Falalalalalalala Shipwreck

Preparing for the holiday season comes with shopping, decorating, planning and for some the most important part getting a Christmas tree. This is a long time tradition (which I could look up and find out exactly how long it has been a tradition but I am not going to so bonus points for anyone who does this for me) ...

I can tell ya this was a tradition in the early 1900's so it was particularly devastating in 1912 when a ship containing Christmas trees sank to depths of Lake Michigan. The Rouse Simmons made its route multiple times before. It was built in 1868 and was used to deliver trees from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Chicago year after year. The captain of the Rouse Simmons was knows as Captain Santa - which seems very fitting considering his ship brought joy to many.

The Rouse Simmons was a 123 foot 3-masted schooner that originally launched from Milwaukee shipyards in 1868. Typically she would haul construction materials and things such as these until finding her home in the Christmas tree field in Northern Michigan. The Rouse Simmons was one of 2 dozens ships that delivered Christmas trees out of Northern Michigan to ports along Lake Michigan. But, she was the most well known due to her captain.

November of 1912 a winter storm hit the waters of Lake Michigan as The Rouse Simmons was making it's voyage across the waters. The storm would take this ship and its trees down with it. 16-23 men lost its life in this terrible shipwreck. What is maybe craziest about this, is the shipwreck wasn't officially found until 1971 on the coast of Two Rivers, WI.

The year that the Rouse Simmons went to its underwater grave - the towns dubbed it the year without Christmas.

People have said they can hear the ghostly toll of a bell while on the water that The Rouse Simmons traveled. You can also see the ghost ship on the waters of Lake Michigan if you dare sail on Christmas eve.

One story of seeing the aptly named Christmas Ghost Ship comes from 2 individuals from Two Rivers sitting on the beach late on Christmas Eve. They were hoping to catch sight of this ghost ship. And they did. They would say that they saw a old schooner sailing into the cold waters of Lake Michigan. They would see a silhouette of a ship with the glow of a lantern and tattered flags. They could even make out piles of pine on the ship's deck. The ship would hang out in the distance for awhile then slowly dissipate until next Christmas.

Superstitions

Its no surprise that sailors (among other trades) have their own superstitions and omens. Right before the Rouse Simmons sunk these omens were making themselves known.

One big one was rats were fleeing their ship. It is said among sailors that rats or other vermin know when something bad is coming. Whether it be bad weather or a tragedy RATS KNOW. So, when the rats start fleeing this ship the sailors had a bad feeling.

The next thing that is noticed quickly is the ship's complement amounted to be 13 people. Now, c'mon 13. The unluckiest of numbers. So, now we are at strike number2.

This made Captain Santa almost NOT board this ship. He had serious doubts about this voyage - and his daughter really pressured him not to. Captain Santa's daughter Alvida had a premonition of sorts Some people truly believed that his daughter had a gut feeling or a premonition about what was going to happen to them.

And, the initial trip from Chicago to Michigan was uneventful so they thought it was silly. But we know how that ended.

The Storm that took Christmas

Many long time lake captains said the “Big Storm of 1912” was the worst storm they had ever seen. It was later called the “greatest storm of the decade.” 60-80 mile per hour gale force winds. Rain turning to swirling vortexes of snow and ice. Mountainous waves.

The old schooner was in no shape for that.

By the time the Rouse Simmons passed the the Life Saving Station in Kewanunee, WI the flag was flying at half mast - indicating she was in distress. The station was looking for her. But, almost immediately lost sight of her. No one really knew where she went. The hope was she pulled in safe in a harbor to wait out the storm. It wasn't until she didn't arrive in Chicago that everyone knew that it wasn't making it.

This is a really sad story.

What do you think?

xOXO

Hank