Introduction | Organizational History | Scope and Content | Order of Microfilming

Introduction

The Walter Smith Miscellaneous Ship Drawing Collection contains various architectural drawings of Great Lakes ships and boats. Drawings from the Chicago Ship Building Company, Detroit Dry Dock Company, Johnson Brothers, Great Lakes Engineering Works, Manitowoc Dry Dock Company, Charles L. Seabury & Company, American Steel Barge Company, and the Toledo Ship Building Company are contained in the collection. There are also drawings from unidentified ship builders, designs of naval architect S. B. Kingsbury, various ship specification sheets, and the logbook of the steamer SAMUEL MITCHELL for the 1908 season.

The collection was loaned to the Center for Archival Collections for the purpose of microfilming by Walter Smith of Marine City, Michigan in late 1981. Mr. Smith acquired the drawings at an undetermined date from Peirce McLouth. Literary and property rights of the microfilm edition have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research. The collection was prepared by Vicki L. Congrove, Great Lakes Ships Architectural Drawing Project Assistant at the Center for Archival Collections, November 1981.

Organizational History

For a history of the various shipyards involved in this collection, one may refer to Freshwater Whales by Dr. Richard J. Wright.

Scope and Content

The drawings in this collection date from 1900 to 1920. Use of the collection is limited by its incomplete nature. Naval historians and architects, as well as model ship builders, may find the drawings and specifications of greatest value. Economic and Naval historians of the Great Lakes also may find the cost estimates which are contained in the Great Lakes Engineering Works of use.

Drawings from the Sidney McLouth Shipyard in Marine City, Michigan are of particular interest to historians because many of the plans were never realized. It also is questionable where or if copies of the McLouth plans exist in any other repository.

Drawings from the Chicago Ship Building Company, Detroit Dry Dock, and Great Lakes Engineering Works compliment, and in some cases, duplicate, those drawings microfilmed under the Great Lakes Architectural Drawings Project at the Center for Archival Collections.

The designs of S. B. Kingsbury, naval architect, and drawings from Johnson Brothers, Charles L. Seabury & Company, and the drawings of unidentified ship builders are also unique.

The list of specifications for various ships and boats may provide information to model ship builders and naval historians of the Great Lakes. Specifications listed are for proposed ships, as well as some ships that were built, and range from tugs to passenger propellers.

Materials in the collection are organized by the Shipyard.

Order of Microfilming

CHICAGO - Chicago Ship Building Company

Hull No. 35
ILLINOIS - Steel Fire Tug
Midship Section

DETROIT - Detroit Dry Dock Company

Hull No. 187
CITY OF DETROIT III - Steel Sidewheel
Passenger Gallery, Promenade and Upper Deck and Cabin Plans

FERRYSBURG, MICHIGAN - Johnson Brothers

Hull No. 32
FRANCIS B. HACKETT - Tug
Midship Section (12/12/1908)

Hull No. 35
MACKINAC - Steel Passenger Propeller
Outboard Profile (11/27/1909)

ECORSE/ASHTABULA - Great Lakes Engineering Works

Proposed Passenger Twin Screw Propeller
Outboard Profile (9/12/1903)

Plan of Ship Yard (2/2/1907)

For Superior Ship Building Company, Superior, Wisconsin

Hulls No 518 & 519
AMES WARD and H. P. BOPE
Midship Section

Hull No. 36
BURLINGTON - Package Freighter
Burgee (7/1/1907)

Proposed Freight and Passenger Steamer
Outboard Profile with Deck Plans (8/21/1908)

Barges No. 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134
Midship Section (8/6/1909)

Hull No. 82
COLONEL JAMES SCHOONMAKER - Steel Bulk Carrier
Outboard Profile with Deck Plans (1911)

Excursion Steamer for Ashley and Dustin
Deck Plans (10/22/1910)

Proposed Hopper Conveyor Steamer
Midship Section (4/5/1913)

Hull No. 132
HURON - Conveyor Steamer
Inboard Profile (5/6/1914)

Proposed Sand Steamer
Midship Section (7/22/1914)

Twin Screw Passenger Steamer 252 x 43.6 x 25.6 feet
No date, no hull number

Proposed Passenger Steamer
Midship Section - no date

Proposed 1000 Ton Fueling Lighter (no date)

