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Algoma, Wisconsin is located on the shores of Lake
Michigan about 31 miles northeast of Green Bay. Unusual
in the fact that its inspiration is a real boat, this
mural depicts a scene from the local fishing industry.
The white boat in the mural is the currently dry-docked
fish tug "Margaret" pictured below. Fish
tugs arose as way of enabling fishermen to work in
the extreme cold and windy conditions they frequently
encounter on the Great Lakes. Here's
a great article about the history of fish tugs.
An early name for Algoma was Ahnapee. Ahnapee was
famous for building ships that could navigate the
narrow rivers that surround Lake Michigan. It was
also the home of the first "Tree Captains,"
mariners who delivered fresh Christmas trees to the
ports of Milwaukee and Chicago at the turn of the
century. Here's a fascinating
account of some of these early voyages, and here's
a
great list of links about maritime history on the
Great Lakes.
More
murals in Algoma
The "Margaret" mural is located on the
Algoma Mercantile building on 4th Street and Steele.
More
about the artist
A
local art gallery with a variety of exhibits
[Map]
Photographed by Rod
Ness, 9/4/07
Posted on RoadTrip America 09/07
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