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 page about classic 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 site 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.

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Photographed by Rod Ness, 9/4/07
Posted on RoadTrip America 09/07
Updated 01/25