Pere Marquette 18: A Lake Michigan Tragedy

In this episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, host Rich Napolitano sits down with Great Lakes historian Rob Alway to uncover the story of the Pere Marquette 18, the flagship rail car ferry that mysteriously sank in Lake Michigan in 1910. Rich and Rob explore how the Pere Marquette Railroad helped shape maritime and rail travel across Lake Michigan, why the Pere Marquette 18 was considered the fleet’s most notable ship, and what happened on her final voyage from Ludington to Milwaukee. Rob walks us through the theories behind the sinking, including possible hull damage from its excursion service, the emergency distress call that made Great Lakes history, and the rescue efforts that followed. You’ll also hear about: ⚓The history of Ludington’s car ferry industry ⚓How railroad ferries helped avoid Chicago rail bottlenecks ⚓The aftermath of the sinking and the changes it inspired ⚓The wreck’s discovery nearly 500 feet down in Lake Michigan ⚓Why the SS Badger remains a living link to this maritime legacy A perfect episode if you’re interested in Great Lakes history, shipwrecks, rail ferries, maritime disasters, or the hidden stories behind the places we live. Read more of Rob Alway's work: ⚓Mason County Historical Society | https://masoncountymihistory.org/ ⚓Mason County Press | https://masoncountypress.com ⚓Oceana County Press | https://oceanacountypress.com/ Listen now to learn how one shipwreck helped define an entire era of Lake Michigan travel. #ShipwrecksAndSeaDogs #GreatLakesHistory #PereMarquette18 #Shipwreck #LakeMichigan #MaritimeHistory #Ludington #RobAlway #RailFerry #HistoricShipwreck **🎧 LISTEN AD-FREE + BONUS EPISODES** 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel. Subscribe here: ⁠⁠https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠ 👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon⁠⁠ 👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple⁠⁠ 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available! ⁠⁠https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠ 👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at: ⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠ *No compensation or remuneration of any kind was paid to or paid by Rich Napolitano, Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, or Nautilus Media LLC for Mr. Alway's participation in this episode. ** No AI was used to create this episode. Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com. Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. ⁠⁠https://www.seansigfried.com⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices