Month: December 2024

“Wanted” Poster – Piracy on the Great Lakes

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The image of a poster we created as a companion to my book Piracy on the Great Lakes

Our Great Lakes Pirates poster

Earlier this month, my publisher, Modern History Press, published my newest book Piracy on the Great Lakes: True Tales of Freshwater Pirates. The book focuses on several known pirates of the Great Lakes. We were able to find pictures for some of them and used them in the book.

In the spirit of having a little fun with the subject, my publisher and I got together and came up with this “Wanted” poster for some of the Great Lakes Pirates. We decided to print a few and make them available to whoever thinks they’re cool. One is going into my office.

These will only be available here on the website or at my in-person events. I will be scheduling my events right after the new year.  The cost of the poster is $5.00. Obviously, we don’t intend to retire soon from this. Get this exclusive companion to the Piracy on the Great Lakes book while they last. To order this poster click here.

Historical Photos – Fashionable Ladies of the U.P.

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I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the fashions of days gone by as represented by historical photos of the fashionable ladies of the Victorian era.

Crystal Falls ladies are showing off their best in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

These unknown ladies are decked out for their picture. This one is from Crystal Falls.

These ladies look like they found their best hats for this photo session. This unknown group of women were from Crystal Falls. From the hairstyles to the ruffled dresses, This picture is great fun.

A winter picture from Menominee with woman dressed for success against the cold.

A picture from Menominee unknown woman with 1890s winter coat and muffler.

This woman from Menominee is dressed for the winter cold. Her fur lined coat and muffler say she’s ready for some outdoor fun. That muffler could hold a clandestine bottle of brandy well concealed.

Afternoon on Mackinac Island, Michigan where Victorian ladies take in an easy day.

Several ladies of the 1890s relax on a porch on Mackinac Island.

On Mackinac Island everyone dresses their best no matter what time of day. These Victorian ladies relax on a porch enjoying the Lake Huron breeze. We all know life on the island is easy and they seem to be making the most of it.

A stereoview picture from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan of an Ojibwa princess.

An unknown Ojibwa Princess in beautiful hand-made clothing.

This picture was taken from a stereoview and was labeled Ojibwa Princess at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Unfortunately, no name was attached to the picture. I wish the picture had a little more detail of the intricate beadwork on the shoulders. A truly wonderful example of Native American fashion capturing the traditional dress of Ojibwa culture, her leather and bead finery shows the love and care that went into that dress.

A Victorian girl from Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

This little girl from Sault Ste. Marie shows children weren’t immune to the Victorian dress either.

This little girl has the look that means business. She does not look like she and getting pictures taken agree.  Maybe that lace collar is a little tight. She looks like she could hold her own in a bar fight.

How women looked in Copper Country during the Victorian era.

The Lypsinmaas sisters pose from Red Jacket showing the fashions from the Keweenaw.

From the Keweenaw we get the Lypsinmaas sisters. This is the hot look from the Keweenaw but admittedly, the fingerless gloves say things are pretty cool. The woman on the right looks like she’s headed for Roswell, NM for a UFO convention with that hat. The one in the middle looks like she’s auditioning for a George Romero movie.

If you liked these pictures and would like to see more, pick up a signed copy of my book: Faces, Places & Days Gone By. 

Piracy on the Great Lakes – New Book – True Tales of Freshwater Pirates

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My new book has just been released!

Just in time for Christmas!

The cover of my new book on Pirates in the Great Lakes and the mischief they caused.

The final cover for my new book, Piracy on the Great Lakes – True Tales of Freshwater Pirates.

I’ve been very anxious for this book to come out. This seems to be a subject very few people seem to know about. Ever since I discovered Dan Seavey, the Escanaba pirate, (some of his story is in True Tales) I’ve been working to discover more of these rogues that plagued the waters of the Great Lakes. I found several more and realized piracy was much more prevalent on the lakes than I thought.

Of course, much of the piracy, we don’t know since the very nature of piracy is to not be discovered. As I say in the book, “No witnesses are the best witnesses.” But the ones I found were amazing characters, rough and tumble, ruthless and cunning.  This is not a long book, 74 pages, but it is packed with historical tales of the freshwater pirates. I’m very pleased with this book and I hope everyone else will enjoy it as well. Aye, keep a weather eye out. There be pirates about.

Click here to purchase Piracy on the Great Lakes on Amazon

The link below is to a podcast I did with MLive on Great Lakes Piracy. It begins with a brief introduction at the Boyne City Pirate Festival. I’m interviewed following that. It was a fun talk.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2024/10/pirates-of-the-great-lakes-rebuilding-chicago-with-michigans-white-pine-treasure.html

 

Waiting in the night, hidden behind a remote island, no lights showing, pirates would lure unsuspecting ships into unknown waters. Then they would silently slide up to them and board the ship. The crew would be killed and the bodies thrown over the side, weighted down with chains. The pirates would take the cargo, sink or burn the ship, and then, just as quietly, sail away into the night. Dead men tell no tales, nor do they testify in court.

Forget everything you’ve learned about pirates from Johnny Depp films. Instead of chasing down ships laden with gold, the Great Lakes pirates were after commodities. There were fur pirates, timber pirates, religious pirates, and inept pirates. Just about anything that could be sold fell prey to pirates. Cargos could be stolen and then sold at the next port. On the Great Lakes, piracy was easy.

Reviews for Piracy on the Great Lakes, True Tales of Freshwater Pirates

“Loaded with rare period photos and engravings of the infamous pirates who wreaked havoc in Great Lakes waters and shore communities, Classen’s inviting narrative is fast-paced and filled with legends of treasures and daring exploits.” -Sue Harrison, international best-selling historical novelist

“Piracy on the Great Lakes is a swashbuckling treat and fascinating addition to Great Lakes lore. Historical vignettes filled with fur traders, religious extremists, and Civil War opponents bring it to life. You’ll be surprised, entertained, and enlightened by the tales of high adventure that await you in these pages.” – Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD, award-winning author of The Mysteries of Marquette

“Replete with hair-raising tales of black-sailed ships, desperate and bloody conquests, frontier politics, revenge, and retribution, Mikel Classen’s Piracy on the Great Lakes paints a vivid picture of piracy’s social and economic role in America’s adolescence. Classen contextualizes the broad strokes of the Civil War, the late stages of the fur trade, and the timber market with anecdotes of personal detail that are often far stranger than fiction.” – J.D. Austin, author of The Last Huck

“I learned a lot about the Great Lakes and was impressed by the extensive research Mikel B. Classen must have done. He has packed a lot of information into less than 100 pages. I would recommend it to anyone seeking a good read about our Great Lakes.” – Larry Jorgensen, author of Shipwrecked and Rescued