Railroad Ferries

Railroad Ferries. Mackinaw City Historical Pathway. , The construction of railroads into Northern Michigan closely followed the lumbering industry. In 1881, the Michigan Central completed its line into Mackinaw, and the Mackinac and Marquette reached St. Ignace in the same year. To complete the connection of the railroad lines, the Algomah, the first railroad ferry across the Straits, was built in Detroit. Later, two other railroad ferries, the Sainte Marie and the Chief Wawatam, were added to the fleet. The Railroad Ferries were built with thick hulls and powerful engines to serve as icebreakers to extend the shipping season as long as possible. The Wawatam was the last remaining coal burning ship on the Great Lakes when she made her final trip on August 21, 1984. , , Around 1919, when almost anyone could afford to own an automobile, private auto clubs became very popular, and "Pike Trips" were organized, in which caravans of cars would make a long trip together. Mackinaw City became a major destination. Many of the travelers wanted to cross the Straits, but the only way to do that was to roll the car onto a railroad flat car and transport it on a railroad ferry. Complaints about the fare, forty dollars for a one-way trip, hastened the development of a state auto ferry service. , , Source: Memories of Mackinaw, Judy Ranville and Nancy Campbell