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Boat building in Allegan

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List of nautical vessels built in Allegan County as identified in "Saugatuck Through the Years" by James E. Sheridan, pages 198-201. Single sheet of paper with handwritten text on both sides.
Boat building in Allegan picture number 1
1. Flat boats were used on the Kalamazoo river to 1871 when the railroad through New Richmond replaced their need, and the railroad through Allegan. 2. Lumber was usually placed aboard rafts and towed to their destination. The raft could be discarded. 3. With the advent of the Adelaide in 1847, rafts could be towed back to Allegan and reused. 4. Any sailing craft brought down river from Allegan were ship hulls without superstructures which were added at Saugatuck. 5. Barges were not very successful on the Kalamazoo River. 6. Flatboats carried a sail and was used when weather permitted. 7. Down traffic principally flour. Up traffic was general freight.

2026.01.04

Includes information about the ship or boat Pioneer, Great Western, Tippecanoe, C.C. Trowbridge, Droop, Adelaide, Ira Chaffee, Helen Mar, Aunt Betsy, Mayflower and Lavinda, the ships' builders, and seven general notes about shipping on the Kalamazoo.

1840 Shipbuilding

Winthers, Sally

2026.01

11 in

8-1/2 in

005 A+B Nautical History

Pioneer (boat)Great Western (boat)Tippecanoe (boat)C.C. Trowbridge (ship)Droop (boat)Adelaide (ship)Ira Chaffee (ship) 1867Helen Mar (ship)Aunt Betsey (ship) 1867Mayflower (ship)Lavinda (ship)Sheridan, James E. 1909-1996

04/10/2026

04/10/2026