Gold Rush engine leads to passenger, mail and freight service on the Alsea River

John Ludeman was born in Germany in 1879 and moved to the Waldport area with his family in 1886.

In 1900 he joined the Gold Rush in Nome, Alaska. The gold-seeking venture wasn’t successful, but he did come home with a small Fairbanks-Morse gas engine, the first in the area, which he installed on his launch named Nugget.

On its maiden voyage up the Alsea River, the noise echoed so loudly that it caused much curiosity and fear amongst the river community.

For many years Ludeman hauled passengers, mail and freight in regular trips across and up and down the Alsea River. He returned to Alaska in 1921 and opened a crab cannery. He died in 1940.

• Historical photo and text provided by the Lincoln County Historical Society in a partnership with YachatsNews. To learn more about the society and local history, visit its website here. A sampling of historic images from the LCHS collection can be seen at OregonDigital.org