“Early in 1864, a young man names James McAllister stood on board a sailing vessel where he served as a mate. The boat was about to set sail from the Red Bay of Cushendall … (James) did not know that this would never be home again.”
The opening lines from the first chapter of the new book, McAllister Towing – 150 Years of Family Business, begin a voyage through the history of a tugboat and marine transportation firm that runs five generations deep, taking readers on a journey of deepsea adventure, family tragedy and company triumph.
The book includes never-before published material and photographs illuminating how Americans lived and worked in the maritime industry over the last century and a half, telling the tale of immigrants finding a narrow foothold in New York Harbor and building better lives for themselves, their families and thousands of employees.
The book reveals the rivalries, bitter feuds, near bankruptcies and battles for ownership that nearly sank the McAllister business over the years, woven through stories of peril, survival and achievement of McAllister Towing, who tows barges, ferries passengers and provides ship docking services in dozens of ports along the U.S. East Coast.
McAllister Towing – 150 Years of Family Business is available at Amazon.com, McAllister’s webstore and select bookstores and museums throughout the country.