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72-480: The term developed in common usage in response to the ship's appearance when fully loaded. A total of 44 such vessels were constructed from 1887 to 1898. All but two were built initially as lake freighters for service on the Great Lakes. Six were built at Duluth, Minnesota ; 33 were built at West Superior, Wisconsin ; 2 at Brooklyn, New York ; one at Everett, Washington ; and one at Sunderland, England . A number of

144-481: A bark and a brigantine . Le Griffon was soon lost. It was last seen on September 18, 1679 and was lost with all hands. Her final location is unknown. Those who consider Le Griffon to have been the first ship on the lakes—and hence, the first Queen—also consider her to have been the first lost. Other sources say the first ship was a smaller vessel built by LaSalle at Fort Frontenac beginning in September 1678, for

216-558: A tank landing craft during World War II. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the lakes, but by the early 21st century, there were fewer than 140 active lakers. By the 1990s, older and smaller self-unloaders and straight-deck freighters converted into tug -barges. The many lake freighters operating on the Great Lakes can be differentiated by how they are used. This may be where the ships may be where they work, their design, their size, or other factors. The ships are not always exclusive to one category. These types include: Some of

288-476: A "whaleback deck". The whaleback was a design by Captain Alexander McDougall (1845–1923), a Scottish-born Great Lakes seaman and ship's master. At the time a vessel's size was limited by the locks and rivers that had to be navigated and by the materials and science of hull construction, not by the power and ability of steam engines to push hulls through the water. It was, therefore, common practice to have

360-513: A 10:1 length to beam ratio, whereas ocean vessels are typically 7:1. The size of a lake freighter determines where it may work. The shallow draft imposed by the St. Marys River and Lake St. Clair restrict the cargo capacity of lakers. Poe Lock at the Soo Locks is the largest deep lock at 1,200 feet (370 m) long and 110 feet (34 m) wide. Many of the larger American ships are unable to navigate

432-442: A 45-50 year old service life, outlasting ocean-going bulk carriers. As of 2023, ocean-going bulk freighters average an 11-year lifespan, due in part to the corrosive effects of saltwater. Some of the lakers have been known to have long careers. The SS  St. Marys Challenger launched in 1906 and worked independently until 2013. The St. Marys Challenger is still in service as a barge at 118 years old. E. M. Ford had one of

504-508: A canal. In 1855, the Michigan State Locks (now Soo Locks ) opened, allowing vessels to keep up with demands for iron ore from further east. This would fuel the development of bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. The early lakers often had a wooden hull, or a composite hull of an oak frame wrapped in iron plating. With the depletion of high quality timber near the lake shore, shipbuilders increasingly utilized metal hulls. In 1881 and 1882,

576-507: A few large harbor locations. Salt and Canadian grain can be hauled to numerous smaller ports of either country on smaller, mostly Canadian, ships, which can also enter the St. Lawrence Seaway with the Canadian ports of Montreal and Quebec City. Because of their deeper draft and freshwater's lower buoyancy , salties often take on partial loads. Conversely, the Seaway allows smaller lakers to access

648-444: A fraction of the time. Around 1916, 600-foot (180 m) vessels more or less became the standard size. After World War II , several ocean freighters and tankers were transported to the Great Lakes and converted to bulk carriers as a way to acquire ships cheaply. The oil tanker Chiwawa became the bulk freighter MV Lee A. Tregurtha In addition, the freighter Outer Island was originally commissioned as LCT-203 for use as

720-456: A powered vessel towing one or more barges or "consorts". Many of these consorts were converted sailing schooners. Others were "schooners" that were built to be consorts and never intended to sail on their own, except in an emergency. Still others were bulk carriers that had not yet been fitted with propulsion machinery. McDougall had learned from experience the difficulties encountered in towing these vessels. The bows and spars made them subject to

