News: Site Work Begins for New Dock

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MANISTEE, Michigan - April 14, 2004:

Construction work has begun on the largest maritime heritage development of its kind in northern Michigan. The National Historic Landmark vessel S.S. City of Milwaukee will soon be a part of a new development at the Moonlight Motel and Marina on the north U.S. 31 corridor in Manistee. The Luedtke Marine Engineering Company has initiated seawall and dredging work, which is to be completed by May 1. The ship is tentatively scheduled to move to the new location by mid-May and be open to the public for tours on Memorial Day weekend. The 350-foot historic passenger/railroad car ferry will offer 35 overnight rooms, museum and boxcar exhibits, and rental facilities. On shore there is a 25-unit motel, 56-slip marina, RV campground, beach and picnic grounds. Plans are being developed for adding historic railroad cars and a loading apron that connects the ship’s railroad tracks to land. It is expected that work will be finalized within the next two years. Purchase of the site and a portion of development costs are being funded with a $1.3 million U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan.

The development will be a boon to the region’s tourism economy. Preservationists are applauding the work as a demonstration of historic preservation can providing both cultural and economic benefits. The S.S. City of Milwaukee, entering service in 1931, is the last remaining traditional Great Lakes railroad car ferry, a unique type of vessel that plied the lakes for over a century. Heritage tourism is now a highly ranked global market. The National Historic Landmark ship is anticipated to draw 30,000 visitors the first year and upwards of 90,000 when fully developed.

The development plan has won approval from all regulatory agencies, which included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources and local fire, building, planning and soil erosion control authorities. Senator Carl Levin’s office monitored the final approval process ensuring prompt action by federal regulators. Mike Brougham, executive director with the National Historic Landmark Corporation, indicated the, “The final permit agreements work well to ensure that a safe and environmentally sound plan is implemented.” Under a final plan, the ship and loading apron will be excavated 65 feet shoreward. A new fish-spawning habitat will be created elsewhere on the property. A parking pad for fire department trucks will be constructed to provide increased safety to the ship and its visitors.

Luedtke Engineering’s Derrick Boat #12 is performing much of the site work. The 1938 steam derrick boat, originally hand fired with coal, is a contemporary of the S.S. City of Milwaukee. “Having the old steam derrick here suits us just fine.”, remarked Jed Jaworski, curator with the project. “It’s value added, a piece of living history just like the City of Milwaukee.” Many spectators are anticipated to watch the derrick boat in operation with its myriad of chug-a-lug sounds and billows of steam. The derrick boat will be utilized to install sea wall, dredge and drive piling for the ship’s new dock site and fifty-foot marina slips.

The S.S. City of Milwaukee – National Historic Landmark is a non-profit membership corporation. Volunteers are being sought to assist with the many aspects of the project, including tours and repainting of the ship in its historic colors. To learn more about the project, membership, and volunteering visit http://www.carferry.com or telephone the office at (231) 723-3587.

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