Customer Reviews

Lost on the Lakes: Shipwrecks of Berrien County, Michigan

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Roberty Myers has filled a void the body of knowledge concerning Lake Michigan shipwrecks with this Lost on the Lakes, Shipwrecks of Berrien County. The area around St. Joseph, Michigan saw large-scale commercial traffic extremely early in Lake Michigan's history and consequently, hosted many wrecks. Myers is the first to give us a comprehensive and accurate picture of the many marine disasters the area has hosted. His research is impressive, uncovering several previously unknown losses and adding detail to several others. The book is also an entertaining read and includes many interesting side stories and relevant historical details. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Lake Michigan maritime history.

Robert C. Myers has once again captured the essence of an era that has long been forgotten in Southwestern Michigan. The age of the passenger vessels travelling to Chicago, Michigan City, etc. now has a chance to be relived through the words of Robert C. Myers and the photo's of many generous institutions and private individuals. For those who have ancestry in the shipping industry, this is an excellent source. I am proud to live where so much history has taken place and I have such a tremendous amount of respect for those who lost their lives and those who made St. Joseph/Benton Harbor the way it is today. This book will give history buffs plenty of shipwreck lore and genealogists will savor the well-researched data. It goes without saying that I highly recommend this book!!!!

How could a ship still in the dock lead to one of the worst maritime disasters in history, with nearly 850 lives lost? And what fate befell such ships as the Davy Crockett, Hippocampus, Protection, and City of Chicago? In this well researched and delightfully readable volume, Robert Myers attempts to relate-through historical detail, factual narrative, and photographs-a comprehensive account of the historical shipwrecks of southeastern Lake Michigan. His suspenseful narratives bring to life that which was lost, introducing readers to vessels wrecked and to the people who survived or died on Lake Michigan.