792-698: A raised pilothouse , and the engine located at the rear of the ship. Lakers have been used since the late 19th century to haul raw material from docks in the Great Lakes and St Lawrence Seaway regions to the industrial centers of Ontario , Quebec , and the American Midwest . The navigation season typically begins in late March and ends mid-January due to the formation of ice on the lakes. The largest lake freighters can travel up to 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) and can carry as much as 78,850 long tons (80,120 t) of bulk cargo. SS  Edmund Fitzgerald , which sank in 1975, became widely known as

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864-516: A right-angle gunwale ; a whaleback hull had a continuous curve above the waterline from the vertical to the horizontal to where the sides met inboard. The bow and stern were nearly identical in shape, both conoid, truncated to end in a relatively small disc. The superstructure atop the hull was in or on round or oval "turrets", so-named because of their resemblance to gunhouses on contemporary warships. Cabins, decks, and other superstructure were often mounted atop these turrets. When fully loaded, only

936-483: A single large superstructure island at the stern. Lake vessels are designed with the greatest block coefficient to maximize the vessel's size in the locks within the Great Lakes/St Lawrence Seaway system. Therefore, ship designers have favored bluff bows over streamlined bows. Another distinguishing feature of lake vessels versus ocean vessels is the cargo hatch configuration. On the lake vessels,

1008-482: A small stack off-center). The first self-powered whaleback was Colgate Hoyt , launched in 1890. The only passenger whaleback was the gleaming white Christopher Columbus , built to ferry passengers from downtown Chicago to the Columbian Exposition in 1893. At her launch she was not only the longest whaleback launched to that date, but at 362 feet (110 m) also the longest vessel on the lakes, gaining her

1080-555: Is length overall (LOA). This article uses LOA as the standard. The earliest vessels on the Great Lakes were human powered canoes and bateaux. Sources differ as to what vessel qualifies as the first real "ship" on the lakes. Many say it was Le Griffon , built by LaSalle through the winter and spring of 1678 and 1679, and launched in May of that year to sail the upper lakes (above Niagara). Reports of its size vary from 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 m) long. Contemporary chroniclers called it both

1152-560: Is known for having last contact with Edmund Fitzgerald and was the first vessel on-scene to search for the Edmund Fitzgerald . MV Paul R. Tregurtha currently holds the title " Queen of the Lakes " as the largest ship on the lakes since launching in 1981. The modern stern-ender was first launched MV William J. Delancy and measures 1013.5 feet (308.9 m). Onoko was the second iron-hulled laker, launched in 1882. At 302 ft, Onoko

1224-534: The Midwest . Iron ore makes up a majority of the cargo shipped annually. The 1940s saw the rise in the use of taconite pellets, as sources of higher quality ore diminished. Other destinations include coal-fired power plants , highway department salt domes, and stone docks, where limestone is unloaded for the construction industry. U.S.-flagged freighters carried the largest portion of the trade, accounting for two-thirds of all cargo by weight. U.S. hulls carried most of

1296-517: The Suez Canal , but also the first American steamship to circumnavigate the globe. The only British-built whaleback vessel was Sagamore . Another ship also named Sagamore was built in 1892 and sank in Lake Superior in 1901. She is considered the best example of a whaleback barge among Great Lakes shipwrecks. The last whaleback, Alexander McDougall (1898 – 413 ft), was the longest whaleback and

1368-521: The stern was a long, unbroken deck lined with hatches spaced 24 feet (7.3 m) apart (to match the chutes of the gravity ore dock in Marquette, Michigan ). The falls of the St. Marys River forced ships to portage their cargo 1.25 miles (2.01 km) around the falls. In an effort to make shipping more efficient and profitable, Michigan representatives appealed to the federal government for funding to build

1440-444: The unusual case in 2001 where a drawbridge ran into the Canadian grain carrier Windoc causing a fire). To prevent collisions and groundings, the Great Lakes are well-served with lighthouses and lights, and floating navigation aids. The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard maintain stations around the Great Lakes including icebreakers and rescue helicopters . The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies maintain

