'Christmas Ship' delivering trees to Chicago
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter is heading to Chicago from northern Michigan with a load of Christmas trees for the needy.
The cutter "Mackinaw" is based in Cheboygan (shuh-BOY'-guhn), Michigan. It will arrive at Navy Pier in the Windy City on Friday with more than 1,200 trees.
The ice cutter's voyage down Lake Michigan marks the 15th annual reenactment of the "Christmas Ship" that began delivering trees in the late 1800s.
The original Christmas tree ship called the "Rouse Simmons" was captained by Herman Schuenemann (SHOO'-nay-mehn). He continued the holiday tradition for three decades until his boat sank in 1912 while carrying the evergreens.
The trees will be unloaded on Saturday for distribution to needy families.
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