Later, they switched to fewer, but bigger ships. They were built in a dry dock and then floated out
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| Pete Martin posted My grandfather in drydock 2 at shipyard. Prob 1966. Dennis DeBruler It started as Chicago Shipbuilding Co. in 1890. https://chicagology.com/harbor/chicagoshipbuildingco/ [idaillinois has a 1916 photo of the gate from search results] |
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| Al Miller posted On March 9, 1907, the Thomas Lynch was launched in Chicago. These photos are from the Nov-Dec. 1957 issue of Pittsburgh Sidelights. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Al's post The slips from this shipyard still exist along the Calumet River. |
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| Rod Sellers posted Chicago Shipbuilding Company 1910. The year 1890 witnessed the establishment of a ship-yard capable of building vessels for lake navigation. Prior to this no iron or steel vessels had been built at Chicago. This new enterprise has been undertaken by the Chicago Shipbuilding Company at South Chicago, about a mile above its entrance into Lake Michigan. Chicago Shipbuilding was a subsidiary of the American Ship Building Company in 1898 and a division of that company in 1911. After WWI, American Ship operated it as a repair yard but it closed it in the 1980s. The ship in the image, the Crescent City, was built at the Shipyard in 1897. Chicago Maritime Museum posted Join us for “Third Friday” November 17 Could a shipyard survive long without an associated repair facility? In the marine world, over the nineteenth century the continued “health” of vessels gradually became dependent on specialized ship repair facilities. On marine railways, dry docks and floating docks, hulls were exposed for routine checkups, emergency “operations”, and major surgeries (with parts both removed and added). The growing size of boats in the Great Lakes fleets demanded investment in facilities to maintain them. Walter Lewis holds an M. A. in History from Queen’s University in Kingston. He served in the 1980s and 90s as a member of the editorial board of FreshWater the historical journal published by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. Currently, he serves as the production editor of The Northern Mariner, the journal of the Canadian Nautical Research Society and the North American Society for Oceanic History. He is best known in the Great Lakes community for his website www.MaritimeHistoryoftheGreatLakes.ca and manages the website of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History. In conjunction with the Bridgeport Art Center's Third Friday Open House, the Chicago Maritime Museum opens its doors for lively presentations on maritime history and current events each month. Come early and explore the Bridgeport Art Center's many art galleries. Join us on Friday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. either in person or on Zoom. The presentation is $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members. However, you might just consider joining the CMM for an annual membership of just $35, which provides unlimited visits, access to our monthly newsletter and special events such as the Third Friday maritime lecture series. Join us at chicagomaritimemuseum.org or call us (773) 376-1982. We are located on the lower level of the Bridgeport Art Center at 1200 W 35th Street. Parking is free in the north lot. To volunteer for Third Friday hospitality service or other events contact Events Coordinator Kath Thomas events@chicagomaritimemuseum.org |
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| Tony Margis posted Chicago_Tribune_Sun__Feb_21__1960_ Laura Findeisen Layman I remember seeing these in dry dock. |
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| Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted The dry dock of the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. in South Chicago, Ill. with the schooner barge Delta in the foreground (Image Source: Southeast Chicago Historical Society Digital Archives). The steambarge Louis Pahlow is in the back. In addition, the bow of the steamer Manitou is in the background to the right of the steambarge. The date and the name of the photographer are not included in the notes for the photograph. Based on the history of the vessels, the image could be circa 1904-1915. [The description continues with a history of the three vessels.] |
4 of 14 images posted by Michael Siola.
Michael Siola shared.