1512-519: The 1975 loss of Edmund Fitzgerald , thousands of ships and thousands of lives have been lost, many involving vessels in the cargo trade. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum uses the approximates 6,000 ships and 30,000 lives lost. David D. Swayze has compiled a list which details over 4,750 well-documented shipwrecks, mostly of commercial vessels and a list of known names of over 5,000 victims of those sinkings. Maritime historian Mark Thompson reports that based on nautical records, nearly 6,000 shipwrecks on

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1584-533: The Atlantic Ocean. The larger, newer ships are restricted to the upper lakes. Lakers feature a design distinct from their ocean-going counterparts. Because of the R. J. Hackett (1869), lake freighters typically had the bridge and associated superstructure at the bow. Additionally, a second island would be located over the engine room in the stern. In 1974, Algosoo was the final vessel designed this way. The more recently built lakers, like CSL Niagara , have

1656-606: The Great Lakes occurred between 1878 and 1994, with about a quarter of those being listed as total losses with a total of 1,166 lives lost. The most recent losses of modern lakers were: The salties Prins Willem V and Monrovia sank in the Great Lakes during the 1950s; both in collisions with other ships. The saltie Francisco Morazan was a total loss after running aground off South Manitou Island on November 29, 1960. Another saltie Nordmeer grounded on Thunder Bay Island Shoal in November 1966, but before it could be refloated, it

1728-670: The Great Lakes vessels left the lakes for service on saltwater seas. The term "whaleback" has also been applied to a type of high speed launch first designed for the Royal Air Force during World War II , and to certain smaller rescue and research vessels especially in Europe that, like the Great Lakes vessels, have hulls that curve over to meet the deck. An example of the former is the British Power Boat Company Type Two 63 ft HSL . The designation in this case comes not from

1800-551: The United States and Canada, honoring the largest vessel currently in service on the lakes. A number of vessels, mostly lake freighters , have been known by the title. Since 1981, the title has been held by MV Paul R. Tregurtha , a lake freighter of the 1000-foot category operated by the Interlake Steamship Company . MV Paul R. Tregurtha is 1,013.5 ft (308.9 m) long, and is the longest-running holder of

1872-458: The anchor, rigging, and guns for Le Griffon ) foundered in the surf less than thirty miles (48 km) from Niagara. Hennepin called this vessel a "great bark." One source says the loss occurred on January 8, 1679. Supplies and extra clothing were lost, but LaSalle and his men rescued material for the ship, dragged them to the mouth of the Niagara, rested a few days in an Indian village, and arrived at

1944-460: The curve along the gunwale , but from the fore and aft arch in the deck. Another application of the term is to a sheltered portion of the forward deck on certain British fishing boats. It is designed, in part, so that water taken over the bow is more easily shed over the sides. The feature has been incorporated into some pleasure craft based on the hull design of older whaling boats, in which it becomes

2016-475: The curved portion of the hull remained above the water, giving the vessel its "whaleback" appearance. Waves, instead of crashing into the sides of the hull, would simply wash over the deck while meeting only minor resistance from the rounded turrets. When fitted with hawse pipes for anchors and a guide for the tow cable, the bow somewhat resembled the snout of a pig, from which came the alternate and usually derisive appellation of "pig boat". Jokes and scoffers aside,

2088-416: The design failed primarily due to problems with the hatches. At first the hatches were "flush-mounted", and when closed looked almost like part of the hull. The hatch covers and the edges of the hatch openings, however, tended to warp or get bent in use, destroying the watertight seal. Later vessels had hatch coamings . While this was an improvement, it was not enough to make up for the relatively small size of

2160-526: The design of turret deck ships , which were similar in some ways to whalebacks. After a stop at New York City, Charles W. Wetmore rounded Cape Horn to carry supplies for McDougall's plan to start a shipyard in Everett, Washington. Only one boat was assembled at the Everett shipyard, the City of Everett (1894 – 346 ft). City of Everett sailed for 29 years and was not only the first American steamship to navigate

