Raising a glass of Wolf Point Captain Santa Moonshine to Captain Herman Schuenemann and the crew of the Rouse Simmons, Chicago's legendary Christmas Tree Ship. The Simmons foundered on Lake Michigan this day, November 23, 1912 with a load of 5,500 Christmas Trees. She was last seen by the Kewaunee, WI Lifesaving Station approximately 5 miles East-South East from the station, sails in tatters, flag flying at half-mast, and fighting the North West gale. Station Two Rivers, the next station south, attempted a rescue with their power lifeboat but the Simmons and her crew had vanished between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Barbara Schuenemann, Herman's wife, and their daughters carried on the tradition of selling trees in Chicago until after Barbara's death in 1933. First from various schooners and then from a family tree lot. The Rouse Simmons was found on the bottom of Lake Michigan in 170ft of water in 1971. She still had her load of tress and is located in the vicinity of where the Two Rivers Lifesaving Station crew searching in 1912. The tradition continues with the Chicago's Christmas Tree Ship and the USCGC Mackinaw bringing trees from Michigan to hand out to families who can't afford one. ..... "God bless the men who cross the lake in December to bring us Christmas Trees" - The Christmas Schooner ..... #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #moonshine #chicago #wolfpointdistilling #chicagoschristmasship #USCG #uscoastguard (at Coastal San Pedro) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClVe6-pOKbH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