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| a In 1890, the Chicago Shipbuilding Company established a shipyard on a piece of land roughly one mile from the mouth of the Calumet River in the South Chicago/East Side neighborhood. This became the first facilty in Chicago and the Calumet region that was capable of building iron and steel shipping vessels for lake navingation. The Chicago Shipbuilding Company was an offshoot of Cleveland's Globe Iron Works. A large parcel of land was purchased from the South Chicago Brewing Company at 101st Street and the east bank of the Calumet River as a site for the new shipyard. The Chicago Shipbuilding Company was the most important of the steel shipbuilding firms in Chicago for many decades. The Chicago Shipbuilding Company merged with the newly created American Shipbuilding Company in 1898. By the beginning of the 1900s, the southside shipyard already employed over 1,200 workers and ranked as the leading builder of steel ships on the Great Lakes. By the 1920s, the company was mostly doing repair work and refurbishing damaged ships. To learn more about this company, visit this informative local history website at: Shawn Keith: They built the carferry Pere Marquette 18 (II) in 1910 in record time to replace the one lost on Lake Michigan in September 1910. She served the fleet just over 40 years. I've never seen a photo of the yard, though this is likely a shadow of what it had been in its prime. Likely taken in the 70s based on the cars. |
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| c Colorized photo of ship awaiting repairs at the Chicago Shipbuilding Company facility on the Calumet River in South Chicago. Artistic restoration by Mike Saved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_William_E._Corey |
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| d Terri Snook: Very interesting. Never have seen the inside rooms built before putting on the outside wall Shawn Keith: Terri that's the Sylvania. She's having collision damage repaired, likely following her collision with the Sir Henry Bessemer off Whitefish Point in 1905 when she was brand new. .https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Sylvania |
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| Gerald Vilenski posted The steamer "William E Corey" being launched in South Chicago, 1905... Gary Schweitzer Why all the masts? Mark Gilson The masts are to aid in stability during side launching. Robert Nuke Thompson Mark Gilson how? Preston Smith Mark Gilson more weight Dennis DeBruler I assume they use tall weights to increase the angular momentum of the boat so that it won't rock as far from side to side. [I believe this was the only shipyard big enough to build this boat.] Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted The freighter William E. Corey being launched at Chicago, Ill. on June 24, 1905 (Image Source: Library of Congress – Detroit Publishing Co. Collection – enhanced by Shorpy.com). The image shows the temporary masts that were installed for added stability during the side launch. [The description continues with the history of the freighter. Of note:] "The 569-foot [173m] vessel (LOA) was one of the longest vessels on the Great Lakes at the time of its completion." |
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| Rod Sellers posted View from the Skyway by Daily Calumet photographer, June 5 1974 Rod Sellers posted Where am I? Tim Allman View today. https://www.google.com/.../@41.715304,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 Rod Sellers Answer: Photo was taken by a Daily Calumet photographer covering road work on the Skyway June 5, 1974. Photo shows intersection of 100th Street and Avenue N. American Shipyards in distance to the right. Nancy's Lighthouse at bottom left. Attached photo was also taken at the same time and shows view to the right of the original photo. |
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| Bob Lalich commented on Bibbie Dubuc's comment on Rod's post In the image below, Interlake Steel's ore dock is in the left foreground, and Republic Steel is in the left background. |
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| Bobbie Dubuc also commented |
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| The attached photo Rod referred to in the above comment. |
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| Rod Sellers posted Where am I? |
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| Rod commented on his post Answer: The Chicago Shipbuilding Company was formed in 1890 and was an offshoot of Cleveland's Globe Iron Works. In that same year, land was purchased from the South Chicago Brewing Company at 101st Street and the east bank of the Calumet River as a site for the new shipyard. The shipyard was constructed soon thereafter. The Chicago Shipbuilding Company was the most important of the steel shipbuilding firms in Chicago. In 1898, the Chicago Shipbuilding Company joined the newly created American Shipbuilding Company. By 1900, just after it became part of the American Shipbuilding Co. the Chicago Ship Building Co. employed 1,200 men and ranked as the leading builder of steel ships on the Great Lakes. By the 1920s the company primarily did repair work. In the area around the shipyards a rooming house district for sailors developed. |
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| William Ramp posted The Robert W. E. Bunsen. Launched at Chicago, May 17, 1900. Renamed and reduced to a barge in 1954. Last recorded as a floating derrick at USX Fairless Steel, Pennsylvania, in 1988. A great-aunt captured most of her with a box Brownie, but misjudged her forward speed. Where was this taken? Who now knows... When? probably sometime between 1923(ish) and 1954. Why bother? It was just fun to ID her. I wonder if the hull still exists. Bob Laframboise Wow...teensy - weensy pilot house.....but this is 1910 so it serves the purpose ~ William Ramp Bunsen data: http://www.nemoha.org/2901875/data [Bunsen data shows Quadruple Expansion: "20.5, 30, 43.5 & 63" cylinders by 42" stroke, 1750hp at 75rpm by Chicago Ship Building Co. 15' 4 1/2" x 11', 210 pounds steam, scotch boilers, American Ship Building Co., Lorain, OH."] Dennis DeBruler I'm glad you indicated that it was launched in Chicago. That means it was probably built in one of these slips along the Calumet River: https://www.google.com/.../@41.7111854.../data=!3m1!1e3... Andrew Haenisch William Ramp here is a link for more info on the barge http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/000895 |
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| 1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