2232-428: The design performed as McDougall expected. Whether towed or under their own power, they were seaworthy vessels and fast for their time, averaging 15 knots (17 mph). Most of the whalebacks (25) were tow barges , all but one of which were identified simply by hull number. Some of these barges had no boiler (and therefore no stack); others had a small donkey boiler for operating winches and for cabin heat (often with

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2304-483: The first entirely iron-hulled freighters, Brunswick and Onoko , were launched. Around this time, steel was quickly becoming a standard hull material as a result of the Bessemer process making it more affordable, and the first steel-hulled freighter, Spokane , was launched in 1886. Soon both iron and composite hulls were discontinued, while wood was used for smaller vessels into the early 1900s. An early variation on

2376-399: The first modern laker built with all cabins aft (a "stern-ender"), following the lead of ocean-going bulk carriers and reprising a century old form used by little river steam barges and the whalebacks. Algosoo (1974–2015 730 ft, 220 m) was the last laker built in the classic style. Also of note is the steamer Edward L. Ryerson , widely known for her artistic design and being

2448-401: The forces of wind, wave, and the prop wash from the towing vessel, with the result that they often did not follow well. His purpose was specifically to create a barge design that could be towed easily and would track well. McDougall's design has been likened to a cigar with bent up ends. The sheer strake (uppermost plank of the hull) of a conventional vessel met the horizontal weather deck at

2520-497: The harbors and seaways to limit groundings by dredging and seawalling . November was the traditional last month of shipping before the winter layup (and lake freeze-up). During November, much of the worst weather of the navigation season occurs which has resulted in a disproportionate number of accidents. One study shows that over half of all strandings and one-third of all vessels lost to foundering between 1900 and 1950 were lost during November. The most well-known lake freighter

2592-480: The hatches are traditionally spaced 24 feet (7.3 m) apart. This configuration was needed to match the chutes at loading facilities. Since Great Lakes waves do not achieve the great length or period of ocean waves, particularly compared to the waves' height, ships are in less danger of being suspended between two waves and breaking, so the ratio between the ship's length, beam and its depth can be larger than that of an ocean-going ship. The lake vessels generally have

2664-405: The hatches: because the sides of the boats curved in, the hatches were not as wide as on traditional vessels. The unloading equipment was restricted in its movement, and there were often collisions between the unloading equipment and the hatch edges; slow loading and unloading increases costs. Whalebacks were vulnerable in collisions. Their low profile made them hard to see, and also led at times to

2736-458: The hold for both loading and unloading equipment, and had hulls with nearly box-like cross sections to allow maximum cargoes in shallow water. Lake freighter Lake freighters , or lakers , are bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes of North America . These vessels are traditionally called boats , although classified as ships . Freighters typically have a long, narrow hull,

2808-502: The honor of longest active vessel on the lakes, though she saw service only on Lake Ontario. She was scrapped at Niagara in 1827, and the next verifiable Queen was not launched until 1830. The chart below identifies the succession of vessels known to qualify as Queen of the Lakes from 1813 to the present. The succession of queens is not known to be continuous before David Dows . Those from Frontenac through City of Buffalo were side-wheel steamships, though Michigan , like Frontenac

2880-515: The iron, limestone and cement, while Canadian boats carried most of the potash, and almost all of the salt and grain moved on the lakes. Destination harbors, ship sizes, and legal restrictions greatly affect the pattern of haulage. Large U.S. ships hauled most of the iron ore on the lakes (79%) from U.S. mines to U.S. mills. This reflects the requirement of the Jones Act , as well as the industry using large volumes of material while being concentrated in

2952-476: The lake freighter was the whaleback boat, designed by Alexander McDougall. These had cigar-shaped bodies that barely rose out of the water when fully loaded, and carried bulk cargo on the lakes from 1888 through 1970. The early lake freighters required cargo to be manually unloaded, or with assistance from unloading machinery at the docks. In 1902, Hennepin was the first ship to be retrofitted with self-unloading equipment , allowing its cargo to be landed in

