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letter

Catalog Number
2021.17.4
Description
Two-page letter dated 7-23-1988 from Jack Gruber, typed, to "Fellow Crewman".
History
The Larry Fuller Georgian Bay Collection

Larry Fuller was born in Holland, MI on 5-28-1939 to Durwood Fuller (1914-1989) and Louise Bouman (1910-2003). From childhood Larry had a love for the Georgian Bay ships. His father Durwood often brought Larry to see the ships when they were docked in Holland.

Durwood worked for Baker Furniture, Louise worked for Donnelly Kelley. He married Louise in Holland, MI on 11-24-1938. The Fullers lived in Holland, MI at 25 West 19th (1940, 1942 city directories), 270 East 9th (1947, 1952 city directories) and 79 Vander Veen (1958, 1960 city directories).

Larry graduated from Holland High in 1957. In 1958 Larry married Char Miller (1941-2005). They had two children: Steve and Lisa. In 2010, five years after Char's passing, Larry married his longtime friend, Nancy Day. Larry died at his home on Saturday, May 9, 2015.

Many thanks to Larry's son Steve Fuller, and Larry's wife Nancy Fuller, for donating this collection to the Holland Museum.


The Georgian Bay Ships

The Alabama, the South American and the North American were all cruise ships owned by the Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit Co. The ships sailed the Great Lakes during the summer months on cruises lasting anywhere from two days up to two weeks.
Various cities played a role in the cruises, as starting points, stopping points or destinations in-between. The list of Great Lakes cities included the following: Chicago, IL; Duluth, MN; Munising, MI; Mackinac Island; Sault St. Marie, MI; Detroit, MI; Cleveland, OH; Buffalo, NY; and, Toronto, Ontario.

In 1963, a 5 day cruise aboard the South American from Detroit to Duluth and back cost $154.50 per adult. For decades, all three ships would dock in Holland, MI for the winter.

The Alabama was the smallest of the three ships. Crowned “Queen of the Great Lakes” when built in 1910, the Alabama was laid up in 1942 and sold in 1945 for service on Lake Erie.
In 1947 Georgian Bay reclaimed the Alabama and used it for service as a floating warehouse. The Alabama was docked at Montello Park for years, slowly deteriorating. In 1960 it was sold for salvage.

The SS South American was built in 1913 and launched on February 21, 1914. It caught fire on September 9, 1924 in winter lay-up at Holland, Michigan. Her upper works were rebuilt that winter.
Retired from regular passenger service in 1967, the South American was scrapped in 1992.

The SS North American was built in 1913 and launched on January 16, 1913.
In 1923 the boilers were converted to burn oil. In 1963 the North American was sold to the Canadian Holiday Co. of Erie, Pennsylvania. The company used her in cross-lake service between Erie, Pennsylvania and Port Dover, Ontario for one year until she was retired in 1964.
In 1967 the North American sank in heavy seas off Nantucket Island while being towed to Maryland. The wreckage was discovered in the summer of 2008.
Gift of
Steve Fuller, Charlotte Fuller and Nancy Fuller, in loving memory of Larry Fuller