The Local History Gallery
For the White Lake Area
Website & Imaging: Jerry Grady     Research: Barb Brow

SS Carolina

The SS Carolina was built in Philadelphia for the Hartford and New York Transportation Company in 1892, and she was known as the Hartford. In December 1898 she was registered to the Quartermaster Department of the US Army and her name was changed to USQD Terry. Decommissioned in 1901, Terry was offered for sale and purchased by Capt. Miles Barry who owned and operated the Chicago & Muskegon Transportation Company - a direct competitor with the Goodrich company. Financial backing for the purchase came from two prominent lumbermen from Muskegon. The Hartford name reappeared on her documents and she arrived
 in Muskegon on 14 September 1901.

After a brief ceremony the next day, she was renamed Charles H. Hackley, in honor of her most substantial backer. That same evening the Hackley departed from Muskegon on her first trip under the Barry Line flag, and remained with them for the next three years.

The SS Atlanta serviced the White Lake area for two seasons in 1904 & 1905. After losing the Atlanta to a fire in March 1906, Mr. Goodrich wasted no time in approaching the owners of the Hackley and purchasing the ship at the price of $80,000. Mr. Goodrich not only got a much needed replacement for the Atlanta, but he eliminated a competitor on the cross-lake route as well.

The Hackley was sent to Manitowoc for rebuilding and a face life. This work included the installation of steel above her main deck, changes to her promenade deck and the installation of fine accommodations for overnight passengers. Following the completion of the work, the ship was renamed Carolina and entered regular Goodrich service on 16 June 1906 to the White Lake area.

Captain Cornelius “Con” McCauley was the first to command Carolina until April 1914. After that time and until 1928, Captain Daniel J. McGarity was at the helm.

S.S. Georgia
 

S.S. Georgia

Built in 1880 in Manitowac, WI by Rand & Burger for the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad, she was designed to handle freight packages from their western terminal in Ludington to Milwaukee and other Wisconsin ports. Thus she was given the name City of Ludington. It was classified as a Propeller. The 180 foot wooden hull was reinforced to withstand ice for year around service.

Launched in August 1880, it was the first steamer on the lakes lighted with electricity and had the first search light.

In the Spring of 1898, the Ludington was in the shipyard for some rebuilding and redesigning and when the work was completed her name was changed to S.S. Georgia.

During the summer of 1920, she was sold to E. G. Cosby. In 1925 she was sold again to Wisconsin and Michigan Transportation Company.

The Georgia was abandoned at Manitowac in 1928. It was dismantled at Sturgeon Bay, WI in 1930. The hull was taken to Big Summer Island in 1932 where it was sunk, filled with stone, and became part of the stone quarry dock.

According to available local news articles, it appears that the S.S Georgia serviced the White Lake area between 1910 to 1915, in connection with the S.S. Carolina.

Local resident Hugo Deyman was a Purser on the S.S. Georgia for a while, according to a news item that appeared in the Montague Observer on September 16, 1915.