Name/Title
Closing of the Old HarborEntry/Object ID
2023.50.23Scope and Content
Notes on the New and Old harbor, by an Old Fisherman
In 1970 Rube Sewers, an elderly Saugatuck fisherman, was asked by a Wisconsin writer about the date when the old mouth of the Kalamazoo River was no longer navigable. This is Rube's reply. Illustrations from 1867 and 1935 added.
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May 20, 1970
Mr. D. R. Runyon, Madison, Wis.
Dear Sir;
The mouth of the harbor closed completely in 1912. The entrance to the old harbor closed completely in 1917. The small channel across from Pine Trails Camp was dug by Mr. George Sheridan the Light House Keeper. This was dug by hand with shovels. This was dug in 1914 and remained open until 1932. when low water closed it. Again opened in 1951 and stayed open until 1955 when it closed for good from gradual filling of sand and mud also from marsh grass and trees. The concrete piers were put in 1936 and 1937. The lighthouse horn was put up in 1937. I was born at the mouth of the old harbor in 1894. Lived there until Nov. 11, 1909. My father was a commercial fisherman and that is why we had to move as we could no longer get into the old harbor with our fish boat. This is about all the information I can give you. Yours truly Ruben W. Sewers.Context
Dates the evolution of the harborCollection
SDHS NL Inserts, 1845 Fishing, commercial, NauticalCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2023.50Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionNotes
SDHS Newsletter insert page 53Location
* Untyped Location
Digital data in CatalogItRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Old Harbor/Channel piers pre-1906/Ox-Bow LagoonGeneral Notes
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 8, 2023Update Date
March 29, 2024
