Chicago's Christmas Tree Ship USCGS Mackinaw Arrives at Navy Pier - Song by Lee Murdock

Lee Murdock performs the song he wrote to celebrate a new Chicago holiday tradition, and a community service project of the US Coast Guard and concerned Chicago citizens. The story of the Rouse Simmons, Chicago's Christmas tree Schooner, has gained notoriety through a number of books and via Lee Murdock's song and annual Christmas Ship Concert.

Remembering that tradition, members of Chicago's maritime community approached the US Coast Guard in the year 2000, and arranged for the US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw, affectionately nicknamed "Mighty Mack" to dock at Chicago's Navy Pier on the first weekend of December 2000, with a load of about 500 fresh-cut Christmas trees. The year 2005 was the last year of service for the Mighty Mac, a large and powerful icebreaking cutter which went into service in 1944. In honor of her years of faithful service, Lee Murdock wrote this song, "When Big Mack Comes To This Harbor" to honor the iconic vessel on her noble opening voyage of her final winter season.

The images in this video are taken from the archives of Chicago's Christmas Ship organization,
http://www.christmasship.org/ including the US Coast Guard and perhaps a local news agency photo, to illustrate Murdock's song. Murdock recorded this song in his book/CD "Christmas Goes to Sea" which is available from his web site, http://www.LeeMurdock.com

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Christmas Tree Ship
• Coast Guard
• Icebreaker Mackinaw
• Rouse Simmons
• Lee Murdock
• Christmas Tree Schooner
• Great Lakes
• Mighty Mack
• USCGC Mackinaw

[Thrawn3333]

All respect to Old Mack, and these are some cool pics, but it was the new one that came to Chicago in 2009

-BM2 USCG Mackinaw 2009-present

[Acaciavet]

Broke a lot of Ice with this Grand Lady.

BM3 Chuck Goodspeed

USCGC Acacia

[lookinglassalice]

wonderful! Lee Murdock has a great C.D. and book about the "original" chriatmas ship, which inspired today's project...the Rouse Simmons, Chicago's Christmas tree Schooner