Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks
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BOOK REVIEW
Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks John Odin Jensen, Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Madison, 2019. 297 pp., figs., index. $29.95 paper Ivor Mollema Accepted: 17 August 2020 # Society for Historical Archaeology 2020
In Stories from the Wreckage, John Odin Jensen provides an overview of Wisconsin shipwrecks and maritime archaeology, while also focusing on the larger context of the region’s maritime history. Focusing on wooden shipwrecks, Jensen transports the reader from the mid-19th century into the early 20th century. The history of the Great Lakes forms the early sections of the book. It places Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes, within a wider historical context. Niagara, one of the earliest shipwrecks in Wisconsin waters, allows Jensen the chance to portray early maritime efforts on the Great Lakes. Two schooners, Lumberman and Kate Kelly, form a good middle point for this history. From there, a discussion of two shipping magnates, Captain James Davidson and James Corrigan, allows the reader to explore the effects of industrialization and new technologies on the maritime culture of the Great Lakes. Each historical aspect is coupled to one, or several, shipwreck sites documented by archaeologists. Jensen combines archaeological and historical sources to provide the most complete possible picture of Great Lakes maritime history. Several key themes are evidenced by Jensen’s writing. The Great Lakes were a unique frontier of shipbuilding, industrialization, and economy throughout history. The region is also emblematic of the larger
I. Mollema (*) Bureau of Archaeological Research, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, 1001 DeSoto Park Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32301, U.S.A. e-mail: [email protected]
historical context. This is not only true for Wisconsin and the surrounding region, but the shipwrecks and historical figures provide an idea of a global maritime historical context as well. This work proves that the Great Lakes, often viewed as an isolated maritime community, deserve to be seen in a wider context. Finally, the personal relationship between the region’s population and Great Lakes maritime industry is thoroughly explored and investigated. As Jensen’s writing on Niagara demonstrates, the Great Lakes region formed a unique arena for shipwrights, sailors, and entrepreneurs. Relatively isolated from Atlantic ports, shipbuilders on the Great Lakes were free to develop their own style of trade and shipbuilding. Geographical factors, such as Lake St. Clair and the Sault Ste. Marie rapids, limited the design of conventional ship construction techniques and forced shipwrights to come up with inventive solutions and a unique Great Lakes approach to shipping. A palace steamer such as Niagara was designed to fulfill a need for larger steamers on the Great Lakes. It required ingenious construction to fulfill the need to transit crucial bodies of water such as Lake St. Clair. It also highlighted the growing trend toward luxurious m
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