SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker facts for kids
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|} The Col. James M. Schoonmaker is a famous lake freighter that used to carry cargo on the Great Lakes. It was also known as the Willis B. Boyer for many years. This ship is named after James Martinus Schoonmaker, a brave soldier who received the Medal of Honor. Today, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker is a special museum ship in Toledo, Ohio, where people can visit and learn about its history.
Contents
- The Ship's Early Life and Records
- Changes and New Names
- Becoming a Museum Ship
- Ship's Size and Special Features
- The Museum Today
- See also
The Ship's Early Life and Records
Col. James M. Schoonmakerbefore launching in 1911
The steamship Col. James M. Schoonmaker was built on July 1, 1911. It was made at the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan. When it was launched, it became the biggest ship on the Great Lakes. This earned it the special title of Queen of the Lakes.
The ship quickly became the main vessel for the Shenango Furnace Company. In its very first year, it broke many records. It carried huge amounts of iron ore, grain, and coal. This showed how powerful and efficient the new ship was.
Changes and New Names
Originally, the ship was powered by a triple expansion steam engine. This engine was replaced with a steam turbine in 1955. This upgrade helped the ship run more smoothly and efficiently.
The Col. James M. Schoonmaker sailed for the Shenango fleet until 1969. Then, it was sold to the Interlake Steamship Company. Interlake rented the ship to the Republic Steel Corporation for three years. After this, Interlake decided to sell the ship again.
In 1972, the ship was bought by the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company. They renamed the ship Willis B. Boyer after their company president. The ship continued to carry iron for seven more years. However, in 1980, it was stopped from sailing. This happened because the steel industry was not doing well at the time.
Becoming a Museum Ship
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Col. James M. Schoonmakerin 2006, when it was known as the Willis B. Boyer
The Willis B. Boyer sat unused for seven years. Then, the city of Toledo, Ohio decided to buy it. They wanted to turn it into a museum for everyone to enjoy. For many years, the ship was a main attraction at International Park in Toledo.
Later, the ship was moved one last time. It went to the site of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. This museum is located on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo. At this time, the ship was given its original name back: Col. James M. Schoonmaker.
Ship's Size and Special Features
The Col. James M. Schoonmaker is a very large ship. It measures 617 feet (about 188 meters) long from end to end. It is 64 feet (about 19.5 meters) wide. The ship's depth is more than 33 feet (about 10 meters). It could carry a massive 12,200 gross tons of cargo.
One special part of the ship is its pilothouse, where the captain steers. It was one of the few Great Lakes ships to have two steering wheels. The main wheel was on the right side, and there was a backup wheel too.
Since it was the company's main ship for many years, it had extra features. It had five fancy guest suites in the front of the ship. Famous guests like Andrew Carnegie, a very successful businessman, stayed there. The ship also had a guest lounge and a dining room for passengers.
The Col. James M. Schoonmaker was designed like many other ships of its time. It was based on the design of the J. Pierpont Morgan. These ships were often called "600 footers" because of their impressive length.
The Museum Today
On December 17, 2009, a plan was approved to create the National Museum of the Great Lakes. This museum would be at the Toledo Maritime Center. The Willis B. Boyer was chosen to be a key part of this new museum.
The ship was repainted to look like it did when it first sailed. On July 1, 2011, it was officially renamed Col. James M. Schoonmaker. In October 2012, tugboats carefully pulled the ship downriver. It was moved to its new home next to the museum. The National Museum of the Great Lakes opened its doors in the spring of 2014.
See also
- James Martinus Schoonmaker
- SS William G. Mather Maritime Museum The Schoonmaker's sister ship at one time, now a museum ship in Cleveland, Ohio
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Great Lakes Engineering Works |
| Yard number | Hull 82 |
| Launched | 1 July 1911 |
| In service | 11 October 1911 |
| Out of service | 1980 |
| Homeport |  Toledo, Ohio |
| Identification | IMO number: 5077228 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 12,200 GRT |
| Length | 617 ft (188 m) |
| Beam | 64 ft (20 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Installed power | triple expansion steam engine |
| Speed | 12 knots |
| Crew | 29 |
| Notes | oldest ship to carry the distinction of Queen of the Lakes |
