West Bay City Shipbuilding Company

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 by Frank W. Wheeler who was a Captain on the Great Lakes, a shipbuilder and a politician. The yard started life as Wheeler & Crane. In 1880 it was renamed F. W. Wheeler Company, and in 1889 it was renamed Frank W. Wheeler & Company, and 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

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Ship In service Out of service Length (ft) Vessel type Fate
Mary Martini 1877 December 23, 1885 84.50 Cargo ship Stranded thirteen miles east of Grand Marais, Minnesota on Brule Point. No lives were lost.[2]
Luther Westover 1877 1903 107 Tugboat Dismantled in 1903.[3]
Hanna B 1879 1902 95.50 Barge Sank near Christian Island, Georgian Bay
Charles W. Liken 1880 August 13, 1905 63 Tugboat Burned to a total loss in Bay City, Michigan.[4]
Lycoming 1880 October 22, 1910 251 Cargo ship Burned to the waterline off Rondeau, Ontario, Lake Erie.[5]
Conemaugh 1880 November 21, 1906 251 Cargo ship Stranded on Point Pelee on Lake Erie. No lives were lost.[6]
Maud S 1881 May 1, 1890 54.42 Tugboat Endorsed to inland waters.[7]
Saginaw Valley 1881 1926 161 Lake freighter Sunk in Port Dalhousie, Ontario for a rifle range and later broken up.[8]
Fred McBrier 1881 October 3, 1890 161 Lake freighter Sank in a collision with the steamer Progress in the Straits of Mackinac.[9]
Galatea 1882 October 20, 1905 180 Schooner Stranded in Grand Marais, Michigan with the schooner Nirvana. No lives were lost.[10]
Osceola 1882 December 7, 1906 183.42 Lake freighter Stranded on Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior.
Sarah Smith 1883 August 18, 1908 75 Tugboat Caught fire off Minnesota Point and burned to a total loss.
Daniel J. Morrell 1906 29 November 1966 603 Lake freighter Broke up and sunk during a storm. 28 of 29 crew died

References

  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.
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