The Ghost of Captain Van Dyke
Peer into the captain’s cabin of the Pere Marquette 21.
Every ship carries stories within its hull, and few vessels on Lake Michigan carried as many as the Pere Marquette 21. Peer into the Texas-deck captain’s cabin and feel the presence of the men who commanded her across the lake through fog, ice, and storm.
The Ghost of Captain VanDyke is one of the most atmospheric exhibits in the museum — an evocative, immersive glimpse into the private world of a Great Lakes car ferry captain in the early 20th century. Period furnishings, personal artifacts, and environmental storytelling create a space that feels inhabited, as if the captain has just stepped away from the wheel for a moment.
It’s a powerful reminder that the car ferry era was powered not just by steam engines but by the remarkable men who dedicated their lives to the lake.
Port of Ludington Maritime Museum
| Address: | 217 S Lakeshore Dr |
| Phone: | (231) 843-4808 |
| Season: | May – October |
| Days of Operation: | Tuesday – Saturday |
| Hours of Opertaion: | 10am – 5pm |
| Admission: | $17 for adults |