Detroit River Tunnel
Specifications for Steel Tubes

Specifications for a Steel Steamship for the Shenango Steamship Company, Hull No. 17

Cost estimates for:

1. Hull No. 95 Steamer LOUIS R. DAVIDSON (9/3/1915)
2. Hull No. 126 Duplicate of Steamer WILLIAM DAVOCK (9/3/1915)
3. Hull No. 78 Duplicate of Steamer THEODORE H. WICKWIRE JR. (9/3/1915)
4. Hull No. 75 Bulk Freight Steamer WILLIAM B. DICKSON (9/25/1915)
5. Hull No. 107 Steamer NORTH AMERICAN (no date)
   Passenger Steamer for R. C. Davis, et al. (no date)
   The Indiana Transportation Company (no date)
6. Hull No. 133 Sand Steamer for C. W. Cadurle (7/25/1914)
   Passenger Steamer SOUTH AMERICAN (no date)
   Hull No. 139 (no company, no date) - Tug
7. Hull No. 127 Steamer CHARLES HEIDEN (no date)

Cost Summary for:

1. Hull No. 83 WILLIAM P. SNYDER, JR.
2. Hull Nos. 104 & 105 EDISON LIGHT and GEORGE HAWLEY

Estimated floating weights (no date)

KINGSBURY, S. B., Naval Architect - Designs

Power Cruiser for William J. Gunnell, Buffalo, New York
Outboard Profile (1/28/1908)
Lines (2/21/1908)

Power Cruiser for James Pease, Esq., Chicago - Henry Burger Builder
Outboard Profile/Cabin Plans (2/14/1908)

Ferry Launch for the Detroit Yacht Club
Outboard Profile with Deck Plan (1/1910)
Construction Plan (1/1910)
Sections (1/1910)

Special 40 ft. Shallow Draft Launch for Gile Boat & Engine Company, Ludington, Michigan
Outboard Profile with Deck Plan (8/8/1911)

Power Cruiser for Gile Boat & Engine Company
Outboard Profile/Deck Plan/Midship Section (6/1914)

Trunk Cabin Cruising Launch
Outboard Profile/Deck & Cabin Plans (no date)

Steel River Launch for Gile Boat & Engine Company 48 x 10 x 3 feet
Lines (no date)

MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN - Manitowoc Dry Dock Company

Hull No. 18, 19, or 21
550 cubic yard Dump Scow
Sections (3/26/1907)

Hull No. 28
UNITED STATES - Passenger
Midship Section (11/3/1908)

Hulls No. 32 & 33
Contract Cancelled - Barge
Inboard Profile/Deck Plan (no date)
Midship Section (no date)

Hull No. 36
ALABAMA - Steel Passenger Propeller
Outboard Profile (no date)
Lines (2/4/1910)
Midship Section (7/19/1909)
Trim Sheet (6/21/1909)

Hull No. 38
M. G. HAUSLER - Sand Boat Steamer
Midship Section (no date)

MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN - Sidney McLouth Co.

Derrick Steamer for Superior (1916)

Reconstruction plans for Hull No.
SAMUEL MITCHELL - Steel Bulk Propeller
New Forward Arrangement (Outboard) (no date)
Inboard Profile (Globe Iron Works 6/8/1890)
Inboard Profile (McLouth 8/10/1920)
Midship Sections (3) (1/2/1916-1/27/1916-12/26/1916)
Forecastle Deck and Pilot House Joiner Plans (1/15/1916 & 4/15/1916)
Spar Deck Joiner Plan (1/15/1916)
Cabin Plans (8/3/1920)

Proposed Yacht
Outboard Profile/Deck Plans (9/17/1919)
Inboard Profile/Cabin Plans (9/17/1919)
Inboard Profile/Midship Section (no date)

Proposed Tank Ship for carrying sand and water
Outboard Profile/Deck & Cabin Plans (2/8/1920)

Hull No. 2 (Cleveland Ship Building Company)
SCRANTON
Lower Pilot House & Texas (5/29/1920)
Proposed Forward Joiner Plans (3) (5/21/1920-6/10/1920-1/3/1922)

