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Stories from the wreckage: a Great Lakes maritime history inspired by shipwrecks
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Stories from the wreckage: a Great Lakes maritime history inspired by shipwrecks

John Odin Jensen
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
2019

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Abstract

"Shipwrecks are junction points of history. In seeking to make sense of the submerged material culture found in shipwrecks, this book explores maritime-related stories that shaped the Midwest and the nation during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In shipwrecks, we find stories of the frontier, the environment, immigration, politics, and the rise of large-scale agriculture, lumbering, and heavy industry. Individually and collectively, the chapters that comprise this book also place the Great Lakes against a broader background of international and national maritime processes that shaped the Upper Midwest during the 19th and early 20th centuries. For those interested in the Wisconsin or Midwestern history, yet unfamiliar with ships and the historical power of water, this book will also provide exciting new perspectives for understanding the past"--Provided by publisher. Every shipwreck has a story that extends far beyond its tragic end. The dramatic tales of disaster, heroism, and folly become even more compelling when viewed as junction points in history—connecting to stories about the frontier, the environment, immigration, politics, technology, and industry. In Stories from the Wreckage, John Odin Jensen examines a selection of Great Lakes shipwrecks of the wooden age for a deeper dive into this transformative chapter of maritime history. He mines the archeological evidence and historic record to show how their tragic ends fit in with the larger narrative of Midwestern history. Featuring the underwater photography of maritime archeologist Tamara Thomsen, this vibrant volume is a must-have for shipping enthusiasts as well as anyone interested in the power of water to shape history.

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