Lake Erie Stories: Struggle and Survival on a Freshwater Ocean

by Chad Fraser

Most people think of Lake Erie, the shallowest and second smallest of the Great Lakes, as a sun-drenched, nearly tropical retreat. But it is so much more; mysterious, unpredictable, and known by mariners for its sudden violent weather and dangerous shoals, Lake Erie has been the stage for some of the most dramatic events ever to occur on the North American continent. From the earliest explorations of First Nations and French adventurers to the brazen rumrunners of the Prohibition era and beyond, this fascinating book takes the reader inside the remarkable personalities and harrowing events that have shaped the lake and the towns and cities that surround it. Based on thorough research, extensive travels, and firsthand accounts from the people who have lived, worked and made their names on the lake, Lake Erie Stories takes a fresh look at the history of what may be the most colourful of all the Great Lakes.

Genres: History

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book - well written and a great history of Lake Erie. Would love more stories to add to the current volume. Happy I picked it up and learned quite a bit I am shocked we never learned in history classes growing up.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this labour of love! Thank you Chad! For those of us who have lived and vacationed on Lake Erie, it's like sitting next to the fireplace listening to grandfather spin tales. Meticulously researched, bright and readable prose. My favourite chapter is the last one, the story of the Dresden. You can't do shenanigans on Lake Erie; she will have you! Massive bibliography and please visit all the venues listed at the back of the book. I've done several.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lake Erie has a LOT of history, much of this dating back to the days well before the establishment of the United States.

[Warren Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of historical stories that brings to life the history of where I live.

[Suzanne Ross]

This was a neat little book chronicling the settlement of Lake Erie, from both the Canadian and American sides. It starts with the French in Quebec moving along the shores of Lake Ontario and into Lake Erie, followed by the British, and assisted by the First Nations peoples. You learn about the importance of ship-building along the Great Lakes and the fight for domination during the War of 1812 and afterwards. Now the names of some of the cities and counties in south-west Ontario make sense to me - they were named after the military men and/or their British counties of origin, who came and conquered that rough terrain in the 1800's.

There are chapters on the lighthouses peppered along the shores, shoals and islands of Lake Erie. We hear about the families, the heroes and heroines among them, the shipwrecks and the rum-running in the early 1900's. Above all are the insurmountable challenges of the lake itself; Lake Erie's somewhat shallow depths make its storms and unpredictability the most calamitous of all the Great Lakes.

I am more a lover of historical fiction, yet Lake Erie Stories, as its name suggests, reads like a novel full of interesting people facing insurmountable challenges. Had I known about its deadly storms and penchant for eating lake-borne vessels though, I may have been more worried about my daughter's two summer stints with the Inland Coast Guard! This was a very enjoyable read.