Floating Palaces of the Great Lakes: Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ย. 2022
- The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company was by far the premier passenger and package freight steamship line of the Great Lakes from the mid-to-late 19th and 20th century. At their peak, they operated six paddle wheel boats on three of the Great Lakes. Besides Detroit and Cleveland, you could travel to other destinations like the picturesque Mackinac Island, Toledo, Put-in-Bay, and Buffalo.
Works Cited:
Duncan, Francis. The History of the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company 1850-1951. 1954. The University of Chicago Dissertations Publishing.
“NEW STEAMER CITY OF CLEVELAND.” The Marine Review, vol. 37, no. 19, May 1908, pp. 19-24.
“SIDE WHEEL STEAMER CITY OF DETROIT III.” The Marine Review, vol. 42, no. 7, July 1912, pp. 213-20.
Footage Used:
Stock Media provided by vintagestockshooter / Pond5
Prelinger Archives
Moving Image Research Collections
sc.edu/about/offices_and_divi...
Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University
www.bgsu.edu/library/cac/coll...
Great Lakes Maritime Collection, Alpena County Library
www.alpenalibrary.org/greatla...
Cleveland Public Library Photograph Collection
cpl.org/aboutthelibrary/subje...
Library of Congress
www.loc.gov/
National Archives
catalog.archives.gov/
"Dossin Great Lakes Museum (3478951285)" by PDru2014 is licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
"Dossin Great Lakes Museum (3478946157)" by PDru2014 is licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
"Dossin Great Lakes Museum (3478842349)" by PDru2014 is licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
"Model of a Detroit-Buffalo river cruise ship" by Thomas Quine is licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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*Two minor corrections. The City of Cleveland III was 420' in overall length and the Greater Detroit & Buffalo were 535' in overall length.
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16:57 It wasn't the largest side wheeler built by that time, The SS Great Eastern was 692 feet long.
I am amazed that these companies stuck with side paddle wheels instead of screw propellers. Interesting about the Great Lakes aircraft carriers. Lots of great content, thanks! Well done!
Probably had something to do with shallow water,side wheel tugboats lasted to the 1930$
They did eventually switch to screw props, but the passenger lines began to die as rail became faster and safer so there weren't many, plus it seems like tradition played a big part in keeping the side wheelers.
@@williamhilbert8324 I've never heard of a sidewheel tug on the Lakes in the 1930s.
@@jasonw4053 hell if I know partner I'm a salt water sailor,lol, I wasn't necessary stating that they were lake ⛵, I was stating that side wheel tugs were still chugging along into the 30$ and I think they might have scraped by in scarce amounts in ww2 , I don't have a doctorate in maritime history lol wish I did though
@@williamhilbert8324 yeah I didn't mean to sound like a smartass, thought you referring to lake boats! Also I was genuinely curious if you knew of a sidewheel tug that survived. I think a couple smaller excursion boats survived for a while longer than the ones in this video, mostly rotting away on docks in out of the way ports around the lakes.
Just fyi, all the Lakes ports, locks and shipping lanes are dredged to a minimum of 28'. There's a place on the St Mary's River where the boats have less than a foot between the river bottom and their keel! Of course, out in the open lakes they often have hundreds of feet of water beneath them and draft isn't an issue. Lake Erie, in the western reaches near the Islands is treacherous, lots of shallow reefs, the dredged lanes aren't very wide. Lots of wrecks out there before the advent of radar!
The C&B Line also operated a truck line of the same name between Cleveland & Buffalo during the winter; this part of the company outlasted their ships. In 1966, I worked for the C&B as a mechanic at their terminal on Lakeside and E. 38th Streets, along with one or two older men who fondly remembered the ships and told me the proud history of the company; their red truck cabs still sported the old white C&B logo on the doors.
I'm proud of Cleveland's maritime history, culture, and landmarks, and to have been even just a tiny part of that. By the way, the old-timers quipped that C&B stood for "Cheat 'em & Beat 'em"!
Many thanks for this well researched and high quality video. This is really a fine TH-cam channel.
My father worked for the D&C in the mid 1910's He was a secretary for one or the senior officials. He worked for them for a few years and often talked of his adventures on the City of Cleveland. Thanks for the memories.
I'm in awe of how beautiful these old boats were, especially the rooms with the walkways above!
