The last ship built here was 1013' long, which is still the longest ship on the Great Lakes.
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| Larry Cross posted QUINCY A. SHAW launched in 1911. Remained with Calumet Transportation Co. until 1929 when she became part of Producers Steamship Co. thru 1936. From 1936-38 she sailed for National Steel Corp. Name change in 1931 to EDMUND MUDGE. Scrapped in 1963-64. |
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New Finding Aid for American Shipbuilding Company Records The Historical Collections of the Great Lakes at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Bowling Green, Ohio has announced that a finding aid for its extensive collection of American Shipbuilding Co. documents has been published in its online finding aid repository. The primary component of the collection is naval architectural drawings produced by American Shipbuilding, its predecessors, and subsidiaries between 1867 and 1989. Nearly all types of wooden and steel vessels built on the Great Lakes between 1870 and 1981 are represented in the drawings. The Center for Archival Collections at BGSU holds many of the original drawings extending up to 1981. Post-1900 sets tend to be more complete than earlier sets of drawings. Other corporate records such as minutes, correspondence, specifications, reports, and financials are also present in the collection. The finding aid is the culmination of many years of work by the HCGL's former director, Bob Graham; its current director, Mark Sprang; and several student assistants. For more details or to access the finding aid, click on the link below: Image - American Shipbuilding Co. - Lorain, Ohio shipyard. Ryan Mihalak shared Kevin Kozlowski: That picture shows AmShip in its prime. The yard has been gone for almost 40yrs. All that is left is one building and the water tower. Condos and parking lots now cover the rest of the property. Kevin Kozlowski Try this link. It should be a list of everything built at Amship |
Konrad Podgorski posted two images with the comment: "Once the biggest shipyard on the lakes and one of the biggest in the United States now it's a harbor for yachts and low-density housing, vessels such as the Ford, Carl D Bradly, and the current Queen of the Lakes Paul R Tregurtha were built here. Nearly zero of the port buildings and zero of its facilities still exist." [There was more than one freighter that had "Ford" in its name. I don't know which one he is referring to.]
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| George Siss III posted Lorain, Ohio American Ship Building Yard aerial photo looking northeast 10 building complex July 12, 1958. picture was taken by Bill Long. (Historical picture is courtesy of the Lorain Historical Society - historical pictures collection, Carnegie Center) Ken Fischbach: Didn't Geo Steinbrenner's family have some part in Am Ship Building? George Siss III: Ken Fischbach Yes he did! He was instrumental in seeing the American Ship Yard Company here in Lorain be closed down and moved to Tampa Bay, Florida. He did not like the union! Jim Karnik: Still has the pivoting train bridge. Kirk Halgren: Jim, do you know when the lift bridge replaced that bridge? Dennis DeBruler: Kirk Halgren More than one source indicates 1974. For example, https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html John Stafford shared Lorain Port and Finance Authority posted Today we're once again highlighting the history of "Big Boats" in Lorain with this photo of the shipyards from July 1958. The photo was taken by Bill Long and archived by the Lorain Historical Society. Malcolm B. Thompson: The first ship in the foreground is an LST with it's Bow Doors open with a platform for workers to go into the ship. Michael Meredith: USS Wood County in foreground? Grasse River behind it, possibly after being refloated after the accident? Joseph Petrencsik: Was the Steinbrenner family the owners of this shipyard? Lorain Port and Finance Authority: Joseph Petrencsik In 1967, Steinbrenner became a majority stockholder and president of the American Ship Building Co. In 1983, Steinbrenner shut down the shipyard in Lorain and moved the company to Tampa, Fla. Lorain Port and Finance Authority shared Malcolm B. Thompson shared Lorain American shipyard with a LST in the foreground with it's bow Bay Doors opened. |
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| Ian Wilson commented on George's post |
Tod Locker provided two photos in the comments on George's post:
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| 1 Alan Doane: The two LST's are there!!! LST 1177(Lorain County) & LST 1178(Wood County)! |
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Lorain Port and Finance Authority posted two photos with the comment: "Here's another photo of Lorain from 1941 showing an aerial view of the City and the Shipyards. I've also included a recent drone photo of the same area so you can see the difference that 83 years has made."
