| Columbia (steamer) | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Location: | Detroit, Michigan [1] |
| Built/Founded: | 1902 [1] |
| Architect: | Frank E. Kirby [2] |
| Designated as NHL: | July 6, 1992 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | November 2, 1979 [2] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 79001171 [2] |
The SS Columbia is one of two remaining turn-of-the-century excursion steamships in existence, the second being her running mate, and sister ship the Ste. Claire. Both were designed by Frank E. Kirby. The Columbia was constructed in Wyandotte, Michigan in 1902, and the Ste. Claire was constructed in Toledo, Ohio in 1910. They were originally joined by a third, the SS Britannia, built in 1906. During their heyday, the Columbia and Ste. Claire sailed down the Detroit River from downtown Detroit to Bois Blanc Island, a Canadian island that was home to an amusement park built as a destination for the steamers. During the summer, the ship's triple decks would be filled with passengers enjoying the 90-minute, 18-mile boat ride to the island. Both ships featured music and dancing, an arcade, and a snack bar. The ships became icons on the Detroit River and greatly loved by the people of Detroit. Sadly, attendance at Bois Blanc Island began to decline due to competition from nearby Cedar Point. In 1990, the company that then operated Boblo Island said the steamers were too much to handle and were becoming a burden on the company's finances. The summer of 1991 was the last for the Columbia and Ste. Claire. In 1993, Bois Blanc Island was closed and sold to real estate developers. The ships were docked outside the Great Lakes Steel Company in Ecorse, Michigan where they sat unprotected to the harsh Michigan winters. They were auctioned in 1996. By 2000, the once beautiful steamers looked like floating ghost ships with severely chipped paint, rotting wood, holes in the decks, and severe deterioration. In 2001, a husband and wife from Lorain, Ohio purchased the Ste. Claire, towed her to Toledo, Ohio for initial repairs. In 2002, she was towed to Lorain for further work. In June of 2005 she returned to the Detroit River and was docked in Windsor, Ontario for the Freedom Festival fireworks show. While only partially restored, she is maintained and looks almost as beautiful as she did during her glory days on the Detroit River. Ste. Claire was sold to Maximus Corp in December of 2005, and is currently undergoing more restoration work ans is expected return to service in 2010, for her 100th birthday. On the other hand, the Columbia still sits in Ecorse. A team led by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy had the boat "shrink-wrapped" (in heavy plastic tarps) in 2004 to reduce further deterioration while they considered purchase and restoration. However, in early 2006, their feasibility study determined that the Columbia was unlikely to attract enough revenue for normal maintenance even if the estimated US$ 5 million restoration cost was raised, and they removed themselves from consideration. A plan by the National Trust for Historic Preservation fell through earlier. Later that year, Columbia was awarded to a New York non-profit group, The S.S. Columbia Project, for restoration and use as a tour boat on the Hudson River.[3] She is still awaiting the necessary funding to begin the restoration process.
References
- ^ a b c National Park Service. National Historic Landmark Program: NHL Database. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ a b c National Park Service. National Register Information System. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ Kasuba, Jim. "Boblo boat to sail the Hudson River", The News-Herald, 2006-06-18. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
External links
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| History of the National Register of Historic Places · Property types · Historic district · Contributing property |  |
| List of entries National Park Service · National Historic Landmarks · National Battlefields · National Historic Sites · National Historical Parks · National Memorials · National Monuments |
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