Thank You for a fine video of Passenger Ship History. I worked back in The Days of the Lake Michigan Rail Road Car Ferries. I was on the SS Pere Marquette 21, and 22. The SS City of Saginaw 31. The SS City of Midland 41. The SS Spartan 42 and the SS Badger 43. I was a Carhandler (Boxcar Wrangler) and Deck Hand. I also worked on the Ann Arbor Railroad Carferry, SS City of Greenbay (ex- SS Wabash). And I also wheeled (Helm), several of these vessels, I am proud to say!
Living and growing up in Buffalo I really wish we had given more attention to local history in school especially on topics such as this. Passenger service on lake Erie between the cities is next to nonexistent these days, though were it available I'd certainly utilize it. For years as a kid the Aquarama was docked at the outer harbor as a ghost of a bygone era, sadly since scrapped.
Wow! Amazing mini-documentary with excellent original research and stunning images. I just put this out to my social media channels. Well done!
Brendon, thanks so much for the compliment! That means a lot, especially coming from a well respected Great Lakes Maritime Historian.
During this same period, there were passenger ferries between Norfolk, Va and Baltimore, Md. They famously had on board casinos. Huntington's Railroad from California had an eastern terminus across the river from Norfolk. Old Point Comfort developed into a resort with two grand hotels. Atlantic crossing ships would dock here to pick up and drop off passengers. Wealthy clients enjoyed the rest period between the train and the ship. The second Chamberlin Hotel still stands today.
Just look at this George, @22:17. Doesn't it look like another George, we ship doc lover's know 🤔??? Anyone?? Very, well put together, intricate documentary👍!!! The best one of this subject, and it wouldn't be saying much, if this was my first one, but it's been plenty 🙄!!! Hardly heard of any, of these 'lake liner's'.
Love your telling of history...Calm and very informative!
I Love the picture clarity and Quality, WELL DONE!
One summer during college, I worked for Chicago, Duluth, and Georgian Bay Transit Company. I sold tickets in Chicago and was not crew. SS North American was retired and South American was sole ship operating, passenger only. Luckily I was a passenger on one trip Chicago to Holland, Michigan for tulip festival. Coast Guard shut down South American late 60`s because it was a wooden hull so I was told.
Great story. Well documented with great visuals.
This is a fantastic video. I grew up in Detroit and have traveled all over the Great Lakes. Nonetheless, I never knew about this particular history.
My mother and father both worked on the SS Greater Buffalo which became USS Sable.
James Cameron made the wrong movie with DeCaprio and Winslett - he should have made a film about this golden ages of Great Lakes steamships even though they were seasonal ( Great Lakes are graveyard for shipwrecks ) your video makes clear the industry enjoyed a well nigh flawless safety record and for the Danges of The Great Lakes that’s saying A LOT !!!! 🇺🇸💯🇺🇸💯
White Star Line and Cunard fighting over which Company has more luxurious ships in the 1900s
The Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company: "Allow us to introduce ourselves"
Excellent video, awesome history. Well done!!
0:05. This picture of Minnesota was obviously taken before her dramatic weight loss. She looks much slimmer today.
Thanks for sharing, luv Dem old sidewheelers
Most excellent video!
Looking forward to see more....👍🏻👌🏻👏🏻
Fantastic video!
I love your content. As a youtuber since 2006 I want you to know that your content was what TH-cam was originally intended for. WELL DONE.
Wow! Thank you so much for the compliment. I really appreciate that so many other people enjoy my videos as much as I enjoy researching topics, scouring archives for old photos and films, and putting everything together.
You have 4 subs, you aint a youtuber bro
An interesting history of river paddle ships.
Spectacular photography and narrative. Thank you for such a professional documentary of this part of maritime history!!
Well done ;o)
Here's an idea for content. The electric locomotive infrastructure used at clevelands terminal tower. So much work had to go into it for it to be used for 30 years.
Great suggestion! That has been something on my list since last year. I'm hoping to start on that soon and have it released sometime next year.
Great video! I’ve been studying the D&C Lines ships for almost 10 years. They’re so intriguing an interesting. Also curious how you got that technicolor film of the Greater Buffalo, those are really rare to fine. Such a shame that they scrapped the the whole entire fleet in the mid 50s. But anyways, great video!
