Description:
This study of the legendary Michigan shipbuilder Frank E. Kirby examines his life and the accomplishments that earned him national esteem and international fame. Richard Gebhart brings to life the story of one of the most prolific Great Lakes shipbuilders of the time.
Brief description:
Richard Gebhart was director of the White River Light Station lighthouse museum from 1975 to 1980. He has authored numerous articles of historical interest and essays for journals and newsletters of Great Lakes historical societies, as well as the book Ships and Shipwrecks: Stories from the Great Lakes and Tragedy and Triumph on the Great Lakes.
Review Quotes:
"Frank E. Kirby was a huge figure in the design of early Great Lakes passenger ships, bulk carriers, and ice-breaking railroad ferries in the late 1800s. His accomplishments have been, for the most part, overlooked. This book is a wonderful account of his accomplishments and of his part in shaping the early shipbuilding industry of Detroit." --Robert B. Campbell, author of Classic Ships of the Great Lakes