- A schooner famously referred to as the "Christmas Tree Ship" sank on Lake Michigan more than a century ago.
- A skipper nicknamed "Captain Santa" helmed the vessel — and went down with its holiday shipment.
Captain Herman Schuenemann was beloved.
For nearly three decades in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the legendary boat captain hauled loads of Christmas trees during the holiday season from Michigan to be sold in Chicago, Illinois.
He skippered a three-masted schooner famously referred to as the "Christmas Tree Ship," but Schuenemann was even better known for his generosity.
Each year, he'd give away many of his Christmas trees for free to needy families in the Chicago area.
Schuenemann was lovingly nicknamed "Captain Santa."
His kindness continued for years until one fateful night in 1912, when the "Christmas Tree Ship" sank in the stormy waters of Lake Michigan, taking all of her crew down with her.
This is the story of the tragic night, and how some are keeping Schuenemann's legacy alive to this day.
A local legend is born
Schuenemann captained a 205-ton ship called the Rouse Simmons, but it's not clear exactly when he earned his nickname.
"At some stage of Herman Schuenemann's long career as a late-season tree captain, he was given the title of Captain Santa," according to a National Archives report by historian Glenn Longacre.
According to Longacre: "The affectionate nickname was bestowed by Chicago's local newspapers and by the city's grateful residents."
Schuenemann and his family never got wealthy from selling Christmas trees, the archivist wrote, "but his reputation for generosity was well established, and he delighted in presenting trees to many of the city's needy residents."
And he was proud of his holiday heroics.
"Schuenemann enjoyed the sobriquet and proudly kept newspaper clippings about his role as Captain Santa in his oilskin wallet," according to Longacre.
The exact cause of the ship's sinking remains unknown
Mystery still surrounds the sinking of the Rouse Simmons on Lake Michigan, including the exact cause of the tragedy.
By 1912, the vessel was 44 years old and long past its prime, according to Longacre, who noted in his report that "time, the elements, and hundreds of heavy loads of lumber had taken their toll on the vessel's physical condition."
The Rouse Simmons set out on its final voyage with Schuenemann and more than a dozen crew members on November 22, 1912, from Thompson, Michigan, carrying up to 5,000 trees on its deck and in its cargo hold.
The ship was bound for Chicago to deliver yet another shipment of Christmas trees.
"Some eyewitnesses to the Rouse Simmons's departure claimed the ship looked like a floating forest," Longacre wrote.
But sadly, the ship was caught in a massive winter storm that hit the lake, according to Longacre.
"What happened after the Rouse Simmons departed the tiny harbor at Thompson with its heavy load of trees is unknown," wrote Longacre.
According to the historian, a report from life-saving crew log books said that a schooner was spotted on the lake flying its flag at half-mast, a sign of distress, at 2:50 p.m. on November 23, 1912. The ship vanished out of sight before rescuers could arrive.
Schuenemann and his crew were never seen again.
At first, Schuenemann's family refused to accept the ship was lost, according to the Chicago Maritime Museum.
But soon, his 23-year-old daughter Elsie would show "courage beyond her years," according to the museum. She began making Christmas wreaths and took up her father's mantle.
She became known as the "The Queen of Christmas Trees," according to the Chicago Maritime Museum.
Over a decade later, fishermen discovered an oilskin in their nets with its contents still "pristine" inside, according to Longacre. It was Schuenemann's wallet.
The wallet was returned to his family.
The legacy of the 'Christmas Tree Ship' lives on
Longacre described the saga of Schuenemann and the Rouse Simmons as a "microcosm of Great Lakes maritime history."
The sinking of the ship marked the beginning of the end for schooners bringing loads of evergreens to Chicago, according to Longacre.
"Over the years, the schooner's disappearance spawned legends and tales that grew ever larger with the passage of time," Longacre wrote. "Some Lake Michigan mariners claimed to have spotted the Rouse Simmons appearing out of nowhere."
Her remains were ultimately discovered by a diver off the coast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, in 1971 — logs still lying on her hull.
But even now, the legacy of Schuenemann, his crew, and the Rouse Simmons lives on.
During each holiday season since 1999, United States Coast Guard ships deliver a load of Christmas trees from northern Michigan to Chicago, following the original course of Schuenemann's vessel.
With the help of volunteers, the Christmas trees are delivered to local families in need, just as "Captain Santa" used to do.
Since the official commemoration of Schuenemann and his "Christmas Tree Ship" began more than two decades ago, more than 26,000 trees have been distributed, according to the Coast Guard.
This year, the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw once again set out on a Christmas tree run.
While on the voyage, the crew paid homage to the Rouse Simmons and those who lost their lives with a moment of silence. They then tossed a wreath into the cold water.