Summary
The Beaver Island Boat Company is the modern ferry operator documented in the held corpus as serving the Charlevoix–Saint James run. The Clarke Historical Library’s subject-card compilation dates its incorporation to 1954 and says it formed in 1955; a 1962 Beaver Beacon report identifies its officials and employees at the christening of the new ferry Beaver Islander. A 1969 notice for the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting confirms an operating stock company in St. James.
The two formation dates are retained as source-attributed history rather than silently reconciled. The held sources establish the company and its ferry operations, but do not yet provide incorporation records, ownership changes, or a complete fleet register.
The April and May 1955 Beaver Beacon document the company’s new Emerald Isle: its arrival from Sturgeon Bay, April 21 maiden voyage to Charlevoix, and April 23 public christening at Saint James. The reports identify company president Henry C. Allen, vice president Lloyd McDonough, and other officials without resolving the company’s full corporate history.1
The January 1969 Charlevoix Courier supplies a contemporary operational snapshot: the company’s Beaver Islander made 299 trips in the 1968 season and carried the final winter shipment through a severe December storm. This supports continued ferry operations at the end of 1968 without resolving the company’s corporate ownership or the vessel’s later history.
The May 1972 Beaver Beacon records another operating snapshot: the Beaver Islander carried needed supplies on its first trip, suffered an overheated engine after a faulty water-cooling pump, and went to the Soo for a five-year hull inspection. This documents company-era service and maintenance but not the company’s repair contracts, inspection findings, or later vessel disposition.
In March 1974 the company also offered either of its boats for emergency use when weather prevented the newly planned emergency aircraft from flying. The notice does not identify which boat would respond or document a later callout.
Open questions
- What incorporation or corporate records resolve the 1954-versus-1955 formation dates?
- Which vessels did the company operate before and after the Beaver Islander?
- When did the company’s legal ownership or operating role change?
- Did either boat actually provide emergency service under the 1974 offer?
- Which company or shipyard records document the Beaver Islander’s 1972 repair and inspection?
See also
- Beaver Islander
- Emerald Isle (1955 Beaver Island ferry)
- Arrival, Maiden Voyage, and Christening of the Emerald Isle (1955)
- Beaver Islander's Final 1968 Supply Trip Through a Winter Storm
- Beaver Islander spring service, repairs, and inspection (1972)
- Beaver Islander first 1973 season trip and schedule (1973)
- Nellie
- Erie L. Hackley
- Preparation of Beaver Island emergency aircraft (1974)
Footnotes
-
Beaver Beacon, April and May 1955, “Day of the Month for April Is Boat Day” and “The Emerald Isle.” ↩
Sources
- Helen Collar Papers, “Ships and Boats,” Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, retrieved in the local web capture.The subject-card compilation dates the Beaver Island Boat Company incorporation to 1954, says it formed in 1955, and records its purchase and operation of the Emerald Isle and the Beaver Islander.web · collar_subject_cards_q-z
- “Welcome, Beaver Islander!”, Beaver Beacon, August 1962.Contemporary local report identifies Boat Company officials and employees at the Beaver Islander's August 1962 christening and describes the company's excursion to Charlevoix.
- Beaver Beacon, July 1969, annual meeting notice.Notice for the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Beaver Island Boat Company at Holy Cross Parish Hall, St. James, documenting the company as an operating stock corporation in 1969.
- Charlevoix Courier, January 1, 1969, “Friday’s storm fails to halt final run for boat” and “Beaver Islander’s last trip.”Contemporary report attributes the heavily used 1968 supply run to the Beaver Islander, identifies the crew, and describes the ferry’s final winter crossing; the company’s exact legal role is not separately documented in the article.
- Charlevoix Courier, January 1, 1969, raw issue OCR.Held raw issue OCR preserves the company’s ferry-service context independently.
- Beaver Beacon, April 1955, “Day of the Month for April Is Boat Day.”Reports the company’s new Emerald Isle, its planned delivery, and the company president’s christening plans.
- Beaver Beacon, May 1955, “The Emerald Isle.”Reports the Emerald Isle’s April arrival, maiden voyage, public christening, and Boat Company officers and board members.
- Beaver Beacon, March 1974, “First Boat” and “Boat News.”Reports that the company offered either of its boats for emergency use when weather prevented the new emergency aircraft from flying; this is a source-bounded emergency-service offer, not proof of a permanent joint program.
- Beaver Beacon, April 1974, opening notice.The issue says harbor ice was gone and the boat was back in operation for another season; it does not name the vessel, give a schedule, or document a specific trip.
- Beaver Beacon, February 1974, classified advertising, “For Sale.”Carries a notice offering 100 shares in the Beaver Island Boat Company at the going price through Norman Gallagher; it does not establish ownership, price, transfer, or a share register.
- Beaver Beacon, May 1972, “Hectic Season Start.”Reports the Beaver Islander’s early-season supply run, engine repair, and Soo dry-dock inspection without supplying company repair or inspection records.
- Beaver Beacon, May 1960, “Our Pride and Joy.”Reports the Emerald Isle’s first 1960 trip, Sturgeon Bay painting and inspection, and announced May service. It is an operating notice, not a company log or inspection record.
- Beaver Beacon, December 1960, “Summer Is Over — definitely.”Announces the Emerald Isle winter schedule beginning December 1: Beaver Island at 8:00 a.m. and Charlevoix at 1:00 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, weather permitting. It is a published schedule, not a sailing log or company record.
- Beaver Beacon, January 1961, “Winter Is Here To Stay.”Reports the Emerald Isle's last December 30 trip and winter layup in Charlevoix. It does not provide a return date or complete sailing log.
- Beaver Beacon, March 1961, “Boat Company News.”Reports Karl Erber of Charlevoix becoming president after Henry C. Allen’s resignation. It attributes Allen’s resignation to present business relations with company members but supplies no minutes or corporate filing.
- Beaver Beacon, July 1973, “Emerald Isle Returns.”Reports the Boat Company chartering the former Emerald Isle from the Arnold Line while the Beaver Islander underwent clutch repairs, with Captain Russ Green returning it to the run; it does not provide charter or repair records.
- Beaver Beacon, October 1971, “Rogers W. Carlisle Passes.”Credits Rogers W. Carlisle with helping establish the Beaver Island Boat Company and serving as its first president; it is an obituary attestation, not a corporate minute or incorporation record.