The Christmas Tree Ship

 

The Christmas Tree Ship

During the Age of Sail, it was common for ships to decorate for Christmas. Crews would hang wreaths made from evergreens  on the ship’s bow. These decorations served to bring a festive spirit to the ship and were a way to celebrate the holiday, even while at sea. The garland tossed by the sea at the masthead of the Rouse Simmons on November 23, 1912, however,  was crafted by an angry sea Grinch determined to steal the Christmas spirit. It was  fashioned in the shapes of stormy waves -  tumultuous spirals of dark blues and greens. Curling tendrils of seaweed twisted and flowed with the chaotic movement of the sea .The untamed  spirit of the November storm unleashed a Wreath of Wrath on the two-masted vessel – a schooner -  as the tempestuous eye of the Sea Grinch made of swirling, frothy foam  peered from the depths.  The three-masted ship’s structure, speed and agility would be challenged and there could be only one winner.

The Rouse Simmons was built in Milwaukee in 1868 by Allan, McClelland, & Company, and named after Kenosha businessman Rouse Simmons. The schooner was soon purchased by lumber magnate Charles H. Hackley of Muskegon, Michigan and joined his sizeable fleet. Hackley's ships served across most of Lake Michigan's coastline, and the Rouse Simmons became a workhorse, shipping lumber from company mills to several ports around the lake for around 20 years.

The Rouse Simmons  changed hands many times after its service with Hackley. It was a common practice for these vessels, so much so, they became known as tramp ships. In many cases, these merchants had several owners. Herman Schuenemann became a part-owner and started hauling lumber and trading in Christmas trees during the holiday season starting around 1900.

 While many rival traders  sold to wholesalers and local grocers, Schuenemann sold directly to Chicago residents at dockside by Clark Street Bridge. By cutting out the middleman, his trees could be sold cheaply while still earning  a profit.  He advertised with the  slogan "Christmas Tree Ship: My Prices are the Lowest," and strung electric Christmas lights to a tree atop the main mast. The trees were sold for between 50 cents and $1. Herman Schuenemann became known as "Captain Santa" because if you were too poor to buy one, he gave it to you for free.

In November 1912 Schuenemann loaded the schooner with 5,500 trees from Thompson Harbor near Manistique, Michigan and planned to make the week-long journey to Chicago. The weather was so poor most of his competitors  decided not to “risk it,”  and snow had buried  the tree farms in Michigan and Wisconsin. As a result, there was a tree shortage and  “Captain Santa” was short too -  on cash. He saw this as an opportunity  for a big sale and decided to go for it so he could afford to buy Christmas presents.

The journey began at noon, with trees crammed into every possible corner of the ship. The ship was overloaded especially in view of the bad winter weather. During the night, with storms hitting the Simmons hard, two sailors  sent to check the lashings on deck. were swept overboard together with a bunch of trees and a lifeboat. The storms worsened; ice formed on the sodden trees and winds battered the hull. When the Kewaunee Life Saving Station spotted the Rouse Simmons  on November 23^rd. It was low in the water with tattered sails, flying its flag at half-mast to signal that it was in distress. It was the last time the vessel was seen. The Simmons was not the only ship to go down during the storm, with the South Shore, the Three Sisters, and the Two Brothers suffering similar fates. In December 1912 Christmas trees and wreckage were reported ashore at Pentwater, Michigan. Unbelievably, twelve years later in 1924 a fishing net trawled up a wallet belonging to Captain Schuenemann. The wallet was well preserved because it was wrapped in oilskin.

The Christmas Tree Ship lived on through Schuenemann's wife, Barbara, and their two daughters, and they continued to give away to poor families.  In the latter years, however,  they brought  in the trees by train and  used a boat as a sales platform until highways  made it easier and more affordable for everyone to buy a tree.

Today, the legend of the Simmons endures a touching maritime tale of adversity but also and of the Christmas Spirit  holiday goodwill. Since 2000, the U.S. Coast Guard  has followed the Simmons’s path in a modern vessel loaded with evergreens. They do so in honor, not just of the ill-fated schooner, but of Herman Schuenemann—the enterprising mariner known as “Captain Santa,” who made the “Christmas Tree Ship” a legend. The U.S. Coast Guard's annual Christmas tree donation in Chicago typically involves bringing in trees from the national forest and then distributing them to local charities and organizations. These trees are often given to families in need or used to decorate community centers and other public spaces. It is a way for the Coast Guard to contribute to the Christmas spirit and support the local community. On  shore, volunteers from the Coast Guard Auxiliary assist with event logistics, directing people, managing traffic, and helping ensure safety during tree deliveries.