Walk Water
Walstrom Dock & Dredge today, operated by Andy Stillings and Zak Jones
A ON THE
By Ward Walstrom, Jr.
U
nless you’re divine, walking on water requires a dock. That involves piling, timbers, and decking. Someone has to figure out how to drive pilings that support the dock. There are few blokes cut out to be pile drivers. Harbor Springs had a few, Fenton Roe and Fred Walstrom were two. They had the passion and desire to build docks so others could walk on water. The evolution of pile driving started with the horse and then transitioned to steam. Next were air hammers on leaders held by cranes. The diesel hammer came later. Presently, vibration hammers are used. The advantage is that
if dock materials are not straight, they can be easily vibrated back out and re-driven. Cranes have evolved to joysticks and hydraulics. Battery-powered hand tools have replaced electric cords around water for safety. Any serious conversation about pile driving and dock building around Harbor Springs should include the name Roe. A 1905 abstract shows the Roe brothers owning the commercial dock extending from the Depot. Robert Roe owned the dock and building called, “The Boathouse” – later owned by Henry Melching and sold to Walstrom Marine. Robert’s son, Old Jim Roe lived on Main Street. He smoked a cigar and hung out in Earl’s Barbershop. Young Jim (Jimmy), his son, worked for Walstrom Marine doing
dock work. Edward Fenton (Fent) Roe was Old Jim’s other son. The Roes began to build docks for large boats carrying freight and passengers. Docks were also needed for the saw mills at the Little Harbor Club site and off Zoll Street. The harbor was busy with commerce because it was very deep and naturally protected. According to Fent Roe, the first barge was wooden and had a set of 20-foot fixed vertical leaders on the end with a drop hammer. On the barge, a horse walked around in a circle turning a wheel that pulled the hammer to the top of the leaders. Piling was floated to the job. A mechanism tripped the hammer from the top which dropped on the piling.
Ward Wa lstrom, S r (T Old Jim R oe (Far R hird from Left) ight) app rox. 1950
Fent Roe Pile D river approx. 1
950
34 | walstrom.com
r, 1965 ile Drive P m o r t Wals
