SS City of Milwaukee facts for kids
SS City of Milwaukee at Elberta, Michigan in 1990
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | SS City of Milwaukee |
| Owner | Society for the Preservation of the SS City of Milwaukee |
| Operator |
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| Route | Muskegon-Milwaukee; Elberta(Frankfort)-Kewaunee/Manitowoc |
| Builder | Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company |
| Yard number | Hull number 261 |
| Launched | November 25, 1930 |
| Christened | November 25, 1930 |
| Completed | January 15, 1931 |
| Out of service | August 9, 1981 |
| Identification |
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| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 2942 |
| Length | 354 ft (107.9 m) (LPP) |
| Beam | 56 ft (17.1 m) |
| Installed power | Steam |
| Propulsion | Two triple-expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h) |
| Capacity | 30-32 rail cars |
| Crew | 52 |
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City of Milwaukee (Great Lakes Car Ferry)
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | Manistee, Michigan |
| NRHP reference No. | 90002221 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 14 December 1990 |
| Designated NHL | 14 December 1990 |
The SS City of Milwaukee is a special kind of ship called a railroad car ferry. It used to carry whole trains across Lake Michigan! This amazing ship often traveled between Muskegon, Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built in 1931 for the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company.
This ship is very important because it's the only one of its kind from before the 1940s that is still around. Today, you can visit it in Manistee, Michigan. It works as a museum ship, a place where you can stay overnight (a bed and breakfast), and a spot for events. In 1990, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States.
Contents
About the SS City of Milwaukee
The City of Milwaukee is a large ship made of steel. It was designed to carry many train cars, usually between 28 and 30 at a time. Imagine a ship big enough to hold a whole train!
How the Ship Works
The ship was powered by steam. It had four large boilers that made steam. These boilers used coal as fuel until 1947. After that, they were changed to burn a type of fuel oil.
Two of these boilers powered the ship's two big steam engines. Each engine was very powerful. The engines turned two large propellers, which were 12 feet wide and weighed over 10,000 pounds each! These propellers pushed the ship through the water.
The ship also had a shallow bottom. This was important because ships carrying train cars needed a flat deck. This design helped them load and unload trains easily.
Inside the Ship
The City of Milwaukee's hull (the main body of the ship) is divided into eight sections. These sections include areas for chains, cargo holds, the boiler room, and the engine room. There are also crew quarters and a steering engine room.
The main deck where the train cars sat was mostly covered. It had four sets of rails. There were also extra rails on the sides. These were used to chain the train cars down so they wouldn't move during the journey.
Above the train car deck, there were more rooms. These included living areas for the crew and the kitchen (galley). There was also a dining room for passengers and rooms where passengers could sleep.
Even higher up was the "Texas deck." This deck had rooms for the Captain and other officers. At the very top was the pilot house. This is where the ship was steered and navigated. There was also a smaller pilot house at the back of the ship. This was used for docking the ship carefully.
History of the Ship
The City of Milwaukee was built in 1930 and launched in 1931. It was built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This new ship was needed to replace another ship, the SS Milwaukee. That ship sadly sank in a big storm in 1929, and everyone on board was lost.
Car ferry service on the Great Lakes started in 1892. At its busiest, there were as many as 14 of these special ships sailing. They could carry up to 34 train cars across the lakes. They sailed all year round, even when the lakes were stormy or covered in ice.
The City of Milwaukee sailed for the Grand Trunk company until 1978. It was the last ship of their fleet still sailing. Then, it was rented to the Ann Arbor Railroad. It sailed for them until 1982, when it stopped working permanently.
Today, the ship is kept safe in Manistee, Michigan. A group called the Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee owns it. They are a non-profit group that takes care of the ship.
Visiting the Ship Today
You can visit the City of Milwaukee as a museum. You can take a tour and learn all about its history. It also works as a bed and breakfast during certain times of the year. This means you can actually sleep on board!
Every October, the ship changes into Manistee's Ghost Ship. It becomes a haunted attraction to raise money. It's a fun and spooky way to help keep this historic ship going.
The City of Milwaukee is special because it's still very much like it was when it was built. It still has its original steam engine and many of its old wooden and brass parts. It's like a floating piece of history!
See also
