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George Wellington “Cap” Streeter

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George Wellington “Cap” Streeter

Birth
Flint, Genesee County, Michigan, USA
Death
24 Jan 1921 (aged 83–84)
East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana, USA
Burial
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Plot
Section 5, Row 7, Grave 4
Memorial ID
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A famous eccentric and much loved founder of The District of Lake Michigan. George Streeter's boat, which was originally purchased to ferry passengers between Chicago and Milwaukee, crashed on a sandbar near Superior Street on Chicago's Lake shore during its maiden voyage in 1886. The landfill on which his boat came to rest was technically unclaimed and didn't appear on any official United States Survey maps. Taking advantage of this oversight Streeter made dubious claim to the property and established it as an entirely new commonwealth called The District of Lake Michigan. In short order a number of shanties, saloons and boradellos sprang up much to the distress of Chicago's city fathers. Finally, after a long legal contest that was eventually decided against Streeter's claim the Captain was evicted by an army of Chicago police in 1902. To this day however, the downtown neighborhood that extends east from Michigan Boulevard to the lake shore and north from the Chicago River is called Streeterville in his honor.
A famous eccentric and much loved founder of The District of Lake Michigan. George Streeter's boat, which was originally purchased to ferry passengers between Chicago and Milwaukee, crashed on a sandbar near Superior Street on Chicago's Lake shore during its maiden voyage in 1886. The landfill on which his boat came to rest was technically unclaimed and didn't appear on any official United States Survey maps. Taking advantage of this oversight Streeter made dubious claim to the property and established it as an entirely new commonwealth called The District of Lake Michigan. In short order a number of shanties, saloons and boradellos sprang up much to the distress of Chicago's city fathers. Finally, after a long legal contest that was eventually decided against Streeter's claim the Captain was evicted by an army of Chicago police in 1902. To this day however, the downtown neighborhood that extends east from Michigan Boulevard to the lake shore and north from the Chicago River is called Streeterville in his honor.

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