1938 Governor Miller 1980
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 810
Keel laid July 7, 1937; launched Dec 2, 1937
610’9” LOA, 593’9 ¾” LBP, 60’ beam, 32’6” depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, steam turbine engine, 2000 SHP
Enrolled at Cleveland OH June 7, 1938 (Temp #
593.25 x 60.2 x 28.25, 8255 GT, 6137 NT US 237394 to:
Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port Duluth MN)
Entered service June 8, 1938 clearing Lorain OH light for Duluth MN
Permanent enrollment at Duluth MN June 11, 1938
Remeasured 1939 to 8240 GT, 6072 NT
Fleet reincorporated 1949 in Delaware (home port to Wilmington DE)
Fleet merged July 1951 into parent United States Steel Corporation (home port to New York NY)
Fleet renamed United States Steel Great Lakes Fleet 1967 (home port to Wilmington DE)
Laid up Oct 15, 1975 at Duluth MN and did not operate again
Sold for scrap 1980 to Spanish shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC Oct 18, 1980 with str. Alva C. Dinkey towed by tug Cathy B. Tow arrived Ferrol Spain Nov 12, 1980. Tug cleared Ferrol with Miller in tow Nov 18, arriving Vigo Spain Nov 20.
IMO 5134234
See history in Scanner May 1995 (#221)
3803
Going through old photos of my Mom & Dad’s today and found four shots in sequence of the launch of the Governor Miller. They were taken at the American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio in 1938. The size of the ship is amazing compared to the people viewing the christening and on the dedication platform.
2/22/2013
My great grandfather rode this ship in July 1941, before WWII. Is there any way you all can send a copy of the Scanner that reviews more of the history of the vessel? Electronic or hard copy work.
My grandmother has an entire book of pictures of GM executives on a retreat on the vessel. They were doing everything from sunbathing to skeet shooting off the side of the boat on Lake Huron. Let me know if you would like us to share some of these photos, the only person we can identify is my great grandfather.
My grandfather was chief engineer on the Miller for many many years. I would love to see some of those photos.
Why was the 611 foot GOVERNOR MILLER sold for scrap since it was only 37 Yrs old when other vessels were still running in there 90th yrs. It not as if they sailed laying up in December every year. They sat for 4 months to sail for only 9 months. What a waste.
Brian,
The four Govenor Miller class Ore boats were all retired around that time. They were all around 610 ft long and the new 1000 footers were coming out and they phased out all of the smaller ones. The Miller class boats were coal fired and did around 11 to 12 mph and only hauled so many tons. The old bigger is better syndrome. The four Miller class boats were the Governor Miller, John Hulst (which I sailed on) William Irving and Ralph H. Watson.