West Bay City Shipbuilding Company

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Launching of the steamer Daniel J. Morrell, possibly the most famous ship built by this yard

The West Bay City Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1876 at West Bay City, Michigan (now part of Bay City) by Frank W. Wheeler who was a ship captain on the Great Lakes, a shipbuilder and a politician. The yard started life as Wheeler & Crane. In 1880 it was renamed to F. W. Wheeler Company, and in 1889 it was renamed again to Frank W. Wheeler & Company. It was based on the Saginaw River close to Third Street. In 1899 Captain Frank W. Wheeler sold his yard to the American Ship Building Company who renamed the yard West Bay City Shipbuilding Company. The yard closed in 1908 after they built the steamer W.R. Woodford.[1]

Ships built[edit]

Ship In service Out of service Length Vessel type Fate Image
Mary Martini 1877 December 23, 1885 84.5 ft (25.8 m) Cargo ship Stranded 13 miles (21 km) east of Grand Marais, Minnesota on Brule Point. There were no deaths December 30, 1885.[2]
Luther Westover 1877 1903 107 ft (33 m) Tugboat Dismantled in 1903.[3]
Hanna B 1879 1902 95.5 ft (29.1 m) Barge Sank near Christian Island, Georgian Bay
Charles W. Liken 1880 August 13, 1905 63 ft (19 m) Tugboat Burned to a total loss in Bay City, Michigan.[4]
Lycoming 1880 October 22, 1910 251 ft (77 m) Cargo ship Burned to the waterline off Rondeau, Ontario, Lake Erie October 22, 1910.[5]
Conemaugh 1880 November 21, 1906 251 ft (77 m) Cargo ship Stranded on Point Pelee on Lake Erie. There were no deaths November 21, 1906.[6]
Maud S 1881 May 1, 1890 54.42 ft (16.59 m) Tugboat Endorsed to inland waters.[7]
Saginaw Valley 1881 1926 161 ft (49 m) Lake freighter Sunk in Port Dalhousie, Ontario for a rifle range and later broken up.[8]
Fred McBrier 1881 October 3, 1890 161 ft (49 m) Lake freighter Sank in a collision with the steamer Progress in the Straits of Mackinac October 3, 1890.[9]
Galatea 1882 October 20, 1905 180 ft (55 m) Schooner Stranded in Grand Marais, Michigan with the schooner Nirvana. There were no deaths October 20, 1905.[10]
Osceola 1882 December 7, 1906 183.42 ft (55.91 m) Lake freighter Stranded on Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior December 7, 1906.
Sarah Smith 1883 August 18, 1908 75 ft (23 m) Tugboat Caught fire off Minnesota Point and burned to a total loss August 18, 1908.
Etruria 1902 June 18, 1905 434 ft (132 m) Lake freighter Sank on Lake Huron following a collision with Amasa Stone June 18, 1905.[11]
Bransford 1902 1974 434 ft (132 m) Lake freighter Converted to a crane ship in 1943. Scrapped in Bilbao, Spain in 1974.
Daniel J. Morrell 1906 November 29, 1966 603 ft (184 m) Lake freighter Broke up and sunk during a storm. 28 of 29 crew died November 29, 1966.
John Sherwin 1906 June 1970 534 ft (163 m) Lake freighter Scuttled as a temporary breakwater at Nanticoke, Ontario in 1970, then sold to German shipbreakers in 1974.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Frank W. Wheeler & Co". Shipbuilding Company. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Martini, Mary". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Westover, Luther". Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Liken, Charles W." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Lycoming". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Conemaugh". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Maud S". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Saginaw Valley". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  9. ^ "McBrier, Fred". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Galatea". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Etruria". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
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