The Christmas Tree Ship Picture Book

On November 21, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons set sail from a small northern Michigan town across Lake Michigan. Affectionately dubbed the “Christmas Tree Ship,” this was an annual trek bound for Chicago. There Captain Herman Scheunemann would sell the trees for 50 cents or $1.00 and gave many away to needy families. But the schooner never makes its destination. The Rouse Simmons, with all hands and cargo, disappears into the cold waters.

The ship’s wreckage is not found until 1971. Drawing from stories told by her grandfather, the author weaves a fictional tale based on the true events of the doomed schooner. And she explains how the captain’s widow went on to continue his tradition of delivering holiday trees to Chicago in this beautifully illustrated Christmas classic.