The Historic Christmas Tree Ship: A True Story of Faith, Hope and Love [Paperback]

Rochelle Pennington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004

The legend of The Christmas Tree Ship is a true story of faith, hope and love, and is considered one of the most loved legends of the Great Lakes.

Captain Herman Schuenemann became affectionately known as "Captain Santa" for his yearly voyages from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Chicago with a load of freshly cut Christmas trees during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Families would wait anxiously at the docks for their choice of the best trees.

Captain Schuenemann's voyage of 1912 was to be his last. Fully loaded and ready to sail, the Christmas Tree Ship set out for its final destination on the southern end of Lake Michigan. Despite the crew's best efforts, the ship was unable to withstand the gales of the Great Lakes and went down off the coast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Today, the Christmas Tree Ship is remembered as one of the most "storied shipwrecks" of the Great Lakes, and the legend has held its place in history for nearly a century already.

Through vintage photographs (over 50!), newspaper clippings, and interviews with persons directly connected to the story, THE HISTORIC CHRISTMAS TREE SHIP details the extraordinary events surrounding this loved legend.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rochelle Pennington is a freelance author and newspaper columnist from Wisconsin whose work has been included in several bestselling series including CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, and STORIES FOR THE HEART. She is author of THE CHRISMTAS TREE SHIP, THE HISTORIC CHRISTMAS TREE SHIP, THE GOLDEN FORMULA, and co-author of HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW: A SHORT COURSE IN LIVING WISELY AND CHOOSING WELL, available in two foreign languages. (Co-authored with H. Jackson Brown, author of LIFE'S LITTLE INSTRUCTION BOOK.) Pennington's research on The Christmas Tree Ship was featured on The Weather Channel's STORM STORIES holiday special.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pathways Press (Wi) (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974081019
• ISBN-13: 978-0974081014
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an informative book!, November 28, 2007

By 

Kathy Preisly - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Historic Christmas Tree Ship: A True Story of Faith, Hope and Love (Paperback)

This was an amazing book! I loved reading Rochelle's first Christmas Tree Ship book I wanted more information about the story. The Historic Christmas Tree Ship is overflowing with early 1900s newspaper articles, historic photographs, and more details surrounding the story of Captain Schuenemann and his family than you could even imagine. If you're interested in the story, or just looking for a heartwarming Christmas book, I would definately recommend this one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most in-depth book about the Christmas Tree Ship., November 30, 2007

By 

Janet Miller - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Historic Christmas Tree Ship: A True Story of Faith, Hope and Love (Paperback)

This is truly a touching story. I purchased the book after attending one of Rochelle's presentations on the tale of the Christmas Tree Ship, an event which I also enjoyed very much. This story has since become a family favorite and we read it every Christmas. Rochelle also has another, smaller book on the Christmas Tree Ship, which is full of beautiful artwork--also a great read!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story of the ship and family who brought Christmas trees to Chicago..., July 16, 2007

By 

Julie Raguse - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Historic Christmas Tree Ship: A True Story of Faith, Hope and Love (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book that tells the story of Captain Schuenemann and his family and crew who brought trees from northern Michigan to Chicago for the people to buy at Christmas, and the disaster that took the captain and crew's life. It is a story of hope following sadness as the Schuenemann family carried on the work after the shipwreck. The pictures and historic articles are great. Nice story to read just prior and during the Christmas season.