Arrival, Maiden Voyage, and Christening of the Emerald Isle (1955)

Summary

The new Emerald Isle arrived at Beaver Island from the Christy Corporation yards in Sturgeon Bay on April 21, 1955. That afternoon it made its maiden voyage to Charlevoix, taking two hours and forty minutes. On April 23, the island community held a christening at Saint James, with Mrs. Dan P. Boyle, called “Aunt Maggie,” performing the christening and Henry Allen, president of the Beaver Island Boat Company, conducting the ceremony.¹

The Beacon also identifies Mark Gross in the April advance notice and Mark Cross in the May account as captain. This article preserves that spelling conflict in an episode-qualified record rather than silently choosing one form. The ceremony included a Boat Company board, local and regional civic representatives, a blessing by Rev. Fr. Joseph, and an excursion to Charlevoix on April 24.¹

Evidence and limits

The date range separates the reported April 21 arrival and maiden voyage from the April 23 christening; the April 16 delivery date was only tentative in the advance notice and is not used as the event start. The sources do not provide a formal vessel manifest, complete attendee list, exact shipyard specifications, or the later history of the ferry.

The source calls the christener “Mrs. Dan P. Boyle” and “Aunt Maggie.” The link to the existing Maggie Boyle record is source-compatible with the later family interview, but no civil marriage, birth, or death record is asserted here.

Open questions

• Do shipyard, Coast Guard, or company records resolve the captain’s Gross/Cross spelling and document the vessel?
• What records identify Henry Allen, Bob Miller, Dave Miller, Lloyd McDonough, and Mike Cull beyond this ceremony and ferry context?
• What was the ferry’s route, capacity, and service history after the 1955 launch?

See also

• Emerald Isle (1955 Beaver Island ferry)
• Beaver Island Boat Company
• Saint James Harbor
• Maggie Boyle