(
Satellite, it used to occupy the north and east parts of Turning Basin #1)
I recognize Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company as the one that built the foundations for some of the bridges in Chicago. I assume the satellite location was their original location. Their web site claims they now have five locations in the USA, but I can't find where they are. I did find that their headquarters is now in Oakbrook, IL. But it is safe to assume that they don't park any of their over 200 "specialized vessels" there. And they obviously no longer use the location shown below that was between 92nd and 94th on the east side of the Calumet River.
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Rod Sellers posted
U-505 submarine being readied for transport via Calumet River and Lake Michigan to Museum of Science and Industry. The submarine is at the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock facility at 92nd and the Calumet River and is in a floating dry dock. 92nd Street Bridge is visible in background. Photograph was one of several donated to the SECHS by Jim Rossi. Additional preparation work was also done at the Shipyards at 101st and the Calumet River as shown in the attached photograph.
William Bork It was installed at the Museum and dedicated in Sept. 1954.
Wayne Garritano By 92nd Street . Just made it through the St.Lawrence Seaway on its way to Lake Michigan and around 58th Street to the Museum Of Science and Industry.
Dennis DeBruler If it was installed at the museum in 1954, then the U-505 had to come up the Illinois Waterway from the Gulf of Mexico because the St. Lawrence Seaway did not open until 1959. During WWII submarines were shipped down the Illinois Waterway using floating dry docks so transporting submarines on the waterway had precedent.
https://www.patcamallierebooks.com/.../submarines-on-the.../ |
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This photo is the attached photo referred to by Rod's comment above. |
Mark Sprang
posted six photos with the comment:
I'm currently working on processing the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company Collection and came across this set of images of U-505. This U-boat was captured by the U.S. Navy in June 1944 (the first enemy vessel captured on the high seas since the Civil War). After thorough testing and analysis, the Navy donated it to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago in 1954. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock had the responsibility of setting up the outdoor docking space where U-505 was on display until being placed in a climate-controlled facility in 2004.
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They learned a lot about dredging while helping to build the landfills along Chicago's shore such as Grant Park, Lincoln Park, Northerly Island. etc. Now they specialize in dredging and do projects around the world as well as the nation.
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[I had expected them to do the substructure (foundation) work. But I'm surprised they also did the superstructure (steel) work.] |
This one caught my eye because
Bay Shipbuilding is on the Great Lakes.
It can use the St. Lawrence Seaway to get to the oceans because it would be running light between jobs so its draft would be shallow.
St. Lawrence Seaway dimensions: 740' x 78' x 26.5' with a limit above the water of 116.5'. [Seaway Facts]
The
Liberty Island is their second largest dredge. The
Ellis Island would be too wide to go through the seaway. I didn't realize that seaway ships are so long and skinny until I saw the dimentions of this dredge.
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MWRD posted Two photos combined to show a panoramic view of Wilmette Harbor on Lake Michigan on September 12, 1920, taken while the MWRD was dredging the harbor and building a breakwater. [I don't know if GLDD is doing this work, but historical photos that I saw on the GLDD web site were similar to this.] |
You can see their name on one of the barges helping to build the
Chicago River Controlling Works.