Mystery Ship

Who am I?

Thanks to The Rock for providing insight as to the possible identification of this Mystery Ship. The Rock states that there were about 10 ships that sailed the Great Lakes with characteristics similar to the Mystery Ship. Some of those ships were the Thomas F. Cole, James A. Farrell, Richard V. Lindabury, Myron C. Taylor and the Eugene P. Thomas. Recently, Ted Wilush said the Mystery Ship is from an earlier class of vessels – those built around 1906 or 1907. Some of those ships were the Peter A.B. Widener, George F. Baker, Norman B. Ream, J. Pierpont Morgan, Henry H. Rogers, Thomas Lynch and William B. Schiller. The photo appears to be a rare nighttime shot that would most likely preclude identification however it appears that the experts are zeroing in on the identity of this Mystery Ship!

Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 (2)

Who am I?

Thanks to MikeM for an excellent suggestion and several members of the Yahoo! Car Ferry Group for identifying the ship as the railroad car ferry Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 (2). The ship was launched as a car ferry in 1910 and was cut down to a pulpwood and crane barge in 1944. The ship was renamed the Lillian in 1948 and scrapped in 1997.

John Roen IV

Who am I?

Thanks to The Rock for identifying the ship as the tug John Roen IV. The tug was launched in 1947 and declared a total loss in 1976. If you would like to see a color photo of the John Roen IV that was taken by John Vournakis in 1963, please click here.

Mackinaw

Who am I?

Thanks to MikeM for identifying the ship as the United States Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw. The ship was launched in 1944 and decommissioned in 2006. The ship is now a maritime museum.
If you would like to learn more about the Mackinaw, please
click here.

Ahoy!

Welcome to my new photoblog, Mystery Ships Of The Great Lakes. The images that will comprise this blog are believed to have been taken on the St. Claire River between 1946 and 1952. Long forgotten freighters, tugs and other ships will glide out of the past. Unfortunately, their names are not readily apparent. Thus, I seek your help in identifying these "Mystery Ships Of The Great Lakes."