Michigan
has a distinguished heritage of
Great Lakes maritime trade, but
geography prevented any involvement
with whaling.
Still, the Michigan tamarack
-- called hackmatack
in New England, and known as
larch elsewhere -- was a wood
indispensable to whaleship building
and was more plentiful in Michigan
than locally.
In the 19th century much such
timber found its way to Massachusetts
shipyards to form knees (supports
for deck and hull timbers) in
Yankee whaleships. See our outdoor
exhibition, "Trees and
Shipbuilding Woods."
Also, in "Whaling in the
South Seas," look for advertising
from the Warren Featherbone
Company in Three Oaks, Michigan:
in the 1890s the company was
producing corset stays and husks
made out of turkey feathers,
on the principle -- as their
brochure states -- "whales
are scarce but turkeys are plenty."
Michigan
has a distinguished heritage of
Great Lakes maritime trade, but
geography prevented any involvement
with whaling.
