Wednesday, March 4, 2015

ISLAND WATERFRONT - Then and Now - Part VIII

Judge Herbert, from Chicago, owned a boathouse (and perhaps a rudimentary
cabin) where Tim and Lois Jessen live today, in the community near the old
Gislason Store known as Jensenville.   The Herschbergers lived nearby.


Washington Island, Wisconsin -

A most welcomed occurrence resulted from an earlier blog on early Island ferry service.

Ann (Herschberger) Young has been going through a family album, and she passed along photo gems of the past.

Most important is that through this album we can learn more about the people in earlier photos I've used, the vessel ownerships, general waterfront relationships of the 1920s.  Questions raised from earlier photos are answered in part with the Herschberger photos, family members who, according to Ann, enjoyed photography and took the time to add captions and names to the photos.



The topmost photo tells us who owned the Caroline, a distinctive boat built by a man named Amundson in Jackson Harbor (who I believe lived on the property later owned by the Lindgrens).  The Caroline was a Herschberger boat, and we see C. B. Herschberger on board in one photo, and a group of men in another.

Profile of Caroline with family / guests on board in pleasant weather.


C. B. Herschberger was grandfather to Ann, John and Bob.  His son, C. B. Jr., was nicknamed "Bunny," who with his wife, Anita, owned a cabin on the far southern tip of Detroit Island.  (The cabin was built by Anita and her first husband named Wilson, according to Ann.)  Later on, this property passed on to his son, Bill, and then more recently, through his estate to his children, who still own that property today.

Arrow points out George Tobey Sr.
Gislason store is noted.


The following photo series tells us more about the Caroline and how she foundered during a run in rough weather for medicine.   She was later "abandoned," using the parlance of vessel undertakers.      Accordingly, C. B.'s hand-written notes made on the vessel's letter of registry indicate that government notification was made.

Caption to the drama shown above when the Coast
Guard takes Caroline in tow:
"1923 - Caroline sinking - plank sprung out at Sister Bay (?) -
Gale N. W. -  Trip made for scarlet fever serum - Boat just made
Lobdells Point"











With thanks and appreciation for the photos and information...

- Dick Purinton

1 comment:

Bill Tobey said...

Wow ..... nostalgia time! Seeing my grandfather in the fourth picture .... his cabin discernible to the left, south of a larger home. We knew Ann, John and Bob Herschberger who lived three doors north of our place along the shore. We went fishing a few times with their dad, Jack, and rented a flat bottomed rowboat from him each summer.

Thanks again Dick. Great stuff! And special thanks also to Ann for making those pictures available.