SS William E. Corey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 43°33′N 79°35′W / 43.550°N 79.583°W / 43.550; -79.583

William E. Corey.jpg
The steamer William E. Corey after her launch
History
Name
  • William E. Corey (1905–1963) United States
  • Ridgetown (1963–1970) Canada
NamesakeWilliam Ellis Corey
Operator
Port of registry United States, Fairport, Michigan
BuilderChicago Shipbuilding Company
Yard number67
Launched24 March 1905
Completed1905
In service1905
IdentificationU.S. Registry #202296
FateSunk as a breakwater outside Mississauga, Ontario
StatusBreakwater
General characteristics
Class and typeBulk freighter
Tonnage
  • 6,363 GRT
  • 5,045 NRT
Length569 ft (173 m)
Beam56 ft (17 m)
Height31 ft (9.4 m)
Installed power2× Scotch marine boilers
Propulsion1,800 horsepower (1,300 kW) triple expansion steam engine attached to a single fixed pitch propeller
Speed10 knots
Crew29

SS William E. Corey was a steel-hulled propeller-driven Great Lakes freighter that had a lengthy career on the Great Lakes. She served from her launching in 1905 to her conversion to a breakwater in 1970.

History[]

William E. Corey was a product of the Chicago Shipbuilding Company of Chicago, Illinois. William E. Corey was launched on March 24, 1905, as hull number #67. The laker was one of four almost identical vessels; and William E. Corey were both launched in Chicago, launched in West Bay City, Michigan and launched in Superior, Wisconsin. All four vessels were the largest on the lakes at the time of their launch, hence the unofficial title "Queen of the Lakes".

Mataafa Storm[]

The launch of William E. Corey

Shortly after her launch the brand new William E. Corey encountered one of the worst storms in Great Lakes history, the Mataafa Storm of 1905. On November 28, William E. Corey was driven hard aground onto Gull Island Reef in the Apostle Islands. During a very short period of time the temperatures dropped to −12 °F (−24 °C) and the winds reached hurricane force. After the storm William E. Corey was removed and repaired.[1]

SS Ridgetown[]

Ridgetown acts as the breakwater for the harbor.

Over the next fifty three years William E. Corey changed hands many times until in 1963 she was sold to the Upper Lakes Shipping Company and renamed Ridgetown.[2] The ship served for seven more years until in 1970 when she was scuttled as a temporary breakwater at Nanticoke, Ontario in the summer. Later refloated at an unknown date. In the summer of 1974 she was scuttled as a breakwater at Mississauga, Ontario.[3][4]

References[]

  1. ^ "Corey, William E." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ "RIDGETOWN". mshd.org.
  3. ^ "Ridgetown (+1970)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  4. ^ AuroraRon (September 3, 2016). "RIDGETOWN SHIP - PORT CREDIT". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""