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3024-653: The lakes are generally used to transport American-mined ore bound for American mills. Because of the Jones Act of 1920, only American ships can carry ore from American mines to American mills in American ports; ergo, larger Canadian ships are not needed. These are the largest vessels on the lakes. A dozen were built between 1976 and 1981, and all remain in service today. These are all U.S.-flagged vessels between 1,000 and 1,013.5 feet (304.8 and 308.9 m) long, 105 feet (32 m) wide and of 56 ft (17 m) hull depth. Modern lakers are usually designed and constructed for

3096-615: The lakes between 1678 and 1816 are rare. According to the Detroit Tribune , the vessels Gladwin , Lady Charlotte , Victory , and Boston were on the lakes in 1766 and Brunswick , Enterprise , and Charity were launched in 1767, 1769, and 1770, respectively, but no dimensions are given. HMS Ontario , at 80 feet (24 m), was launched on Lake Ontario on May 10, 1780, and sank in a storm on October 31, that same year. A history of Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin notes that

3168-525: The largest and most recent major vessel to be wrecked on the Great Lakes. The lake freighter's recognizable design emerged from many years of innovation in Great Lakes shipping. By the late 1860s, most bulk cargo was still carried by unpowered barges and sailing ships . Often, these ships had accessible deck hatches, useful for loading and unloading cargo. Around this time, passenger steamboats were gaining popularity for their steam-powered shipping abilities, which were faster and more reliable. In 1869,

3240-462: The limitations of the Welland Canal . These vessels vary greatly in configuration and cargo capacity, being capable of hauling between 10,000 and 40,000 tons per trip depending on the individual boat. These smaller boats serve smaller harbors around the lakes which have irregular need for their services. Another reason for the lack of larger Canadian vessels is legislative in nature. Larger ships on

3312-470: The locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which restricts vessel size to 740 feet (230 m) in length and 78 feet (24 m) in breadth. Seawaymax vessels are able to access the Great Lakes and the ocean. The Canadian fleet needs to travel to and from its major cities along the St. Lawrence Seaway, so the largest length for the Canadian vessels is 740 feet (230 m). Lake boats in the 600-and-700-foot (180 and 210 m) classes are more common, because of

3384-498: The longest careers, having been built in 1898 until being sold for scrap in November 2008. Some shipping companies are building new freighters to ply the waters of the Great Lakes. The following are new freighters in use or will be launched for use in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes have a long history of shipwrecks, groundings, storms, and collisions. From the 1679 sinking of Le Griffon with its cargo of furs to

3456-400: The newer classes of lake freighters include: In 2023, 81.4 million tons of cargo were shipped on the Great Lakes. The most common cargoes include taconite , limestone , grain , salt , coal , cement , gypsum , and sand . The cargo is carried in large contiguous holds, not packed into containers. The iron ore transported from the upper Great Lakes primarily supplies the steel mills of

3528-523: The only remaining straight-decker still in active service on the US side of the Great Lakes. In mid 2006, Edward L. Ryerson was fitted out and put into service following a long-term lay-up that began in 1998. Edward L. Ryerson has been in long-term layup since 2009. The William G. Mather was first built in 1925 and served as the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company 's flagship until 1980. In 1987,

3600-554: The only whaleback made with a traditionally shaped bow. The only remaining whaleback is the SS Meteor (formerly Frank Rockefeller ), now a museum at Superior, Wisconsin . The remains of the Thomas Wilson lie just outside the harbor of Duluth, Minnesota . Thomas Wilson was wrecked as a result of a collision with the vessel George Hadley , which was inbound for the Duluth harbor at

3672-405: The other ship riding up over the whaleback in a collision, such as the collision between Thomas Wilson and George Hadley . While metacentrically stable as originally built, their design has been accused of not responding well to major refits that may have made some of them top-heavy. For example, Samuel Mather was built as a conventional whaleback in 1892 and was refitted as a self-unloader in

