1906 Peter A. B. Widener 1980 (1986)
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Chicago IL by Chicago Shipbuilding Co., Hull 71
Launched Oct 20, 1906
601’ LOA, 580’ LBP, 58’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1800 IHP
Enrolled at Duluth MN Nov 14, 1906 (#17)
580.0 x 58.0 x 27.4, 7053 GT, 5444 NT US 203543 to:
Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port Duluth MN)
Entered service 1906
Rebuilt 1939 at Conneaut OH
Remeasured to 585.75 (sic) x 58.25 x 27.7, 7661 GT, 6227 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)
Remeasured 1955 to 7670 GT, 6235 NT
Fleet renamed United States Steel Great Lakes Fleet 1967 (home port to Wilmington DE)
Laid up fall 1974 at Duluth MN and did not operate again for this fleet.
Sold 1980 to North Central Maritime, retired from active service and converted to a storage barge at Superior WI by Fraser Shipyards. Remeasured to 8380 GT and NT. Towed to Zilwaukee MI, loaded grain and towed to Montreal QC. Towed to Buffalo NY May 1981, then to Chicago IL late 1981.
Was to have been renamed Fugawe but renaming never took place.
Sold for scrap 1986 and towed to Lauzon QC. Cleared Lauzon July 7, 1987 towed by Polish tug Jantar for Lisbon Portugal.
IMO 5275727
0638
I was serving on the Widener at 18 years old in the year of 1965. I was working down in the engine room. What a Mark Twain experience shoveling cinders down the pipe to carry it overboard and the blowing flues all the while the captain would be saying hurry up your using my steam. It was like walking into a motor engine with the pistons and crankshaft exposed. I noticed that the engine was built around 1898 or close to that date. I then received my draft notice this ended my short sailing experience.
I was on the JP Morgan Jr. That year and the military helped interrupt my
experience too…
Did you know a Kendall Kitinoja who was on the Morgan Jr. in 1964? He was my cousin. Lived in Conneaut, OH.
I sailed with Kendall aboard the Star of Texas in 1985, when he was the Chief Engineer and I was a midshipman. We sailed from Port Arthur, TX to Monrovia Liberia, then to Matadi, Zaire (now Republic of Congo), and finally to Jacksonville, FL, where we were in the shipyard for a while. He was a lot of fun to be around.
Dave Do you live in the Louisville area and attend the Rock Steady Boxing program???
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Served as fireman/oiler in mid seventies
Early 20’s and what an adventure
Hi! My husband and I are the new owners of the Cozy Corners restaurant on the St. Mary’s River, just north of the West Neebish Island Channel & the Rock Cut! I was gifted 2 life rings from the Peter A.B. Widener and I’m wondering if anyone knows her Maiden Voyage date though the Rock Cut?
I’d like to display some history with the life rings!
Thank you!