The U.S. Coast Guard once again has delivered a boat-load of holiday cheer from Northern Michigan to Chicago families while retracing the route of the ill-fated Christmas Tree Ship.
By delivering 1,200 Christmas trees to the Windy City, the crew aboard the cutter Mackinaw was carrying on the tradition of the Rouse Simmons. The worn-out schooner helmed by a man nicknamed “Captain Santa” and heavily weighed down by a load of U.P. Christmas trees bound for Chicago sank while running that route in 1912.
During its early December tradition, the Mackinaw and its crew took on the mantle of “The Christmas Tree Ship” for this delivery run…