Name/Title
Seals and Sea Serpent in Lake MichiganEntry/Object ID
2023.50.61Scope and Content
Two newspaper clippings of seal sighting and, in the notes section below, a story of sea serpent that may be a joke.
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Occasionally odd things were seen on Lake Michigan. The short story below appeared in the Lake Shore Commercial, Saugatuck's weekly newspaper, for October 28, 1892:
"One of the sea lions at Lincoln Park, Chicago, escaped a few weeks ago and got into Lake Michigan before he could be recaptured. A few days ago some young ladies of this place, while standing at the pier at the mouth of the river, saw a strange object in the lake and their close description of its appearance and movements leaves no doubts that it was the runaway from Lincoln Park."
Later history would repeat itself. The account below is from the March 15, 1935, Commercial Record:
"Capt. George Sewers of the tug Reindeer, local fishing boat, and his crew Ray Peel and son Paul and Roy Hill, brought us yesterday probably the most mythical story of the season, which was a real honest-to-goodness, live seal swimming in the icy waters of our good old Lake Michigan. Although this seems to be most incredible we have no reason to doubt the words of Mr. Sewers and his crew.
While returning from their nets Wednesday noon the seal was sighted following them about a mile from the harbor and continued to do so until they entered the harbor but there he stopped, turned around and went back out in the lake. At times Mr. Sewers said, the seal was only 20 feet from the boat and appeared to be very tame which adds strength to the possibility that it might be a tame seal from some zoo or circus and also to the fact that at his age Mr. Sewers should be able to recognize a seal at 20 feet.
The seal was about the size of a man and would probably weigh from 125 to 150 pounds."Collection
SDHS NL InsertsCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2023.50Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionNotes
SDHS Newsletter insert page 128Location
* Untyped Location
Digital data in CatalogItRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Sewers, George James 1891-1954General Notes
Note
Contributed by a reader, from a 1934 South Haven paper.
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These are exciting days in good old Lake Michigan and what merriment. So let the orchestra strike up, and joy reign supreme for the famed "sea serpent" has bobbed up in the lake.
You do not believe it? But listen my children and you will understand. Two good and true seamen and residents of our own city saw it with their own eyes. We refer to Capt. G. E. Stufflebeam of the S. S. Theodore Roosevelt and Harry J. Cook, 1053 Ireland avenue, known here for years for the truth and nothing by the truth.
But let the Associated Press dispatch tell the story:
"We were about four miles off shore," said Capt. Stufflebeam last night, "when Donald Steele, the lookout saw it."
"I ordered two floodlights thrown on the creature and there he was -- wriggling and twisting around and going faster than the ship. We kept it in sight for five minutes.
"The passengers on deck cried, `What is it?' but I didn't know nor did H. J. Cook, former steamship line official, who was with me.
"Then it flipped its tail and the creature -- about 60 feet long -- started toward Benton Harbor, Mich."
That's Captain Stufflebeam's story and he said he'll stick to it. Now, is there any doubt in your mind that a sea serpent is roaming Lake Michigan frightening women and children? There should not be, and can be none in view of the circumstances, especially if you know Mr. Stufflebeam and Mr. Cook. And if it has been your misfortune not to know them, there is something missing in your life. Two more truthful and jovial sailors never sat around the kitchen table and spun yarns of their daring and the sea. They are the life of the party.
Capt. Stufflebeam commanded the steamer Alabama for years and later was commodore of the state ferry fleet at the Straits. In and out of marine circles, no captain is considered a more able pilot or a more charming host. If Capt. Stufflebeam's friends, or even the passengers, insisted on a sea serpent, a sea serpent it would be. Capt. Stufflebeam is that way.
The steamer Roosevelt is operated out of Chicago daily on excursions to Benton Harbor. It is to be noted that it was toward Benton Harbor that the serpent was headed. Naturally with the double holiday at hand, Capt. Stufflebeam will expect thousands of Chicago people to board his ship in the search for that serpent. And with Capt.. Stufflebeam and Mr. Cook there to entertain them, what fun there will be.
Maybe a reporter or two will go along. The captain likes reporters and reporters like him, and there is nothing a reporter enjoys more than a sea serpent chase on lake Michigan with Captain Stufflebeam and his aide, Harry Cook.
[It's hard to tell if this newspaper story is an "in" joke, perhaps to advertise the cruises, the reporter mocking some unusual event that took place on a previous trip, or a case of legitimate (albeit light-hearted) reporting.]Note
This information was OCR text scanned from SDHS newsletter supplements. A binder of original paper copies is catalog item 2023.50.01Create Date
November 12, 2023Update Date
November 18, 2023
