy 60-degree water — something unimaginable just a short time ago.
“People everywhere are witnessing climate change no matter where you live,” Shepard said. “So in this region, some of the changes we’re seeing in Superior is one of the ways this comes to life for people.”
A warming Superior opens doors for different types of recreation — perhaps a longer commercial shipping season.
But in the face of these changes under the ice, above it and without it, there’s no question — Superior’s frigid legacy is changing.

“Why do people care so much about our large lakes?” WCCO’s Erin Hassanzadeh asked.
“Fresh water is a tremendously important resource,” Austin said. “The five lakes we have right here, are 20% of the world’s fresh surface water.”
“It’s such an important part of our regional heritage,” Shepard said.
“Ice gives us a sense of place, and that is changing over time,” Austin said. “We don’t want things to get worse, right? And so we have to understand how they work,”

In a recent study, ice expert Sapna Sharma with New York University said, “If we continue emitting greenhouse gases at this rate, Lake Superior will not freeze after the 2060s.”

CBS

Tecumseh a step closer to scrapper’s torch

Port Colborne, ON-The fire-damaged Tecumseh was towed from the outside dock into the scrapping berth at Marine Recycling Corp.’s Port Colborne facility on Tuesday.

Obituary: Robert T. Pocotte

Robert “Bob” Pocotte, 91, Sandusky, OH, passed away Monday, December 4, 2023, after suffering a stroke. He was born December 26, 1931, in Toledo, OH, to the late Captain Arthur M. “Pete” and Vivian B. (Felt) Pocotte.

Bob, who served as treasurer for the Marine Historical Society of Detroit for 37 years and was presented with a plaque for his years of distinguished service in 2021. All in all, he was a member of the MHSD for more than 50 years. He was also a member and longtime volunteer with the Great Lakes Historical Society and belonged to many other Great Lakes historical groups

Bob grew up in a Great Lakes family as his father was a captain for Cleveland Cliffs and Great Lakes Towing. He will be remembered as a kind man who remained active and interested in Great Lakes shipping history up until the end.

He graduated from Libbey High School in 1948 and the University of Toledo in 1954 (B.S. in Chemical Engineering). In 1954 he also married his wife Peggy (Turner) Pocotte. He worked in chemical and related industries for over 40 years. He retired to Port Clinton, OH and later to Sandusky, OH. Together with his wife, they did lots of charitable work through various Lutheran ministries. Bob was a board member for several Lutheran churches.

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Susan (Dr. Joel Rudinger) Pocotte of Huron, OH; son, Scott (Nanette) Pocotte of Highlands Ranch, CO; daughter, Sally (Cal) Jestice of Solon, OH; three grandchildren, Christopher (Maggie) Pocotte, Shawn (Brittany) Pocotte and Brian Jestice; three great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Polly Rubel of Sebring, FL; sister-in-law, Jean Turner of Gibsonburg, OH; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to his parents, Robert is preceded in death by loving wife of 68 years, Peggy (Turner) Pocotte, July 20, 2023; sister, Patricia (the late Dr. William) Wells; parents-in-law, Carl F. and Mary (Evans) Turner; brothers-in-law, Michael Turner, Patrick Turner, and James Rubel.

The family wishes to thank Dr. T. Williamson and his staff, Dr. B. Grubb (UTMC), and Dr. B. Murphy (Cleveland Clinic) for their years of compassionate care. In addition, we thank the staff of Parkvue Community for their warm welcome to his last of 35 homes throughout a life that was well lived.

A private memorial service will take place at the convenience of the family. Read the online obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/toledoblade/name/robert-pocotte-obituary?id=53760000&fbclid=IwAR1mqkACi42LP0vufdh4O1Xr4BOpI1RITiP8CnjQI906-XPHv6DymQfrhYc