Lorain Port and Finance Authority shared
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| Mason Halsey posted I found this photo on Boatnerd.com of the William J. DeLancey (Paul R. Tregurtha) being built, does anyone have anymore photos like this of her being constructed? |
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| Adam Berry commented on Mason's post Here is that same dry dock today. |
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| Gordon Stuart posted Am shipbuilding Lorain [There are many comments about the Roger Blough catching on fire. Of note: https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/search/label/Roger%20Blough] |
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| Bob Adams posted American Ship Building Company , Lorain 1941 . Paul D. Pelton Jr.: All the slate roofed houses to the left of that picture housed the majority of ship yard workers. The single family homes were the bosses, and the duplexes were the workers, for the most part. Steve Rowan shared Bill Kizer III: When did it shut down? Steve Rowan: Bill Kizer III 1981 |
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| Mike Harlan shared a Marcin Olexsy post |
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| Peter Carr commented on Mike's share |
Marine Historical Society of Detroit posted two images with the comment: "Winter layup at American Shipbuilding in Lorain OH. Undated aerial view. George Ryan/MHSD collection.Similar recent view taken from Bing Maps."
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| Comments on society's post |
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| Brian R. Wroblewski commented on the society's post Allegedly, this is one of the old dry dock doors that still exists. |
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| Scott Britvec shared George Siss III's post Lorain, Ohio. The American Ship Building Yards. The Edmund Fitzgerald. Docking on Black River, waiting for repairs. Winter, 1974. Today [Nov 10, 2020] marks the 45th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, off of White Fish Bay, Wisconsin [comments indicate White Fish Bay is in Michigan] in Lake Superior. Twenty-nine men lost their lives on this day. It is hard to imagine that the ship was here in Lorain just a year before it went down during a gale-force storm. May we never forget!! (historical picture is courtesy of the Lorain Carnegie Historical Center collection). |
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| Lee Bishop posted LORAIN... Lorain's shipbuilding industry began when Augustus Jones and William Murdock began constructing wooden sailing vessels on the west side near the mouth of the Black River. The sloop General Huntington was the first boat launched from Lorain in 1819. In 1897, the shipbuilding industry moved to the east side of the river with the establishment of the Lorain yard of the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, the precursor of the American Shipbuilding Company. In 1898, they were the largest dry dock on the Great Lakes. On April 13, 1898, the first steel ship, the Superior City, was launched. At the time, it was the largest vessel on fresh water. During the early years well-known passenger ships, railroad car ferries, tankers, self-unloaders, tugs, and barges were built here. Although the shipyard experienced extensive damage during the June 28, 1924 tornado, the American Shipbuilding Company remained in Lorain and rebuilt the yard. Many vessels were built during World War II for the U.S. Navy, including the U.S.S. Lorain and the U.S.S. Lorain County. The Walter Sterling was lengthened to an ore carrier from a tanker in 1961, and 22 years later it was the last ship to be repaired in Lorain. The lengthening of ships to "super ships" then became a trend in the industry. The last ship built here was the William De Lancy, 1013 footer, in 1981. On December 1, 1983, the American Shipbuilding Company closed its Lorain yard, bringing an end to the industry that was Lorain's first. Steve Rowan shared |
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| USGS, 1960, 1:24,000 |
According to a Global Earth image, the removal of the two shorter drydocks to make room for the second 1000'+ drydock was done before 1994. A 1969 topo still has the two smaller drydocks. A 1979 topo has the second long drydock:
The ship in the foreground of the above photo is obviously in the southern dry dock. Given the two lines of "wear" along most of its hull, I presume its maintenance work includes hull repainting. 1964 is probably too early to be adding bow thrusters. The next two ships seem to be in the other two slips. The ship in the middle slip (rightmost arrow in photo) looks too long to close the dry dock gates. But there is a lot of maintenance work that does not need a dry dock such as replacing engines, converting from gearless (not self-unloading) to self-unloading, upgrading the ship's navigation equipment, etc.
The two ships in the upper-left corner are probably docked waiting their turn for maintenance later in the winter season. As the following photo of the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding facility shows, they dock several "extra" ships to keep them busy during the winter season (Jan-Apr).
