SS William G. Mather (1925) facts for kids
SS William G. Mather at Dock 32, Cleveland, Ohio in 2006
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | SS William G. Mather |
| Namesake | William G. Mather |
| Owner | Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company |
| Operator | Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company |
| Port of registry | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Builder | Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan |
| Launched | May 23, 1925 |
| In service | 1925 |
| Out of service | 1980 |
| Identification | IMO number: 5390577 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Lake freighter |
| Tonnage | 8,662 GRT |
| Length | 618 ft (188 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 32 ft 10 in (10.01 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Capacity | 14,000 tonnes of cargo |
| Crew |
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The SS William G. Mather (Official Number 224850) is a special kind of ship called a lake freighter. It used to carry huge amounts of cargo like iron ore, coal, stone, and grain across the Great Lakes. Today, it's a cool museum ship in Cleveland, Ohio. People even called it "The Ship That Built Cleveland" because it brought so much material for the city's steel mills. It's one of only five museum ships like it on the Great Lakes!
Contents
History of the William G. Mather
Building and Early Years
The SS William G. Mather was built in 1925. It was made by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan. This ship was the main vessel, or flagship, for the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company. It was named after William Gwinn Mather, who was the company's president at the time. The William G. Mather was the company's flagship until a new ship, the SS Edward B. Greene, was built in 1951–52. The Mather continued to work for Cleveland-Cliffs until 1980.
World War II Efforts
During World War II, the Allied Forces needed a lot of steel. To help with this, the SS William G. Mather led a group of 13 other freighters in early 1941. They sailed through the icy Upper Great Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota. This trip set a record for being the first time ships arrived so early in a northern port. This amazing effort was even shown in Life magazine on April 28, 1941.
New Technology on Board
The William G. Mather was one of the first commercial ships on the Great Lakes to get radar in 1946. Radar helps ships see other vessels and land, especially in bad weather. In 1964, it became the very first American ship to have an automated boiler system. This system, made by Bailey Controls in Cleveland, helped control the ship's engines more easily.
Becoming a Museum Ship
In 1985, Cleveland-Cliffs sold its last two working steamships. They slowly sold off their other ships until only the SS William G. Mather was left. It had been docked in Toledo, Ohio since 1980.
On December 10, 1987, Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. gave the SS William G. Mather to the Great Lakes Historical Society. The plan was to fix it up and turn it into a museum ship. This would be a floating museum about ships and the Great Lakes.
Restoration and Opening
The ship was brought to Cleveland in October 1988. Money for the restoration came from local groups, companies, and people. A lot of work was needed, especially to fix fire damage in the ship's kitchen, called the galley, and the back cabins.
Many volunteers helped with the restoration. They repaired, cleaned, chipped old paint, painted, and polished the brass parts. Their hard work brought back the William G. Mather's original beauty. In October 1990, the ship moved to its permanent spot at the East Ninth Street Pier in Cleveland's North Coast Harbor.
New Management and Recognition
In September 1994, the Great Lakes Historical Society decided not to manage the museum anymore. But many people in Cleveland wanted the Mather to stay. So, the Harbor Heritage Society was created in June 1995. This group took over the SS William G. Mather on July 22, 1995. They continued to work on its restoration and promote it as a historic vessel.
After many years of talks, the City of Cleveland signed a 40-year agreement on June 15, 2003. This agreement allowed the SS William G. Mather to stay at its East 9th Street dock.
On July 30, 1995, the SS William G. Mather was named an American Society of Mechanical Engineers National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. This was because of its important updates. In 1954, it got a single marine boiler and steam turbine engine. In 1964, it received the Bailey 760 Boiler Control System and an American Shipbuilding AmThrust dual propeller bow thruster. These were all "firsts" for American ships on the Great Lakes. The Mather had a sister ship named SS Joseph H. Frantz. That ship was later changed to run on diesel and was taken apart in 2005 after 80 years of use.
Current Location of the Ship
On September 24, 2005, the museum ship moved from the East Ninth Street Pier to Dock 32. This new spot is just west of the old pier, closer to the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In October 2006, the Great Lakes Science Center took over the SS William G. Mather. Today, the ship helps people learn about how technology, history, business, and the environment are all connected. It's a great place to explore and understand the past of the Great Lakes.
Images for kids
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SS William G. Mather in its Cleveland Cliffs colors.
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A view of the front part of the ship and the pilothouse.
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Inside a cabin aboard the SS William G. Mather Maritime Museum.
See also
- William Gwinn Mather
- SS William G. Mather (1905)
- SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker known as the SS Willis B. Boyer during its time in the Cleveland-Cliffs Fleet. The Mather's fleet mate at one time, now a museum ship in Toledo, Ohio
