St. Ignace Downtown History

The boardwalk on which you are standing is constructed on what is affectionately referred to by local residents as the "Chief Dock". It is the previous home to the Chief Wawatam (Wa-wa'-tem), a hand-fired, coal burning train-car ferry built by the Toledo Shipbuilding Co. for the Mackinac Transportation Co. and launched on August 26, 1911. At 338' in length and a beam of 62', her main business was to transport train cars, carrying up to 26 at a time, across the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. Because the "Chief" loaded and unloaded her cars at the bow, the sea gate had to be raised to permit the cars to be pushed on or off the dock's train deck.
The A-frame structure, that you see still in place, has counter-balances hanging on either side, which were used to level the apron of the dock with the deck of the ship. It was crucial that the deck of the ship and the edge of the apron meet exactly or the cars would be derailed. The original A-frame structure had a large bell on top to help the "Chief" find the dock in fog or storms. The "Chief" operated between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City until 1984, but in 1988, despite the efforts of preservationists, she was sold to a company in Ontario, Canada for $110,000.

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Antique Railroad Bell
Mooring Facilities
The Chief Dock Kiosk
France at Mackinac
Heritage of Fishermen in this Area
State Ferries, 1923-1957
William H. Barnum
People and the Great Lakes
State Ferry Service
Michigan State Ferry

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