Thank you! They really are. I got intrigued by their vessels after seeing the Detroit Publishing Company's excellent 8x10 glass plate negatives on the Library of Congress's website of the City of Cleveland III & City of Detroit III. The color film of Greater Buffalo was from a stock footage website. They have three additional clips of it as well. Here's a link to it: www.pond5.com/stock-footage/item/161656701-vintage-16mm-film-1941-usa-greater-buffalo-ferry-rare
Never knew luxury existed on the Great Lakes. Fantastic video!
My father worked on one of these side-wheel ships in the 1930s. I know he mentioned traveling between Buffalo and Chicago. I wonder if you know if there is any way to look into his employment history? Does the company still exist?
Fascinating. Thank you....
Well done - very comprehensive and informative!
I doubt very much that the 'South American' had a wooden hull, as someone here queried; at the late date that it was built (early 1900s). It was probably retired due to age, costs, and possibly a wooden superstructure that was outlawed. This factor finished off the Canadian Pacific ships "Assiniboia" and "Keewatin", after the 1965 season, although I believe they were due to be retired in a few years anyhow. The Keewatin is preserved at its old port of Port McNicoll, Ontario, about 80 miles north of Toronto. Check before going there as to open hours.
Unlike today where we have many fast ways of getting around
correction: We have one fast way to get around and one "70mph" one
ive got a painting of that 4 stack c and b giant boat it was in a outhouse when i was young she brought it i shes 94 its still on the wall . beautiful artwork.
Well Done ;o)
Good stuff!
... found the episode very very interesting ... thank you ... have a family member involved with the " Great Lakes Museum " ... on the Detroit River yet today ... too ...
I have some photos p=of the D&C ships - originals - apparently it became caught in ice at some point along the saint calir river - the city of detroit III, i believe... nice doc
I can't believe a paddle wheeler going from Detroit to Houghton. Scary!
Yeah, man that'd be a harrowing trip. Those old side wheelers couldn't do much in storms except heave to and try to stay in one spot. They'd loose steerage way in big waves, too, since large waves would cause a wheel to come out of the water.
Interesting stuff
Wait hang on, there were paddlewheel steamer *aircraft carriers*? Oh man this is like some kind of steampunk thing. Why have I never heard of this before now?
PLS do more videos on great lakes history
Fascinating video. What are the vertical beams for, evenly spaced along the hull?
I believe those are 'bumpers' to keep the ship from scraping along the side of a dock or barge if its tied up there. In fact you can see how their supposed to work at 18:19
Love the ‘Nudders.
So are these the famous Cleveland Steamers?
Is the City of Detroit operating as the ex-Boblo boat? The hull of the City of Detroit still active?
What a way to travel.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
The oppresive law requiring lifeboats for everyone made me do a double-take. The ship builders should have learned from the Titanic.
Technically, Titanic was in compliance with the lifeboat regulations at the time. The number of lifeboats required was based on a ships tonnage and not number of passengers/crew. Ship sizes grew so quickly that within a decade that law was outdated.
Hello from Kansas 🇺🇸
OKI have a question what is it with Norwegian Swedish and other scandinavian ships And colliding with Other ships and sometimes sinking them
Wow I'm from Cleveland and never knew
Found out about the D&C and our Great Lakes Passenger Service around 14 years ago when I accidently found a Travel Brochure of the Aquarama at an estate sale, 1957 Brochure. After that got a D&C 1940s blanket, 1949 , 1937 and 1921 D&C Passenger Service Brochures, 1920s Painting D&C City Of Cleveland that probably hung inside the ship rooms etc, and a Large Advertising Poster 3 feet by 2 feet also 1920s possibly from there Office and some Dinner ware with their Logo, forks spoons and Coffee Cup s and a small Silver Creamer or Tea Pot. Pretty much I think the advent of """METRO PARKS AND BEACHES""" and of course Post War development of suburbia, road system, increase sales of automobiles,more reliability and longer range and plenty of very cheap gas was the majority of the decline in ridership and passenger service. Same would happen with Boblo in the 1980s including change in the morality character with some of the passengers, increase in violence,gangs,fights etc , it also ended many of the amusement parks along the Great Lakes also which began to close in the early 1970s. When only barely %60 of our population loves our country and history now compared to close to %95 back in 1950 see how far we as a country have fallen. Our Past was a much better world.Reason why I collect it. Vintage Toy and Advertising Collector ( 1920-1977) who owns 3 Classic Vehicles!
