Captain Herman Schuenemann became affectionately know as “Captain Santa” for his yearly voyage from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Chicago with a load of freshly cut Christmas trees. Families would wait anxiously at the docks for their choice of the best of the best Christmas trees.Captain Schuenemann’s voyage of 1912 was to be his last. Fully loaded and ready to sail, the Rouse Simmons 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.Rochelle Pennington is a freelance author and newspaper columnist from Wisconsin whose work has been included in several best-selling series including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, and Stories for the Heart.
