Historic Manistee, The Victorian Port City

The last firm to service the Manistee passenger and package freight business was the Pere Marquette Line Steamers. The companies engaged in this business required extensive dockside facilities to service their clientele. These facilities lined up along the south side of the river below the Maple Street bridge: First was a feed and grain warehouse, then a warehouse used by the Nessen Transportation Company, east of Pine Street was the warehouse of the Pere Marquette Line Steamers, and just to the west, the warehouse of the Northern Michigan Transportation Company. These facilities offered ample warehouse space for package and other freight, ticket and freight offices, and even waiting rooms.
In 1903 Gus Kitzinger of Manistee organized the Manistee, Ludington and Milwaukee Railroad to purchase from the Pere Marquette Railroad and operate the passenger and package freight steamers PERE MARQUETTE 2, 3, and 4. The majority of their business was the transportation of barreled salt from Manistee. Within a year this prompted the purchase of the company by W.S. Eddy of Saginaw which was reorganized as the Michigan Salt Transportation Company with Kitzinger as general manager. Through these changes and throughout its entire existence the firm used the popular name Pere Marquette Line Steamers.
The firm owned and operated the three
original vessels and steadily added and replaced vessels as necessary. Additional boats included the PERE MARQUETTE 6, 7, and 8, the VIRGINIA and NEVADA. The NEVADA was particularly noteworthy because it had been built as an ice-breaking package freighter; thus, its acquisition allowed the firm to continue to provide year 'round cross lake service as needed until 1934. In that year the Pere Marquette Line Steamers merged into the Wisconsin & Michigan Transportation Company and departed the scene. This brought to a close seven decades of year 'round passenger and package freight service between Manistee and Milwaukee.
[Image caption reads] Excursion leaving Manistee
For more on the history of Manistee, visit the Museum at 425 River Street.

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The Gardner Building Historical
The Tunnel Historical
The Thompson Building Historical
The Lyman Building Historical
The Haley Block Historical
Improving Justice Historical
The Maple Street Bridge Historical
Historic Manistee Historical
Furniture Factories Historical
Manistee City Library Historical

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