When Tom Sukanen left Finland in 1898 and set sail for America, he imagined a better life in the New World. By 1911, the former sailor and ship builder was trying to eke out a living as a homesteader in Saskatchewan. And things went well, at least, until the Great Depression and the long drought that came with it.
With Sahara–like winds sucking moisture from the soil, killing hope along with crops, Sukanen began his descent into madness. He’s best known today for his Sisyphean attempt to build an iron ship by hand and sail it across the prairies, to Hudson Bay, and then home to Finland.
His tragic story has inspired several books, plays and movies. You can learn more about Tom Sukanen’s “prairie dust ship” in the June–July 2013 issue of Canada’s History magazine.
In the meantime, check out:
Shipbuilder by Stephen Surjik, National Film Board of Canada