1881                                       Wisconsin     1                               1929

Iron Great Lakes cross-lake passenger and package freight vessel

Built at Wyandotte MI by Detroit Dry Dock Co., Hull 49
Launched Oct 11, 1881

218’ LOA, 204’ LBP, 35’ beam, 22’ depth
1 deck, coal-fired boiler, fore and aft compound engine, 650 IHP

Enrolled at Detroit MI Nov 18, 1881 (Temp #44)
203.9 x 35.1 x 11.7, 1181.66 tons (gross tons, 1020.19 NT 1882)     US 80861     to:
Goodrich Transportation Co., (home port Kenosha WI)

Permanent enrollment at Milwaukee WI Dec 5, 1881

Entered service Dec 1881

Sold May 1, 1883 to Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway Co., Grand Haven MI (home port to Detroit MI)

Sold 1896 to Crosby Transportation Co., Muskegon MI (home port to Muskegon MI)

Rebuilt winter of 1898-99 and renamed Naomi 1899

Caught fire May 21, 1907 in midlake Lake Michigan.  4 lives lost.  Enrollment surrendered May 22, 1907

Extensively rebuilt at Manitowoc WI 1909 and returned to previous owners

Renamed E. G. Crosby  (1) 1910

Remeasured at 203.9 x 40.0 x 24.6, 2142 GT, 1457 NT

Sold Nov 25, 1917 to U. S. Shipping Board, Washington DC for off-Lakes service during World War I and left Great Lakes.  Renamed General Robert M. O’Reilly

Sold Nov 4, 1919 to Wisconsin Transit Co. (the Seymour Line), Chicago IL
Renamed Pilgrim 1920
Reenrolled on the Great Lakes at 209.0 x 40.0 x 20.9, 1921 GT, 1567 NT     (home port Michigan City IN)

Firm name changed to Chicago, Milwaukee & Racine Steamship Co.

Sold 1922 to Goodrich Transit Co., Chicago IL (home port to Duluth MN)

Renamed Wisconsin 1924

Foundered Oct 29, 1929 off Kenosha WI, Lake Michigan.  9 lives lost of 68 aboard (64 crew and 4 passengers)  (lost were captain, chief engineer and 7 crew).  Sprang leak in gale enroute from Chicago IL to Milwaukee WI.

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember II p. 451
See extensive article in Inland Seas, V. 62 #4 Winter 2006

 

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