ANOTHER VICTORIAN TOWN

August 29, 2011  Dateline: Sheboygan, WI USA

I arrived in Sheboygan at 12:15 this afternoon, the wind had not picked up so the water was relatively flat and the ride was smooth.

Sheboygan, WI is like many towns on the Great Lakes. It once was an important fishing and transportation hub.  Now it is turning to tourism to drive its economic engine.  The river front has been rebuilt and there is a long Riverwalk on both sides of the river with shops and restaurants.  The main street is, however, quiet.

While walking along Rich & Carol saw this example of a land boat.  It was at what appeared to be an ex General Motors dealership that now survives repairing GM cars and selling used ones.

The architecture of the town is very interesting; here are pictures of some of the buildings.  They appear to be well maintained.

This fellow’s job certainly gets him up in the world. He must be sweeping a chimney that is 60 feet tall. Rich and Carol said they walked by again several hours later and he was still at it. That job must take forever.

This picture is of an early Burger boat.  The Lottie Cooper was a schooner used to haul lumber.  She was built in 1876 at the Rand and Burger ship yard in Manitowoc.  She sank in a gale wind just off the coast of Sheboygan in 1891.  The lumber that fell off of the deck floated in the water and made rescue efforts difficult.  Discovered in 1992, she was lifted out of the harbor and put on the hard.  Her white oak beams are massive giving an indication of the size of the trees that were used to build her.

Off to Port Washington tomorrow.