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3744-579: The purpose of conveying supplies and material to Niagara. This vessel, which is called Frontenac in some reports, is said to have been about 10 tons burthen , measuring from 35 to 45 feet (11 to 14 m) long. Expedition journalists called it a brigantine. It departed Fort Frontenac under La Motte's and Louis Hennepin's leadership on November 18, 1678, and arrived at the east bank of the Niagara River on December 6, 1679. Shortly thereafter, LaSalle and Tonty came with more supplies, and their vessel (carrying

3816-468: The same time Thomas Wilson was departing Duluth. The wreck is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . A well-preserved wreck in 70 feet of water at the east end of Lake Superior was confirmed in 2022 to be that of whaleback barge 129, exactly 120 years after its loss. While there was some help from oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller when he was expanding his control in the steel industry,

3888-406: The schooner Washington , used to supply the fitting out of Fort Howard at the head of Green Bay in 1816, was the longest ship on the lakes at the time, but no details are given. On September 7, 1816, the steamer Frontenac was launched. She was fitted out as both a schooner and a side-wheel steamer and designed for both passenger and freight transport. At 170 feet (52 m) she laid claim to

3960-412: The settlement above the falls on January 20. Some say the lost vessel was Frontenac . Historian Francis Parkman says that by 1677, there were already four vessels on Lake Ontario between 25 and 40 tons burthen. He does not say if any of them were named. Tonty's journal indicates that the vessel he and LaSalle used was a 40-ton vessel, but he does not associate a name with it. Records of ship sizes on

4032-521: The ship arrived in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan on July 6, during the town's tri-centennial celebrations for use as a museum ship. The museum ship displays many relics of the sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald including two of Edmund Fitzgerald ' s mauled lifeboats. Queen of the Lakes Queen of the Lakes is an unofficial but widely recognized title bestowed upon vessels on the Great Lakes of

4104-592: The ship was donated to the Great Lakes Historical Society for restoration and preservation. In 2005, the ship was moved to its present location at Cleveland's North Coast Harbor . Then, in 2006, the ship was acquired by the Great Lakes Science Center for use as a museum ship. The ship is available to tour seasonally. The William A. Irvin served as the flagship of U.S. Steel 's Great Lakes fleet from 1938 to 1975. The William A. Irvin

4176-409: The standard bow-helmed lake bulk carriers to follow, most whalebacks were "stern enders", a unique variation on the design that started with R. J. Hackett in 1869 and advanced with Onoko (regarded as possibly the first iron-hulled Great Lakes-style bulk carrier) in 1882. These "lakers" consolidated above-deck cabins at the extreme forward and aft limits of the hull to leave a large open area above

4248-468: The steamer Illinois as "Queen of the Waters", but given that three vessels in that century were named Queen of the Lakes , its use as a title for the longest ship was not then common. The title is applied retroactively to vessels launched before this use of the title became popular. While some use gross tonnage , capacity, or length between perpendiculars as the criterion, the most commonly accepted standard

4320-428: The title. Queen of the Lakes has been used as the name of three vessels that sailed on the Great Lakes , but none was the longest on the lakes at the time. The first was a three-masted Canadian schooner built in 1853 as Robert Taylor , measuring 133 feet (41 m). It was renamed Queen of the Lakes sometime before 1864. She sank nine miles (14 km) off Sodus Point, New York on November 28, 1906. The second

4392-416: The unofficial title of " Queen of the Lakes ". Reportedly, Christopher Columbus carried more passengers in her career than any other vessel to have sailed the Great Lakes. The self-powered Charles W. Wetmore (1891 – 265 ft) was the first lake vessel to leave the lakes. She took a load of grain from Duluth to Liverpool , England, shooting the St. Lawrence rapids in the process. In Liverpool she inspired

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4464-401: The winter of 1923–1924. The converted whaleback did not complete even one year of service; it foundered in a Lake Huron storm in September 1924. Whalebacks were the precursors of the turret deck ship of the late 19th and early 20th century, which like the whaleback had rounded hulls, but unlike the whaleback had conventional bows and sterns and a superstructure. Rather than a prototype of

