Col. James M. Schoonmaker prior to launching in 1911
The steamship Col. James M. Schoonmaker began life on 1 July 1911 at the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan. At the time of her launch she took the title of Queen of the Lakes which is given to the biggest ship on the Great Lakes. She became the flagship of the Shenango Furnace Company. She broke many cargo records for iron ore, grain and coal in her first year. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which was replaced by a steam turbine in 1955. She sailed as part of the Shenango fleet until 1969 when she was sold to the Interlake Steamship Company who chartered Col James M. Schoonmaker to the Republic Steel Corporation. After a three-year charter to that company Interlake decided to sell her to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company, who renamed the ship Willis B. Boyer after the company's president. They operated the laker for 7 years in the iron trade until she was laid up in 1980 due to a downturn in the steel industry. After sitting unwanted for 7 years, the city of Toledo decided to purchase her for use as a museum. She sat as the centerpiece of the International Park in that city for several decades before being rechristened back to her original name Col. James M. Schoonmaker and being moved one last time to the site of the National Museum of the Great Lakes on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo.[1]
Descriptionedit
Col. James M. Schoonmaker in 2006, when she was known as the Willis B. Boyer in her Cleveland-Cliffs fleet livery
Col. James M. Schoonmaker is 617 feet (188 m) long overall. She has a beam of 64 feet (20 m) and a depth of over 33 feet (10 m). Her carrying capacity is 12,200 gross tons at 21-foot (6.4 m) draft.[2] A unique feature of the ship is inside her pilothouse. She was one of the few ships on the Great Lakes to have twin steering wheels. The starboard is the main wheel while the other was an auxiliary. As the flagship of the company for many years she was fitted with many features a normal laker would not have. She was fitted with 5 luxury guest suites in the bow of the ship. One of the guests was Andrew Carnegie, whose many business interests coincided with the ship's cargoes. She also carried a guest lounge and dining room for the comfort of passengers.
Col. James M. Schoonmaker was one of several dozen vessels based on the influential design of the J. Pierpont Morgan - known as the "600 footers".[3]
Museum shipedit
On 17 December 2009 the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Board of Directors authorized a Memorandum of Understanding with the Great Lakes Historical Society of Vermilion, Ohio, for the creation of the National Museum of the Great Lakes at the Toledo Maritime Center.
Willis B. Boyer was repainted in her Shenango Furnace fleet livery and, on 1 July 2011, rechristened back to her original name, Col. James M. Schoonmaker. In October 2012, Col. James M. Schoonmaker was towed by tugs downriver to her new berth next to the museum. The museum opened in spring 2014.[4]
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources SS Col James M Schoonmaker news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2015 Learn how and when to remove this message Col James M Schoonmaker formerly Willis B Boyer is a lake freighter that served as a commercial vessel on the Great Lakes for much of the 20th century Named for Medal of Honor recipient James Martinus Schoonmaker it is currently a museum ship in Toledo Ohio SS Col James M Schoonmaker Col James M Schoonmaker as museum ship in 2018History United States NameCol James M Schoonmaker 1911 1972 Willis B Boyer 1972 2011 Col James M Schoonmaker 2011 OwnerShenango Furnace Company Interlake Steamship Company Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company BuilderGreat Lakes Engineering Works Yard numberHull 82 Launched1 July 1911 In service11 October 1911 Out of service1980 HomeportToledo Ohio IdentificationIMO number 5077228 StatusMuseum ship General characteristics Tonnage12 200 GRT Length617 ft 188 m Beam64 ft 20 m Depth34 ft 10 m Installed powertriple expansion steam engine Speed12 knots Crew29 Notesoldest ship to carry the distinction of Queen of the LakesContents 1 History 2 Description 3 Museum ship 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory edit nbsp Col James M Schoonmaker prior to launching in 1911 The steamship Col James M Schoonmaker began life on 1 July 1911 at the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse Michigan At the time of her launch she took the title of Queen of the Lakes which is given to the biggest ship on the Great Lakes She became the flagship of the Shenango Furnace Company She broke many cargo records for iron ore grain and coal in her first year She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which was replaced by a steam turbine in 1955 She sailed as part of the Shenango fleet until 1969 when she was sold to the Interlake Steamship Company who chartered Col James M Schoonmaker to the Republic Steel Corporation After a three year charter to that company Interlake decided to sell her to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company who renamed the ship Willis B Boyer after the company s president They operated the laker for 7 years in the iron trade until she was laid up in 1980 due to a downturn in the steel industry After sitting unwanted for 7 years the city of Toledo decided to purchase her for use as a museum She sat as the centerpiece of the International Park in that city for several decades before being rechristened back to her original name Col James M Schoonmaker and being moved one last time to the site of the National Museum of the Great Lakes on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo 1 Description edit nbsp Col James M Schoonmaker in 2006 when she was known as the Willis B Boyer in her Cleveland Cliffs fleet livery Col James M Schoonmaker is 617 feet 188 m long overall She has a beam of 64 feet 20 m and a depth of over 33 feet 10 m Her carrying capacity is 12 200 gross tons at 21 foot 6 4 m draft 2 A unique feature of the ship is inside her pilothouse She was one of the few ships on the Great Lakes to have twin steering wheels The starboard is the main wheel while the other was an auxiliary As the flagship of the company for many years she was fitted with many features a normal laker would not have She was fitted with 5 luxury guest suites in the bow of the ship One of the guests was Andrew Carnegie whose many business interests coincided with the ship s cargoes She also carried a guest lounge and dining room for the comfort of passengers Col James M Schoonmaker was one of several dozen vessels based on the influential design of the J Pierpont Morgan known as the 600 footers 3 Museum ship editOn 17 December 2009 the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority Board of Directors authorized a Memorandum of Understanding with the Great Lakes Historical Society of Vermilion Ohio for the creation of the National Museum of the Great Lakes at the Toledo Maritime Center Willis B Boyer was repainted in her Shenango Furnace fleet livery and on 1 July 2011 rechristened back to her original name Col James M Schoonmaker In October 2012 Col James M Schoonmaker was towed by tugs downriver to her new berth next to the museum The museum opened in spring 2014 4 See also editJames Martinus Schoonmaker SS William G Mather Maritime Museum The Schoonmaker s sister ship at one time now a museum ship in Cleveland OhioReferences edit Col James M Schoonmaker The Great Lakes Historical Society www inlandseas org Retrieved 2015 05 07 Dewar Gary September 1987 Telescope Magazine Telescope Vol 36 no 5 Great Lakes Maritime Institute p 119 Mark L Thompson 1994 Queen of the Lakes Wayne State University Press pp 121 127 ISBN 9780814343371 Home The Great Lakes Historical Society www inlandseas org Retrieved 2015 05 07 External links editCol James M Schoonmaker Museum Ship 41 39 23 56 N 83 30 58 86 W 41 6565444 N 83 5163500 W 41 6565444 83 5163500 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Col James M Schoonmaker amp oldid 1122532312, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