13:01 On these ships, what are thing things attached to the sides of the hull that look like planks. They appear on a lot of these ships. What are they and what was the purpose of them being there?
The engine rocker tells you how old these were. Did not realize sidewheelers ran this long.
Bit of a tangent, but I play a mod for Crusader Kings II called After The Fall. It takes place in Post-Apocalypse 2666 America and every resource matters. Case and point, I set up my guy as a baron owning land right between Chicago and the source of the Mississippi River. This is a huge trade route in the game and leads to development in armies, infrastructure, and technology.
Still kinda neat seeing a video about this part of the world and how relevant it was back in the day.
my great great grandfather was killed by a paddle boat wheel when swimming in the detroit river. his children had to be separated and farmed out to various cousins as housekeepers.
Man, you're definitely from somewhere around Cleveland or Buffalo aren't ya? You sound like Joe Pera!
What are the pipes on the side of the hull? Their angles are different in different pictures.
The Great Eastern (b 1860!) from Mr. Brunell was a significantly bigger sidewheeler than the Greater Detroit and her sister.
Greater Detroit & Buffalo were the world's largest "true" side-wheelers. The Great Eastern was powered by propellers, and sails in addition to paddle-wheels.
👍
How about a Chicora video?
That looks like an interesting ship, I'll add it to my list of video topic ideas. Thanks for the suggestion!
Yep
Cuyahoga pronunciation is a bit off. Cuya-ho-ga, not Cuya-hog-a.
Cheers! Enjoyed your video and learning about a company I'd never heard of!
Thanks Bonnie! There are two ways to pronounce it, the way you mentioned and the way I pronounced it in the video. Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, I've mostly heard Cuya-hog-a, so that has been the way I've always pronounced it. I recall a recent poll, WKYC Chl. 3 did on Facebook between the two, and it was nearly tied.
As a native to the Cuyahoga valley, it's pronounced both ways unless you're from Parma, then it's "Cogga."
I've never heard native-born speakers say Cuya-ho-ga. Not only is it Cuy-a-hog-a on the East Side of Cleveland, but all over the river's watershed. No one in Portage County who was born here uses the "ho" pronounciation. Saying"Cuy-a-ho-ga Falls" is the certain mark of the rank outsider. People who say Cuy-a-ho-ga likely also say "Man-tu-a" and "Char-don".
@@heightsbandsman4304 hilarious. I live on the river outside of Mantua and grew up in Chardon, and hear the "hog" and "ho" pronunciations constantly, sometimes from the same people. Even Wikipedia has both pronunciations listed. Either one is correct. My partner is from C Falls and she says "Cuy a Hoh Gah," she's definitely not a "rank outsider" as she was born and raised there. Not sure what kind of "native born" speakers you're referring to as I'm not sure you know what that means, but it sounds like you need to get out of Portage County sometime.
👍👍👍
toured the ss kewanau many times in saugatuck truly awestruck go to cansda and see it if u can but heydey was on L Mich prolly only one left of these
Why did the use side wheelers for so long?
Great lake freight and ferries did not use side wheelers that late in the game.
Instead of scrapping them. They could've been converted floating hotels, strip clubs, topless bars, casinos, restaurants, and museums.
Wasnt great Eastern bigger?
It was; however, the Greater Buffalo & Detroit were the world's largest true side-wheelers. The Great Eastern was additionally powered by screws, and sails.
how about the Canadiana?
Why do the Scandinavians seem to collide with so many liners?
You noticed that too, Jerry!
They collide with & always deny any responsibility.
The SS great eastern built in the UK in 1859 was also a paddle steamer and was much larger than SS greater Detroit and her Sister ship in all aspects. Although she also had a propeller it was still a paddlesteamer. I feel that should be mentioned. Instead of Just saying the SS greater Detroit was the biggest paddlesteamer ever. But generally an amazing video fantastic collection of pictures and videos. 😁
Its funny bc transit was better back in the day than it is now lol us public transit peaked in 1914
110 years later I was born😂
6×500 cmb
Why do you call these ships, boats?
The word "boats" is preferred on the Great Lakes.
$5 in 1850 would buy the same as $195 in 2023. I guess that would be cheap for some people.
Respectful submit that a less staccato prestation would be morem
otable
Cleveland Steamer
So boring