From the Straits of Mackinac to the Panama Canal

Series: Spanning the Straits

Location: Straits of Mackinac

Region: Michilimackinac

Before the Mackinac Bridge was built, automobile ferries carried cars between the two peninsulas. Following the story of two of these ferries will take us on a journey from the Straits of Mackinac, to Arlington National Cemetery, and onto the Panama Canal during the Second World War. Michigan, this is your story.

 

References in Approximate Order of Appearance:

Michigan State Car Ferries Marker – Mackinaw City, MI
Making Michigan Move by Bill Kulsea, Tom Shawver, and MDOT – Kresge Library at Oakland University
Mackinac Bridge Authority – https://www.mackinacbridge.org/
Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – Bowling Green University – https://www.bgsu.edu/library/cac/collections/hcgl.html
The Sainte Ignace – http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/001353
The Mackinac City – http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/001348
The Straits of Mackinac – http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/006999
Great Lakes Engineering Works PDF – http://www2.boatnerd.com/glswr/GLEW-YardHistory-45.pdf
Brig. Gen. William E Horton – http://epiphanydc.org/2017/09/18/september-17-william-edward-horton-1935/
Brig. Gen. William E Horton Grave Information – https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html
Brig. Gen. Arthur W Yates Grave Information – https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html
Brig. Gen. Arthur W Yates Obituary – http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/awyates.htm
NavSource – http://navsource.org/
USAT Brig. Gen. Arthur W Yates – http://www.navsource.org/archives/30/13/13005.htm
USAT Brig. Gen. William E Horton – http://www.navsource.org/archives/30/13/13007.htm
The Transportation Corps: Operations Overseas – https://history.army.mil/html/books/010/10-21/CMH_Pub_10-21.pdf
Historical Marker on Ferry Budget – Mackinaw City, MI
State of Michigan Budget – https://www.hathitrust.org/digital_library
REPORT ON TRAFFIC AND REVENUES PROPOSED MACKINAC STRAITS BRIDGE – https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RR29CON_47_533142_7.pdf

Intro Music – Leaving Home from Pond5.com