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| Rod Sellers posted Where am I? That huge pile of salt sits on an oval shaped asphalt pad - I was working for Gallagher Asphalt Corp at the time - our crew had finished paving 100th St from Van Vlinsing (sp) all the way to Ave L & then we paved that salt pad - kind of how I discovered The Golden Shell & The Winners Circle - I have pictures of the lake freighters unloading salt on that pile - I always found the SouthEast Side to be quite an interesting area. The old Punch shop and administration building. Don J Buis Hello, Don. I remember getting warm in the Punch Shop, talking trigonometry with Jimmy Jagielski. John Skul, who operated the Punch Shop crain, lived across the street from me on 103rd and M. |
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| Curt Seeliger posted The U-505 Submarine at the Museum of Science & Industry spent almost a year 1954ish in a Drydock on the Southeast Side by the Calumet River. They did an external overhaul prep of the Submarine before towing it to the Museum in 1955. Here is a 1954 picture from Google images. Rod Sellers: Photo was from a set of slides from the Port District which are in the collections of the Southeast Chicago Historical Society. Title of the slide is 1954 Cal Sag Tour. American Shipbuilding did work on the U-505 and then it was moved to the 92nd Street yard of Great Lake Dredge and Dock in preparation for towing it to the Museum of Science and Industry on a floating dry dock. Attached photo shows the submarine at the 92nd Street location. 92nd Street bridge is visible in background. Don J Buis: It is in Slip #1 of the American Ship Building Co. located at 101st & Ave N. It is in what appears to be a floating dry dock. Slip #1 is located just south of what was the Punch/Roll shop, the building on the left. Slip #2 is located to the south of slip #1 and was the original dry dock at the yard. The yellow/orange thing on the left of the photo is the floating gate to the new dry dock. The new dry dock was built sometime in 40s and could handle ships in the 700 foot range. The new dry dock was in use until the mid 80s when the company went bankrupt and the property was sold off. William Ferry Our grandfather work on that project and help cut it in half to be put in the museum. Our dad and his brothers they were very young at that time got to go and take a tour of the submarine before it ever left the shipyard and that was after they had high intelligence go through that submarine because they had found roughly 6 booby traps in there from the Germans. I have to look but I think I have pictures of it in the shipyard to. In 1955 my dad was 17 In memory of my grandfather Russell Ferry My dads name is William Ferry and he is still with us |
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| Don Rossi commented on Curt's post One of the pictures I had found a while ago. My grandpa (James Rossi Sr) worked with it. |
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| Rod Sellers commented on his post Answer: American Shipyard (previously Chicago Shipyard) at 101st and the Calumet River. Easily recognizable by the distinctive arrangement of the slips and dry dock. Chicago Shipbuilding was an offshoot of Cleveland's Globe Iron Works. It became a subsidiary of The American Ship Building Company in 1898 and a division in 1911. Numerous ships were built and launched until WWI. After WWI, American Ship operated it as a repair yard but closed around 1980. Read above comments for more information. Attached photo shows launch of the Manta in 1916. |
Michael Mora posted two photos with the comment: ""Repairing a Lake Carrier after a collision," late June/ early July 1905 at dock of then Chicago Ship Building Company, 101st and Calumet River. Detroit Publishing Co. photo, from Maritime History of the Great Lakes, http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/"
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| 1 "Work being done on the SYLVANIA at the dock of the Chicago Ship Building Company in the Calumet River after her collision with the SIR HENRY BESSEMER. In the background is the Merritt A grain elevator with the SCRANTON moored in front." Late June/early July 1905, Detroit Publishing Co. photo, from Maritime History of the Great Lakes, http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/ |
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| 2 "SYLVANIA at the dock of the Chicago Ship Building Company in the Calumet River after her collision with the SIR HENRY BESSEMER. Most of the repair work is being done on the shore (port) side. In the background to the left is the Merritt A grain elevator with the SCRANTON moored in front. A steam yacht is cruising down the river as the passengers take a look at the work being done." Late June/early July 1905, Detroit Publishing Co. photo, from Maritime History of the Great Lakes, http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/ |
This 1901 map shows that Chicago Shipyard not only had to dig the slips, it had to remove buildings and roads and relocate a railroad.
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| 1901 Calumet Quadrangle @ 1:62,500 |
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| Pierre Hamon shared Jeff Bransky Here’s the story behind that ship which had just been refitted in Chicago and was heading for service on the Great Lakes. http://www.boatnerd.com/.../per.../CliffsVictory/default.htm |
Actually, it was on its way to this shipyard to finish the conversion from a 455' cargo freighter to a 620' ore carrier. Significant work was done by that shipyard on this ship more than once. For example, it was made longer again in 1957 to 716' 3" and a bow thruster was added in 1964.
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| Larry Cross posted The CORNELL swings away from the Detour Dock Company on the lower St. Mary's River after taking on bunker coal between 1948 and 1956. She was built in 1900 in South Chicago by the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. and sailed for Pittsburgh Steamship Co. until 1954 when she was sold to the Neptune Steamship Co. and renamed NEPTUNE. In 1958, her original name was restored when she was sold to the Jupiter Steamship Co. Sold and scrapped in 1961 in Italy. Photo by Woodie Jarvis. James Torgeson shared The Str. Cornell of US Steel's Pittsburgh Steamship Company has just loaded bunker coal for her boilers in this postwar view. Coal docks like this once peppered the Great Lakes, but began to disappear as lakers were either built to burn oil or were converted. Today there's still one coal burner, the Carferry Badger, which sails across Lake Michigan from May to October. |
I worked at the shipyard in the late 70's. My father also work there. His name was Claude "Red" Thompson. Anyone remember Snuffy or the rigger Big John ? Lots of memories
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ReplyDeleteGary I worked there in 1979 till it closed , I recall big John the rigor ,Barney in the punch shop, Mike compasto
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