Detroit Edison Docks at Lorain – April 1972

Back in the 60s and 70s, the Journal used to regularly feature wonderful photos of the Great Lakes freighters that used to dock at Lorain, especially the first ones to arrive in the spring. It was part of what made life in Lorain interesting and unique.

Above is one of those photos, with this one by Journal Photographer Jim Fiedler. The caption reads, "The Detroit Edison tied up to the coal dock in the port of Lorain Tuesday to become the third ship of the spring season to enter the port. Two others steamed in last weekend. The ship was loaded with 20,327 tons of coal and left at about midnight Tuesday. It is returning to Detroit."

As always, it's fun to learn about the ship in these photos. 

Two websites, greatlakesvesselhistory.com and great lakes.bgsu.edu provide a nice capsule history of the Detroit Edison. The Great Lakes bulk freighter was built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in 1954 and was launched on September 9, 1954. Its maiden voyage was on April 15, 1955. Its owner was American Steamship Company.

The Detroit Edison was 589.58 feet in length, originally with coal-fired boilers. It was lengthened in 1966 at Superior, Wisconsin by Fraser Shipyards. 

On May, 1, 1970 it was grounded in Amherstburg Channel, Detroit River and sustained slight bottom damage. It ran aground at Fairport, Ohio on September 4, 1970, "when bow thrusters proved useless against strong winds." It ran aground again, on Grays Reef in Lake Michigan, on December 22, 1980.

Finally, in late 1986 it sold for scrap to Corostel Trading, was towed to Brownsville, Texas for breaking up.

According to a more detailed history found here on greatlakesships.wordpress.com, "the Detroit Edison had her boilers automated and converted to oil-firing in 1971 by the American Shipbuilding Company at their Lorain, Ohio, yard."

Detroit Edison, 1973
(Photo by Roger LeLievre and courtesy of greatlakesships.wordpress.com)