Robert Laurie and Alexander Laurie
1825 - 1889 1852 - 1939
In the early 1850's Robert Laurie and his family immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland. They bought land north of the village of Sturgeon Bay in an area now known as Sevastopol. Mr. Laurie, a sailor and shipbuilder by trade, found timber on the land suitable for building ships. The Lauries began a boatbuilding business that was to be the first in the area. Their first ship, "Peninsula," was used for both passengers and freight. Later they quarried stone to build a home and soon were shipping stone to many ports on Lake Michigan. Alexander Laurie was a captain on one of his father's vessels. After his retirement, he collected fares on the Sturgeon Bay toll bridge. His son Robert, at age 18, was the youngest captain on the lakes.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 44° 49.822′ N, 87° 22.966′ W. Marker is in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in Door County. It can be reached from North Madison Avenue. Marker is on the grounds of the Door County Maritime Museum. Touch for map. Marker
this page online
Regionally, this marker is on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lost Great Lakes Mariners (here, next to this marker); Howard A & Lou E Olson (here, next to this marker); Captain John Roen (here, next to this marker); Robert E. Peterson (here, next to this marker); George J. Baudhuin (a few steps from this marker); Fred J. Peterson (a few steps from this marker); Propellers from the tug John Purves (a few steps from this marker); Historic Museum Tug John Purves (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sturgeon Bay.
Also see . . . Door County Maritime Museum, Sturgeon Bay WI.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 774 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 22, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
