In spite of the hard times during the Great Depression, some people vacationed by taking a cruise of the Great Lakes on the S.S. South American or on the S.S. North American. The whole trip took one week and covered 2,200 miles. The ships made stops, and passengers had a few hours to sightsee and shop at each of the ports.

On shipboard, people could relax, enjoy themselves and meet people from all over Michigan, the United States and other countries. They could eat good food, sunbathe and take a one-mile hike, which was nine times around the deck of the ship. Musicians and dancers put on special shows for the passengers.

One of the stops was Mackinac Island, which was called the "Bermuda of the North." Advertisements claimed that there were no mosquitoes or automobiles on the island and that people did not get hay fever.

The cruise ships also stopped at Grand Isle, Munising, Houghton, Copper Harbor, Sault Ste. Marie, Detroit, Buffalo and Saginaw in Michigan; Chicago (Illinois); Duluth (Minnesota); Milwaukee (Wisconsin); and Sarnia and Niagara Falls (Canada)

What happened to the S.S. North American and S.S. South American? Built in 1913 and 1914 respectively, they sailed the Great Lakes for the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Company for many years. The S.S. North American sailed until the early 1960s (although not regularly during its final years). The S.S. South American stopped sailing in 1967. To learn more about these and other passenger ships on the Great Lakes, visit the Marine Historical Society of Detroit online.

Things to Do:

1. Print the map. It shows the Great Lakes and many port cities. Decide where you would like to go on a trip on the Great Lakes. What would you want to see and do in each of these places? What do you know about these places? Do you know people who have been there? Have you been to some of these places and want to revisit them? Why? Draw a line on the map that shows the ship's route to all the cities you would like to visit.
2. Make a travel advertisement for your Michigan cruise.
3. Learn about the island of Bermuda. Why do you think Mackinac Island was called the "Bermuda of the North?" Make a list of things you could do on a vacation in both places.
4. Learn about cruising the Great Lakes today at http://www.greatlakescruising.com/

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
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