The first boat launched into the Black River was the wooden sloop General Huntington in 1819. In 1897, the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company moved the yard to the present location as its Lorain Yard. In 1898, the new yard finished the largest dry dock on the Great Lakes. "On April 13, 1898, the first steel ship, the Superior City, was launched. At the time, it was the largest vessel on fresh water. During the early years well-known passenger ships, railroad car ferries, tankers, self-unloaders, tugs, and barges were built here.[I'm surprised that self-unloaders were being built during the 'early years.']...The Walter Sterling was lengthened to an ore carrier from a tanker in 1961, and 22 years later it was the last ship to be repaired in Lorain....On December 1, 1983, the American Shipbuilding Company closed its Lorain yard." [LorainCounty] (It amazes me the number of times I've read about corporate executives destroying the jobs of people just before the Xmas-time holidays.)
A year after it completed its Lorain Yard, Cleveland Shipbuilding bought three other Great Lakes shipbuilding companies and changed its name to American Shipbuilding Co in 1900. [I wonder if J. P. Morgan orchestrated this consolidation because this is about the time he created International Harvester and US Steel.] The Lorain, Ohio Yard served as the main facility of the company after World War II and to this day five of the 13 separate 1,000 ft (300 m) ore carriers on the Great Lakes were built in Lorain, including the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha which is the largest vessel on the Great Lakes (1,013'06" long). Built in 1898, the Lorain Yard quickly grew in size and importance. The facilities eventually included two dry docks over 1,000 feet (300 m) long built to handle the largest of the Great Lakes ore carriers. [revolvy]
These photos taught me that even rather large freighters used to be built on land and then launched into the water rather than being built in a dry dock.
I was surprised that the E. T. Weir was standing so straight during its launch. I include this launch at the Cleveland Yard to illustrate why I would not ride a ship during the launch.
And I include this photo from the Cleveland Yard because it shows how the ship is built on a cradle that is on runners for a sideways launch.
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| USGS, 1979, 1:24,000 |
Andrew Haenisch shared five photos posted by Marcin Olexsy.
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| 1 Postcard dates to 1911 |
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| 2 John Matchison: American Ship Building, the good old days, in Lorain. I remember. Bob McLean: Presqu Isle in dry dock Jeff Tabak: To see the big boys like the Barker at or over 1,000’ with a small one probably early 50’s or it looks maybe older, in the background. |
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| 3 Jeff Sigsworth: Edmund Fitzgerald docked at Amship for the winter, January 1975. Corey Brown: Jeff Sigsworth Looks like they are building the NS lift bridge in the background you can still see the original NKP bridge in front of it |
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| 4 Jeff Tabak: This is the best picture ever of LORAIN, OHIO BY PHOTOS. To see four lake freighters being built or repaired at once. So exciting! |
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| 5 [There are a lot of comments about a freighter smashing those boats because it was going too fast and then trying to escape from the Coast Guard.] |
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Frank Aleksandrowicz 1964 Photo from Cleaveland State University
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The two ships in the upper-left corner are probably docked waiting their turn for maintenance later in the winter season. As the following photo of the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding facility shows, they dock several "extra" ships to keep them busy during the winter season (Jan-Apr).
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| May 5, 2018 shipyard tours |
The first boat launched into the Black River was the wooden sloop General Huntington in 1819. In 1897, the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company moved the yard to the present location as its Lorain Yard. In 1898, the new yard finished the largest dry dock on the Great Lakes. "On April 13, 1898, the first steel ship, the Superior City, was launched. At the time, it was the largest vessel on fresh water. During the early years well-known passenger ships, railroad car ferries, tankers, self-unloaders, tugs, and barges were built here.[I'm surprised that self-unloaders were being built during the 'early years.']...The Walter Sterling was lengthened to an ore carrier from a tanker in 1961, and 22 years later it was the last ship to be repaired in Lorain....On December 1, 1983, the American Shipbuilding Company closed its Lorain yard." [LorainCounty] (It amazes me the number of times I've read about corporate executives destroying the jobs of people just before the Xmas-time holidays.)
