West Bay City Shipbuilding Company Explained

The West Bay City Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1876 at West Bay City, Michigan (now part of Bay City) by Frank W. Wheeler who was a ship captain on the Great Lakes, a shipbuilder and a politician. The yard started life as Wheeler & Crane. In 1880 it was renamed to F. W. Wheeler Company, and in 1889 it was renamed again to Frank W. Wheeler & Company. It was based on the Saginaw River close to Third Street. In 1899 Captain Frank W. Wheeler sold his yard to the American Ship Building Company who renamed the yard West Bay City Shipbuilding Company. The yard closed in 1908 after they built the steamer W.R. Woodford.[1]

Ships built

ShipIn serviceOut of serviceLengthVessel typeFateImage
Mary Martini1877December 23, 188584.5feetCargo shipStranded east of Grand Marais, Minnesota on Brule Point. There were no deaths December 30, 1885.[2]
Luther Westover 18771903107feetTugboatDismantled in 1903.[3]
Hanna B1879190295.5feetBargeSank near Christian Island, Georgian Bay
Charles W. Liken1880August 13, 190563feetTugboatBurned to a total loss in Bay City, Michigan.[4]
Lycoming1880October 22, 1910251feetCargo shipBurned to the waterline off Rondeau, Ontario, Lake Erie October 22, 1910.[5]
Conemaugh1880November 21, 1906251feetCargo shipStranded on Point Pelee on Lake Erie. There were no deaths November 21, 1906.[6]
Maud S1881May 1, 189054.42feetTugboatEndorsed to inland waters.[7]
Saginaw Valley18811926161feetLake freighterSunk in Port Dalhousie, Ontario for a rifle range and later broken up.[8]
Fred McBrier1881October 3, 1890161feetLake freighterSank in a collision with the steamer Progress in the Straits of Mackinac October 3, 1890.[9]
Galatea1882October 20, 1905180feetSchooner Stranded in Grand Marais, Michigan with the schooner Nirvana. There were no deaths October 20, 1905.[10]
Osceola1882December 7, 1906183.42feetLake freighter Stranded on Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior December 7, 1906.
Sarah Smith1883August 18, 190875feetTugboatCaught fire off Minnesota Point and burned to a total loss August 18, 1908.
1902June 18, 1905434feetLake freighterSank on Lake Huron following a collision with June 18, 1905.[11]
Bransford19021974434feetLake freighter Converted to a crane ship in 1943. Scrapped in Bilbao, Spain in 1974.
1906November 29, 1966603feetLake freighter Broke up and sunk during a storm. 28 of 29 crew died November 29, 1966.
1906June 1970534feetLake freighter Scuttled as a temporary breakwater at Nanticoke, Ontario in 1970, then sold to German shipbreakers in 1974.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Frank W. Wheeler & Co. . Shipbuilding Company . 27 February 2018.
  2. Web site: Martini, Mary . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  3. Web site: Westover, Luther . 27 February 2018.
  4. Web site: Liken, Charles W. . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  5. Web site: Lycoming . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  6. Web site: Conemaugh . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  7. Web site: Maud S . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  8. Web site: Saginaw Valley . Bowling Green State University . 27 February 2018.
  9. Web site: McBrier, Fred . Bowling Green State University . 28 February 2018.
  10. Web site: Galatea . Bowling Green State University . 28 February 2018.
  11. Web site: Etruria. Bowling Green State University. November 24, 2019.

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