Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas
Through much of the nineteenth century, steam-powered ships provided one of the most reliable and comfortable transportation options in the United States, becoming a critical partner in railroad expansion and the heart of a thriving recreation industry. The aesthetic, structural, and commercial peak of the steamboat era occurred on the Great Lakes, where palatial ships created memories and livelihoods for millions while carrying passengers between the region’s major industrial ports of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto. By the mid-twentieth century, the industry was in steep decline, and today North America’s rich and entertaining steamboat heritage has been largely forgotten. In Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes, Joel Stone revisits this important era of maritime history, packed with elegance and adventure, politics and wealth, triumph and tragedy. This story of Great Lakes travelers and the beautiful floating palaces they engendered will engage historians and history buffs alike, as well as genealogists, regionalists, and researchers.
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Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas
Through much of the nineteenth century, steam-powered ships provided one of the most reliable and comfortable transportation options in the United States, becoming a critical partner in railroad expansion and the heart of a thriving recreation industry. The aesthetic, structural, and commercial peak of the steamboat era occurred on the Great Lakes, where palatial ships created memories and livelihoods for millions while carrying passengers between the region’s major industrial ports of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto. By the mid-twentieth century, the industry was in steep decline, and today North America’s rich and entertaining steamboat heritage has been largely forgotten. In Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes, Joel Stone revisits this important era of maritime history, packed with elegance and adventure, politics and wealth, triumph and tragedy. This story of Great Lakes travelers and the beautiful floating palaces they engendered will engage historians and history buffs alike, as well as genealogists, regionalists, and researchers.
26.95 In Stock
Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas

Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas

by Joel Stone
Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas

Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: A History of Passenger Steamships on the Inland Seas

by Joel Stone

Paperback(Reprint)

$26.95 
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Overview

Through much of the nineteenth century, steam-powered ships provided one of the most reliable and comfortable transportation options in the United States, becoming a critical partner in railroad expansion and the heart of a thriving recreation industry. The aesthetic, structural, and commercial peak of the steamboat era occurred on the Great Lakes, where palatial ships created memories and livelihoods for millions while carrying passengers between the region’s major industrial ports of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto. By the mid-twentieth century, the industry was in steep decline, and today North America’s rich and entertaining steamboat heritage has been largely forgotten. In Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes, Joel Stone revisits this important era of maritime history, packed with elegance and adventure, politics and wealth, triumph and tragedy. This story of Great Lakes travelers and the beautiful floating palaces they engendered will engage historians and history buffs alike, as well as genealogists, regionalists, and researchers.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780472051755
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Publication date: 06/29/2015
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 296
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Joel Stone is Senior Curator for the Detroit Historical Society and coeditor of Border Crossings: The Detroit River Region in the War of 1812.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Steam Navigation on the Great Lakes 1

Part I Steam Navigation from 1817 to 1860

1 Harnessing Steam 9

2 Early Years on the Lakes 13

3 Opening the Frontier 44

4 Birth of an Industry 54

5 Regional Development 80

6 Maritime Politics 106

7 The Palace Steamer Era 117

Part II Steam Navigation from 1860 to 1900

8 The Civil War Years 133

9 New Era, New Business Models 143

10 Changing Tastes and Technologies 164

Part III Steam Navigation in the Twentieth Century

11 A New Century Brings Change 179

12 The Lake Cruising Experience 191

13 Sailing into a Head Wind 211

Conclusion: The Final Years 226

Notes 241

Bibliography 261

Index 275

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