A year after it completed its Lorain Yard, Cleveland Shipbuilding bought three other Great Lakes shipbuilding companies and changed its name to American Shipbuilding Co in 1900. [I wonder if J. P. Morgan orchestrated this consolidation because this is about the time he created International Harvester and US Steel.] The Lorain, Ohio Yard served as the main facility of the company after World War II and to this day five of the 13 separate 1,000 ft (300 m) ore carriers on the Great Lakes were built in Lorain, including the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha which is the largest vessel on the Great Lakes (1,013'06" long). Built in 1898, the Lorain Yard quickly grew in size and importance. The facilities eventually included two dry docks over 1,000 feet (300 m) long built to handle the largest of the Great Lakes ore carriers. [revolvy]
These photos taught me that even rather large freighters used to be built on land and then launched into the water rather than being built in a dry dock.
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| Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University "Prow view of Str. BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS on the ways at the Lorain, Ohio, yards of the American Ship Building Co . The vessel is the third of five new ore carriers being built for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., subsidiary of United States Steel Corp., and was launched on Saturday April 25, 1942 . The FAIRLESS and its four sister ships are the largest ever built on the Great Lakes, having a length of 638 feet, a breadth of 67 feet and a depth of 35 feet . This has been submitted to the office of censorship, which found no objection."--Attached to the photo verso. [Gross Tons: 10,294 [ShipBuildingHistory]] |
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Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University
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| Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University "Largest ore boat ever launched on the Great Lakes, the steamer, E. T. Weir of the Hanna fleet hits the water at the Lorain yards of American Ship Building, where she was launched at noon today."--Attachedto photo verso. [Note the number of people in the stern riding the launch. That strikes me as dangerous given how narrow the slip is. Judging from the water wake, the boat is moving from left to right, and it doesn't have a lot of room left. In fact, I wonder if big boats now must be built in dry docks. If they still slide them into the water, I'll bet OSHA doesn't allow them to be ridden.] |
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Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University
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| case.edu |
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| One of 23 photos posted by Jim Huber Circa 1949, the Wilfred Sykes. |
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| One of 23 photos posted by Jim Huber American Shipbuilding Co. yards, circa 1900. |
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| One of 23 photos posted by Jim Huber Circa 1910. The Frederick B Wells. |
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| One of 23 photos posted by Jim Huber Circa 1898(Lorain Historical Society). |
Al Miller posted two images with the comment: "By April 1951 work was well under way on the future Philip R. Clarke. This photo was among many that Pittsburgh Steamship Co. released to newspapers during construction of the AAA-class boats."
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| Al Miller posted Benjamin F. Fairless was launched April 25, 1942, in Lorain, Ohio. She was the third of the five "Supers" to be launched that year. She was a workhorse of the fleet, taking part in extended season navigation and Seaway trips during her 40-year career. [Obviously, they float it somewhere else in the yard to add the superstructure. "622.6 x 67.2 x 30.3, 10294 GT, 6439 NT"] |
Al Miller posted three photos with the comment: "Today marks the 70th anniversary of the launch of the Arthur M. Anderson at the American Ship Building Company's yard at Lorain, Ohio. She and her sisters -- Philip R. Clarke and Cason J. Callaway -- have put in long careers, largely thanks to the many additions that have kept them competitive -- bow thrusters, stern thrusters, engine room updates, lengthening, and conversion to self-unloaders."
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| Andrew Haenisch shared a Marcin Olexsy post Terry Thomas: What are the 5 white arrows for? Michael Meredith: Terry Thomas I think they are pointing out how many boats are in the photo. Scott Badenski: Looks like a Bradley boat re powering job. |
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| Mike Harlan shared a Marcin Olexsy post [Erie Bridge The post also included a couple of photos of the Roger Blough fire.] |
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| Don Geske posted Way back Wednesday we have the 96,000-pound stern frame for the Arthur M. Anderson. The picture was taken for Pittsburgh Steamship Co at Lorain, OH. |
Mark Duskey posted five photos with the comment: "A few pictures from the Lorain Historical Society showing the Armco and the Anderson at the American Shipbuilding yard."
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Lance Aerial Media posted five images with the comment: "The Port of Lorain now, and back in its hay day when it built 1000’ ships that still sail the Great Lakes today."
Charles Mackin: I started working on the Erie Ave Bridge as it was known in December of 1974 and saw a lot of changes over the years including the building of the four 1,000 ships. It was funny on the first one the James R. Barker we weren’t so sure it would be able to pass through the bridge.
Lance Aerial Media shared
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Twelve photos of James C Wallace being built in 1905 "At the time of her launching she was the 2nd largest freighter on the Great Lakes."
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