1950s ferry waiter rides Badger cross lake ferry 68 years later
In the summer of 2024, Bill Bussell of Round Rock, Texas, along with his daughter and son-in-law, took a special trip on board the S.S. Badger cross lake ferry. Bill worked for the C&O Railroad’s Ludington car ferries during the summers of 1958 and 1959 while attending Michigan State University. Born in Capac, Michigan, Bill’s…
The Chadburn Engine Order Telegraphs
Technology on board the S.S. Badger spans nearly 200 years. One of the oldest forms of technology is the engine order telegraph (EOT), which is used to communicate between the pilot houses and the engine room. The EOT was created by an engineer and medical doctor named Charles Grafton Page (1812-1868) in the 1850s. The…
SS Badger, home of the Poort family
LUDINGTON, Mich. — Over its 70-plus years of service, the SS Badger cross lake ferry has been a vessel of making special memories for thousands of people that span multiple generations. For one Hart, Michigan family the Badger not only provided an important service during a time of hardship, it has become an integral part…
The Badger’s Main Lounge
This is a view of what the Main Lounge on the SS Badger looked like shortly after it started service in March 1953. For those familiar with the ship, this photo was taken near what is now the cruise director’s office located on the starboard side. Through the years the lounge area was modified to…