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| Michigan Film Photographer Karl Wertanen posted A Couple Classics! The 94 year old S T Crapo (left) and the 79 year old Alpena (right). While stopping in Green Bay WI this October for a work gathering I had to take the opportunity to fly over Lafarge North America (Cement) and grab this pic of the Alpena (1942) and the S T Crapo (1927). What's special to me about this one is that the Alpena (oldest active freighter on the lakes) is sitting next to the S T Crapo which is a 94 year old cement carrier built at Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge MI in 1927. The last time the S T Crapo sailed under it's own power was in 1996. While no longer and active sailing ship, it currently is used for cement storage at Lafarge on the Fox River in Green Bay. Besides it's classic leaning rear stack, what I like the most about the Crapo (like many other vessels from this era) is the tiny little pilot house set forward at the bow. You'll never see such a tiny pilot house on any of todays freighters sailing the lakes. Joe Wojt: I sailed on the Crapo for a few years. I was a porter ,night cook, 2nd cook, wiper, deckhand watchman, and wheels man. She was made to carry cement as was the Boardman. Yes the pilothouse was not the largest. I was in it when the rail bridge in Cleveland came down on it in the 60's. The pilothouse on the J.B.Ford was much smaller. John Wagner: The Crapo came into Alpena a lot when I was a kid. Joe Wojt: John Wagner home port Nolan Richhart: Is the Crapo destined for storage until her final days or could she sail again? Michigan Film Photographer Karl Wertanen I have not heard any rumors on that but I do know her propeller has been removed. This is from the boatnerd.com website on the Crapo: “The S.T. Crapo remains at Green Bay appearing as if she is ready to sail though her propeller has been removed. The vessel was temporarily returned to "active" service in 2005 when, on October 13, the "G" tug Ohio towed the vessel to Alpena, MI to pick up a load of cement for return to Green Bay. The loaded vessel was returned to her berth at Green Bay on October 29. The trip was the result of the Inland Lakes active steamer Alpena being temporarily removed from service for repairs. Today, the old cement carrier is owned by Chrysler Capitol Corp., c/o and bareboat chartered to Inland Lakes Management Inc., Alpena, MI under a contract of affreightment with Lafarge North America Corp., Herndon, VA for continued use as a cement storage barge and transfer vessel.” |
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| Chad Davis, Jun 2019 |
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| Street View |
After 25 years of service as a storage bin, on Sep 23, 2022 the S T Cropo started its tow to Marine Recycling Corporation (MRC) in Port Colborne, ON to be scrapped.
Wes Oleszewski saved me the trouble of researching this freighter.
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| safe_image for 11:29 video |
A 3:46 300% timelapse video of it being pulled out of its slip by two tugs
You can tell it is a very historic freighter because it attracted a lot of photographers.
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| 1 of 4 photos posted by Jon Vandyke Tug Molly M 1 pulling S.T CRAPO through the Mason St. Bridge. [He also has a photo of it by Dousman+Main Street Bridge.] |
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| 1 of 5 photos posted by Jeremy Whitman My take on the S.T. Crapo tow out of Green Bay yesterday. Cool to see her up close even though it was a scrap tow. [The CN/FVW/GDB/WC Swing Bridge in the foreground and the I-43 Tower Drive Bridge in the background. He also has a photo of it passing through the Dousman+Main Street Bridge.] |
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| 1 of 4 photos posted by Opie Sabo One last time through Port Huron for S.T. Crapo, with tugs Molly M I and Manitou. |
2 of the 4 photos posted by Krystal Moralee caught it at the Blue Water Bridge.
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| Robert Campbell posted The S.T. Crapo as seen from the Blue Water bridge. |
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| 1 of 8 photos posted by Fred Miller II in the Port Huron area [Cargill's grain elevator is in the background.] Fred Miller II shared |
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| 1 of 8 photos posted by Jeff Vandenberg ST Crapo scrap tow down bound St Clair river past Sarnia Ontario and Marysville Michigan on this rainy September 26 2022. Crapo, S.T. 1927 S. T. Crapo Steel self-unloading Great Lakes bulk cement freighter Built at River Rouge MI by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Hull 256 Keel laid April 11, 1927; launched July 7, 1927 402’6” LOA, 384’ LBP, 60’ beam, 29’ depth 1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1800 IHP Enrolled at 392.5 x 60.3 x 24.4, 4769 GT, 2942 NT US 226885 to: Huron Transportation Co., Detroit MI (home port Alpena MI) Entered service Aug 1927 Fleet merged 1955 into parent Huron Portland Cement Co. Fleet sold 1966 to National Gypsum Co., Detroit MI (home port to Wilmington DE) Fleet sold March 1987 to private investors and chartered to Inland Lakes Management, Alpena MI Boilers converted to oil firing 1995 at Sturgeon Bay WI by Bay Shipbuilding Corporation Laid up permanently at Green Bay WI Sept 4, 1996 for use as a cement storage and transfer vessel at that port. [It was retired just one year after the boilers were converted. That sounds like a stranded expense.] Towed Oct 2005 to Alpena MI, loaded with one cargo of cement and towed back to Green Bay. (Fleet str. Alpena was out of service temporarily for repairs and the trip was needed to meet company cargo commitments.) IMO 5304011 At Green Bay WI 2011 as a cement storage vessel |
1:02 Jack Dowding video at an unspecified location
Scott Taipale took of work to catch it in St. Clair and Algonac as a 10:14 video.
