Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum facts for kids
The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum is a special place in Rogers City, Michigan. This museum focuses on the exciting history of ships and sailors on the Great Lakes. It helps us remember the brave people who worked on these big freshwater seas.
Exploring the Museum
The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum tells the stories of many sailors and workers from the Great Lakes. Rogers City is a town known for shipping a lot of stone called aggregate. A very thick layer of limestone is dug up nearby. This stone is then shipped all over the U.S. Midwest. It's used for building things and in making steel.
For many years, young people from Rogers City would go to work on these ships. Some have come back after retiring and now help out at the museum. Others were lost at sea, and the museum honors their memory.
The Story of the SS Carl D. Bradley
One very important ship in Rogers City's history is the SS Carl D. Bradley. This ship was once the biggest vessel carrying bulk cargo on the Great Lakes.
On November 18, 1958, the Bradley was caught in a terrible storm. It was off Gull Island in Lake Michigan. The ship was heading back to its home port without cargo, just carrying water to balance it. Sadly, the Bradley broke apart and sank that night.
Only two men survived the shipwreck. Thirty-three people were lost. A very sad part of this tragedy is that 23 of the men who died were from Rogers City. The museum has special displays that honor the Carl D. Bradley and the lives lost.
Where to Find the Museum
You can find the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum at 367 North 3rd Street, Rogers City, Michigan 49779.