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Other stories in "Frontier history"

• Living like a pioneer
  At day camps in forts, fur posts and frontier homesteads, kids go back in time.
• Missouri's memories
  After 150 years, the Civil War still haunts the western part of the state, long terrorized by jayhawkers and bushwackers.
• Life on the Grand Portage
  Once, a corner of northeast Minnesota was the center of the fur-trade universe.
• On the Iron Trail
  In northern Minnesota, a rich deposit of ore brought the world running.
• Blasts from the past
  Every September, the Civil War comes to an old stagecoach inn in Wisconsin.
• Hayward's lumberjacks
  A northwest Wisconsin resort town keeps a frontier art alive.
• Lumberjacks and legends
  Grand Rapids may not be the Emerald City, but its trees are green, and its lakes glitter.
• Scrappy Northfield
  As outlaws discovered, this Minnesota college town is small but rarely sleepy.
• Still fighting the Civil War
  At historic sites, battle reenactments turn history into flesh and blood.
• Posse on the prairie
  In Madelia, the Jesse James Gang met its match — again.
• Scenes from the fur trade
  At re-created forts, meet the adventurers who shaped the Upper Midwest.
• Fight club
  At a Civil War skirmish in the Wisconsin coulees, history shows up in the flesh and blood.
• Pike on the prowl
  For better or worse, America's first emissary on the Upper Mississippi set history into motion.
• River with a past
  On the lush Minnesota, beautiful scenery comes with harsh history.
• Little sod house on the prairie
  Life on the frontier wasn't quite as romantic as we think it was.

Following the tall ships

On the Great Lakes, historic schooners are welcome guests at festivals.

On the Great Lakes, everyone loves to see a multi-masted schooner, white sails flapping in the breeze.

They're always the favorite guests at festivals, especially on Lake Superior, which usually sees only freighters.

On Lake Michigan, these magnificent replicas of 19th-century schooners and sloops are more common, offering tours and day sails from their homes when they're not appearing at festivals.

This summer, the local boats are joined by three magnificent War of 1812 schooners that are making star turns at festivals from Ludington to Chicago and Port Washington, before they head to the East Coast for the bicentennial of the "second war of independence.''

Most of the tall ships are non-profit and devoted to teaching early American history and training future sailors. Many offer passage between ports as they sail to festivals.

Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City is home to four tall ships, two of them owned by the non-profit Maritime Heritage Alliance. 

People are used to seeing them, says the alliance's Kelly Roberts-Curtis — although its sloop the Welcome, always causes a stir.

"She looks like a pirate ship,'' she says. "The kids love her.''

The 55-foot Welcome, which carries four cannons, is a replica of a vessel that was built in 1774 by a merchant at Fort Michilimackinac, purchased by the British military in 1778 and lost in a 1781 storm.

MHA volunteers also sail the Madeline, a 92-foot twin-masted wooden replica of an 1840s commercial schooner. Both make frequent appearances at summer festivals.

The Madeline was built to be authentic to the era, so she doesn't meet Coast Guard requirements to sell tours or cruises.

However, if she happens to be in port and tourists call the Maritime Heritage Alliance, says Roberts-Curtis, they may be invited to tour or even sail for free. The boats dock next to Elmwood Township Park, on the west edge of Traverse City.

A sure thing in Traverse City, however, is the 114-foot Manitou, a replica of a 19th-century cargo schooner that offers public sails and also is a floating bed-and-breakfast. It's operated by the Traverse Tall Ship Co., which gives two-hour day sails and evening sails with picnic.

It also offers ice-cream, wine-tasting and entertainment cruises and four-day theme sails. Overnight guests pay $220-$250 per couple, including a full breakfast and the evening sail. 

On Lake Huron, the 85-foot, two-masted schooner Appledore IV, gives sails from its base in Bay City on the east side of Lower Michigan.

The 65-foot Appledore V give sails from Mackinaw City, across the strait from Mackinac Island.

In the southwest Michigan town of South Haven, the 101-foot Friends Good Will, a replica of an 1810 square-topsail sloop, sails Lake Michigan from the Michigan Maritime Museum.

In Chicago, the 148-foot four-masted topsail schooner Windy offers six or more sailings a day with themes, including pirates, maritime history and fireworks.

Also in Chicago, the 77-foot two-masted topsail schooner Red Witch is moored in Burnham Harbor, near Soldier Field, and gives fireworks, cocktail and moonlight cruises.

In Milwaukee, the Denis Sullivan is part of Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. It's a 137-foot replica of a three-masted 19th-century schooner, inspired by the Moonlight, a schooner that was known as the fastest on the Great Lakes between 1874 and 1885, when it was under command of Capt. Denis Sullivan.

Grandson Jere Sullivan sits on board of Pier Wisconsin, which built it for educational purposes.

Deck tours and day sails are given in summer. Reserve at 414-765-8625.

Some tall ships make frequent appearances in the Great Lakes, including the 198-foot U.S. Brig Niagara of Erie, Pa., and 157-foot privateer Pride of Baltimore II, replicas of War of 1812 battleships; and the privateer Lynx, a replica of a Maryland schooner that fought on America's behalf in the War of 1812.

In 2012, these ships will help celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

The 65-foot Niña, a replica of the Portuguese caravel that Columbus sailed to the New World, and its sister ship, the 85-foot Pinta, often make appearances in the Upper Midwest.

They're operated by the Columbus Foundation of the British Virgin Islands.

Trip Tips: 2012 maritime festivals on the western Great Lakes

Many of the tall ships offer passage between towns as they sail to festivals. Check each ship for sailing opportunities.

June 1-3, Pirate Festival in Port Washington, Wis. Ships give cruises from this Lake Michigan town, including the Saturday Pirate Invasion cruise, on which an ensemble of costumed reenactor-pirates will attack the town, and a Saturday-evening fireworks cruise. 

The festival also features six pirate and weapons reenactor groups and a parade at noon Sunday.

July 21, Inland Seas Summer Festival in Suttons Bay, Mich. Sail on the sloop Liberty during this music fest at the Inland Seas Education Center on Grand Traverse Bay.

The center's own 77-foot two-masted schooner Inland Seas is open for tours, and there will be music, displays and a sailboat race.  The festival is combined with the Leelanau Wine, Food & Music Festival and Classic Boat Show.

July 31-Aug. 5, Nautical Festival in Rogers City, Mich. The Madeline will appear at the festival in this Lake Huron town, not far from the Straits of Mackinac, which also features a voyageur encampment, a Saturday powwow of the Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa and a Sunday parade. 

August, A Taste of Tall Ships in Chicago. At Navy Pier, tall ships appear alongside the Friends Good Will from South Haven, Mich., and Chicago's own Windy and Red Witch. Some are open only for tours, and others only for day sails.

Aug. 17-19, Maritime Heritage Festival in Port Washington, Wis. The Niagara, Pride of Baltimore II and Friends Good Will will offer deck tours, harbor tours and day sails on Lake Michigan.

There's also a cardboard boat regatta, artisan fair, concerts, children's activities and fireworks at this festival just north of Milwaukee.

Planning a Great Lakes trip

Be sure to catch a festival if you're planning a Circle Tour of Lake Michigan; for more, see Circling Lake Michigan.

For a Circle Tour of Lake Superior, see Circling Superior.

Last updated on January 18, 2012