Rod Brudick posted a photo of it going by East China, MI.
Don Bevier's post included three photos of it in the Detroit area.
Don Bevier's post included three photos of it in the Detroit area.
Nathan Leindecker posted it going under the Ambasader Bridge.
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| Sandy Rogers Meinel commented on Nathan's post Nathan, here is a picture that my husband had years ago when he worked on all of these boats. |
Michael Chase posted a drone photo as it passed Windsor. He also posted 2 photos of it docked and one of it in Livingstone Channel.
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| Brad Wood Photography posted "In with the new and out with the old". This morning, one of the oldest ships, the S.T. Crapo, came into Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, to rest and end its 95-year journey. As it approached, from out of the dark, came the Great Lakes newest and largest cruise ship, the Viking Octantis. It swiftly sailed past the, once steam powered, S.T. Crapo and dropped off a group of modern explorers from, around the world, to discover Niagara. Times are certainly changing, and we seem to be in a rush to try and keep up! Imagine what the next 100 years will bring, and what it will leave behind!!! Brad Wood Photography also posted |
On Sep 29, 2022, it arrived at its destination.
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| 1 of 6 photos posted by Brad Wood Photography It was the end of another era, early this morning, as the S.T. Crapo was towed in off Lake Erie and tied up at Marine Recycling Corporation(ex-I.M.S.), Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. The S.T. Crapo was built and launched in 1927, for the Huron Transportation Co. (a division of Huron Portland Cement Co.) She was named to honor the co-founder of the company, Mr. Stanford Tappan Crapo. She was converted, from burning coal to burning diesel, to heat her steam boiler, in 1994/95, and at that time, was last hand-fired, coal powered vessel to operate on the Great Lakes. She was taken out of service in 1996, but operated once in October 2005, when she was towed to Alpena, MI for a load of cement. Since then, she has been tied up in Green Bay, WI and used as a stationary cement storage barge. She was pulled up against the shore in front of Manistee and Ojibway, to await her turn to be recycled. In front of her is the last remains of the Paul H. Towsend, that was also registered in Cleveland, Ohio, and is currently in her final stages of being recycled. May the S.T. Crapo live on in the memories of all those lives that she touched, in so many different ways. (history from the Boatnerd website) |
Bill Jr Salton posted three photos with the comment: "With S.T. Crapo secured in position at the base of Marine Recycling Corp's haul-out ramp, tugs John D, Seahound, and Charlie E repositioned Ojibway next to her in preparation for recycling."
Richard L Martin: Ojibway one of the last lakers with beautiful lines. Was the Ernest R Breech of the Ford Motor Co fleet in earlier days.
Terry Hill: Surprised that they both have bow thrusters.
[A couple of photos in the comments of the Ojibway being towed away from the dock to make room.]
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Back in its better days.
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| Fred Miller II posted Since she is nearing her end, this is one of my favorite shots of her, S T CRAPO above the Soo Locks, dropping a crew member over the side, 1994, while still a coal burner. Pentax 6x7 K-64 120. Fred Miller II shared |
Fred Miller II posted two photos with the comment: "A couple more of the classic S T CRAPO, both by Harold Fricke."
Fred Miller II shared
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| 1 of 20 photos posted by Todd Davison With the S.T. Crapo on her way to Port Colborne for scrapping, I thought I would share some pics from when I was onboard her while unloading at Muskegon in 1996, |
This is an example of the articulated tug/barge design that caused this ship to be retired as a storage bin in Green Bay.
Jeff Vandenberg posted two photos with the comment: "G.L Ostranger - Integrity tug barge of LaFarge Cement down bound St Clair river under a hunker in ze bunker sky. Bound for Detroit Michigan on this September 25 2022."
1:32 Janey Anderson video of it passing Windsor, ON.
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