4536-414: The wood-hulled R. J. Hackett was launched . It was designed specifically for the iron ore trade and had an experimental design that would soon set the standard for subsequent bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. R. J. Hackett featured a raised pilothouse at the bow , situated on top of a set of cabins, and a boxy hull to maximize cargo capacity. Between the raised forecastle and engine funnel at

4608-537: Was Edmund Fitzgerald , which sank during a storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Gordon Lightfoot 's ballad, " The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald ", publicized the incident. The Edmund Fitzgerald became the largest ship on the lakes at 729 feet (222 m) when launched in 1958. In addition to this, the ship was regarded for its "DJ Captain", Peter Pulcer, who frequently played music to entertain onlookers. SS  Arthur M. Anderson . launched in 1952,

4680-643: Was a propeller-driven vessel launched in Cleveland Ohio , on May 12, 1853, measuring 196 feet (60 m). She was lost to fire in port on June 17, 1869. The third was a small side-wheel steamer built in Wyandotte, Michigan in 1872, measuring 108 feet (33 m). While anchored near South Manitou Island she caught fire and burned in 1898. The iron hull was later scrapped . The title has also been bestowed upon vessels that were especially liked or those considered to be especially beautiful or richly appointed. Such

4752-516: Was dual fitted as an operational schooner. The heyday of the luxurious passenger steamers was waning even as some of them were launched. Mississippi , Plymouth Rock , and Western World were all out of service by 1859, and the Queens that had not already been lost by 1862 were rebuilt as barges or schooners or dismantled within a year. Nebraska was a propeller-driven steamer for freight and passenger use, but given what had happened to her predecessors, she

4824-628: Was further damaged in the same storm that sank the Morrell and was declared a total loss. Ships on the lakes have been involved in many lesser incidents. Lakers have been subject to frequent groundings in ports and channels because of varying lake levels and silting , collisions with objects (such as the 1993 collision of the Indiana Harbor with the Lansing Shoals Light Station ), icing in during winter trips and shipboard fires (including

4896-570: Was likely not so richly appointed. In 1904, Nebraska was refitted as a lumber carrier, after which time she resembled a classic bulk carrier . David Dows was a 5-masted schooner used primarily for transporting wheat. Susquehanna , Owego , and Chemung were propeller-driven package freighters. The whaleback Christopher Columbus was a celebrated passenger vessel. Onoko and all other vessels from Curry on were or are propeller-driven bulk carriers. The steamship Quebec , launched in 1865, appears in lists of Great Lakes vessels. At 283 feet, she

4968-592: Was retired in 1978 and purchased eight years later by the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center and is available for touring. The SS Meteor , the last surviving whaleback ship, floats as a museum less than a mile from where it was launched in Superior, Wisconsin . The ship is permanently land-berthed on Barker's Island. Valley Camp launched as Louis W. Hill in 1917 and transported cargo until retiring in 1966. Two years later, in 1968,

5040-535: Was the case as late as 1949, at which time Noronic was so honored. It has been applied to the United States Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw for its long and significant role in facilitating Great Lakes shipping and safety. The most common use of the title, however, at least since the early 1940s, is to honor the largest vessel on the lakes. On April 20, 1841, the Detroit Free Press referred to

5112-402: Was the last laker built with a steam turbine on the lakes. Wilfred Sykes (1949 – 678 ft, 207 m) is considered to be the first of the modern lakers, and when converted to a self-unloader in 1975 was the first to have the equipment mounted aft. Since then all self-unloading equipment has been mounted aft. Algoisle (formerly Silver Isle ) (1962 – 715.9 ft, 218.2 m) was

5184-470: Was the longest ship on the lakes and became the first bulk carrier to hold the unofficial title of "Queen of the Lakes". The title that has been passed down to record-breaking lake freighters since. SS  Carl D. Bradley held the title for 22 years, longer than any other laker of the classic design. Ford Motor Company 's Henry Ford II and Benson Ford of 1924 were the first lakeboats with diesel engines . The Canadian grainboat Feux-Follets of 1967

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