Ships and Shipwrecks

Today it is hard to imagine the important role carrier pigeons played in communications involving ships and sailors on the Great Lakes. In Richard Gebhart’s book, we learn about the history of the development of wireless communications from transmitting signals across a garden to receiving a simple message across the Atlantic Ocean. The author’s detailed presentation of this history makes for interesting reading.—Carl Eisenberg, president of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society

It is with pure enjoyment and professional interest to learn the histories of things like lakes-based schooners trading on the Atlantic, the Plimsoll mark, and wireless on the Great Lakes, among others. Little known facts of how the Great Lakes shipping industry developed are woven into these accounts of hardship and progress that will be of interest to anyone with a love of history and a good story. Richard Gebhart’s detailed descriptions and amusing artistic narration brings to life these forgotten tales.—George P. Haynes, U.S. Registered Pilot, Lakes Pilots Association, and former grand president, International Ship Masters’ Association

Richard Gebhart loves the Great Lakes and the vessels that sailed the lakes. He is a consummate researcher and loves to tell the stories of those vessels. His book is an excellent compilation of just some of those historic stories. It is informative and fun to read.—Stephen Haynes, editor, Soundings newsletter, Wisconsin Marine Historical Society
 

For nearly forty years Richard Gebhart has been researching vessels at the Great Lakes Marine Collection. He has turned this research into a historical sail on the lakes and even through the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence River to faraway places such as England, Scotland, France, Spain, Buenos Aires, and Portugal. Although many of these vessels met with disaster, Gebhart has filled out their history with many entertaining stories.—Suzette J. Lopez, caretaker, Great Lakes Marine Collection, Milwaukee Public Library, and executive director, Wisconsin Marine Historical Society