Herman G. Runge was born in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, in 1874. His family moved to
Milwaukee around 1880 and by 1889, Runge had begun his maritime hobby. He collected
photographs, publications, and files on shipping and the Great Lakes. In 1903, Runge
began work for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway as a storekeeper. When
he retired in 1933, Runge focused on his hobby for the rest of his life. His
collection included a card index of over 15,000 items, pictures of lake ships, and
descriptions of vessels that included dimensions, tonnage, disposition, and other
data. Through the years he became known as a national authority on the subject, even
being consulted by the U.S. government. He died in 1958.
