“Shipwrecked and Rescued” a tale of bravery in the U.P.’s worst weather
LARRY JORGENSEN first became fascinated with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and its unique history while writing and reporting for television news in Green Bay. However, his journey into that world of news had begun much earlier in northern Wisconsin where he worked while in high school for the weekly newspaper in Eagle River. Later he was employed by a newspaper publisher in Milwaukee, and then on to radio and television news in Texas and Louisiana, along with wire service and freelance assignments. During all those years he looked forward to return visits to the Keweenaw Peninsula. It was during one of those visits Larry discovered the tale of the wreck of the “City of Bangor”. It was learning of that little-known event that resulted in his decision to create this written account that he hoped to share the story of one of Lake Superior’s most unusual shipwrecks.
“Had not the lifesaving crew from Eagle Harbor happened to see the crew struggling on shore while they were on their way to another rescue; had not the crew had the stamina to continue their 36-hour struggle from the place where they ran aground several miles east of Copper Harbor; had not the people of Copper Harbor, especially the Berg family (who had little enough food for the winter) shared their home and provisions with the starving, hypothermic crew, the death rate could have been catastrophic.
Also in vivid detail, we read the story of how the cars were salvaged and removed from the ship due to the efforts of many people throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula to plow a road where there wasn’t one, to transport gasoline to the cars, drive them several at a time to Copper Harbor, open the road to Calumet working from both ends, drive the cars to Calumet to be loaded on a train back to Chrysler for repairs and restoration, all of which took several months. The fact that there were no deaths and almost all the vehicles were rescued, makes this particular shipwreck one of the most unique in the annals of Lake Superior. ”
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About the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA)
Established in 1998 to support authors and publishers who live in or write about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, UPPAA is a Michigan nonprofit association with over 100 members, many of whose books are featured on the organization’s website at www.uppaa.org. UPPAA welcomes membership and participation from anyone with a UP connection who is interested in writing.