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 |
| Builder | Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan |
| Launched | May 23, 1925 |
| In service | 1925 |
| Out of service | 1980 |
| Homeport |  Cleveland, Ohio |
| 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 large lake freighter that used to carry cargo on the Great Lakes. Today, it is a museum ship in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of five such ships in the Great Lakes area. This ship carried important materials like iron ore, coal, stone, and grain to different ports. People often called it "The Ship That Built Cleveland" because it frequently delivered supplies to Cleveland's steel mills.
Contents
History of the William G. Mather
The SS William G. Mather was built in 1925. It was constructed by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan. The ship was the main vessel, or flagship, for the Cleveland-Cliffs company. It was named after the company's president at the time, William Gwinn Mather.
A Special Ship for Cleveland-Cliffs
The William G. Mather was the Cleveland-Cliffs' flagship until 1951. That's when a new ship, the SS Edward B. Greene, was built. The Mather continued to work for the company until the end of the 1980 shipping season.
Helping During World War II
During World War II, the Allied Forces needed a lot of steel. In early 1941, the SS William G. Mather helped by leading a group of 13 freighters. They sailed through the icy Upper Great Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota. This trip set a record for being the first ships to arrive in a northern port that early in the year. This important 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, Ohio, helped control the ship's engines automatically.
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 sitting in Toledo, Ohio since 1980. On December 10, 1987, the Cleveland-Cliffs company gave the William G. Mather to the Great Lakes Historical Society. Their plan was to fix it up and turn it into a museum ship. It would be a floating museum about maritime history.
Restoration Efforts
The ship was brought to Cleveland in October 1988. Money for the restoration came from local groups, companies, and people. There was a lot of damage from a fire in the ship's kitchen and back cabins. This needed a big repair effort. Many volunteers helped fix, clean, chip paint, and polish brass. They worked hard to bring back the William G. Mathers old beauty. In October 1990, it moved to its permanent spot at the East Ninth Street Pier in Cleveland's North Coast Harbor.
New Management for the Museum
In September 1994, the Great Lakes Historical Society decided not to manage the museum anymore. But many local people wanted the Mather to stay in Cleveland. So, the Harbor Heritage Society was created. In June 1995, Harbor Heritage officially took over the SS William G. Mather. They continued to work on its restoration and promote it as a historic ship. After ten years of talks, the City of Cleveland signed a 40-year lease on June 15, 2003. This allowed the William G. Mather to stay at its East 9th Street dock.
Recognized as a Landmark
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 special features. 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. All of these were "firsts" for U.S.-flagged ships on the Great Lakes. The Mather also had a sister ship called the SS Joseph H. Frantz. That ship was later changed to run on diesel and was taken apart, or scrapped, in 2005. It had been used for 80 years.
Current Location of the Ship
On September 24, 2005, the museum ship moved from the East Ninth Street Pier. It went to Dock 32, which is just west of its old spot. This new location is 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.
See also
- William Gwinn Mather
- SS William G. Mather (1905)
- SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker The Mathers sister ship at one time, now a museum ship in Toledo, Ohio
Images for kids
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A front view of the maritime museum
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Interior view of cabin aboard SS William G. Mather Maritime Museum