Proposed Patrol Boat
Midship Section (2) (7/12/1920, no date)

Proposed Patrol Boat for the Ohio Department of Agriculture
Outboard Profile/Deck Plan/Cabin Plan (2) (9/25/1920)
Longitudinal Section (1/3/1921)

Proposed Fishing Tug
Outboard Profile/Deck Plan (2/12/1921)

Map of Yard showing storage of Emergency Fleet Corporation Stock (2/17/1921)

150 ft. Sea-Going Wooden Tug Boat Drawing
No. H-1085-19 (Cox & Stevens Design)
Rigging Plan (no date)

Hull No. (none)
JAMES P. DONALDSON - Wood Bulk Propeller
Inboard Profile/Deck Plan (no date)
Midship Sections (2) (no date)

Unidentified Tug (no date)

MORRIS HEIGHTS, NEW YORK - Charles L. Seabury & Co.

Gasoline Motor Yacht (4/26/1918)

SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN - American Steel Barge Company

Hull No. 523
C. W. CALDWELL - Steel Sand Dredge Propeller
Lines (3/15/1911)

TOLEDO, OHIO - Toledo Ship Building Company

Hull No. 82
PURITAN - Steel Bulk Propeller (1901)
Midship Section (no date)

Hull No. 123
THOUSAND ISLANDER - Steel Passenger Propeller (1912)
Midship Section (no date)

Drawings with insufficient identification:

US Dredge Maumee, US Engineer Office, Cleveland, Ohio
Bow Elevation (4/22/1910)
Section AA (4/22/1910)

Proposed Steamer for the Ohio Fishing Commission (American Ship Building Company)
Outboard Profile/Deck Plan/Midship Section (6/22/1920)

Poposed Passenger Ship for DBI & W Ferry Company
Inboard Profile/Deck Plans (no date)
Midship Section (no date) No builder

Yacht No. 59
Outboard Profile/Deck Plan (no date)
Inboard Profile/Deck Plan (no date)
Lines (no date)
Midship Section (no date) No builder

Dredge, Drawing No. 6535-18 no date, no name, no builder

LILLIAN - Naptha Launch
Ouboard Profile/Cabin Plan (no date) No builder

STE. CLARE - 21 ft. Boat owned by F. H. Walker
Sail Plan (no date)
Alterations (no date) No builder

Specifications for:

1. Steamer WILLIAM P. SNYDER, JR.
2. The construction and equipment of two steel single screw ocean-going steamers for the New England Coal and Coke Company, Boston, Massachusetts
3. A single screw cargo steamer for cayying fish in bulk
4. The construction equipment and fitout of a steel sand and gravel steamer for use on the Great Lakes for C. W. Cadwell of Windsor, Ontario
5. A proposed sea-going tug - Design A
6. A ferry steamer for the Walkerville Ferry Company
7. A proposed sea-going tug for the Argentine Republic
8. A steel oil barge for lake service
9. A single screw steel tug for W. G. Wilmot & Company, New Orleans, Louisiana
10. A proposed sea-going tug - Design B
11. A proposed sea-going tug - Design C
12. A single screw cargo steamer for the A. H. Bull Steamship Company
13. The construction and equipment of two steel single screw ocean-going steamers for the New England Coal and Coke Company
14. A passenger steamer for R. C. Davis et al. (Steamer SOUTH AMERICAN)
15. Proposed passenger and freight steamer for the Indiana Transportation Company
16. General description and specifications of a twin screw passenger and freight steamer to be built for the Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Company to suit either of the routes Toronto to Prescott to Montreal, Montreal to Quebec, and Quebec to Saguenay
17. A twin screw passenger steamer for the Boston-Nova Scotia trade
18. Sand dredge for C. H. Little Company, Hull No. 127
19. Sternwheel steamboat JOHN EWENS for Mississippi River Commission
20. The construction of a steel sand sucker steamer for H. K. Oakes and others of Cleveland, Ohio
21. Fitout list quantities for each tug, Hulls 5-13
22. A single screw wooden sea-going tug boat for the US Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation (1918)

Logbook

Steamer SAMUEL MITCHELL, 1908 season

HCGL Manuscript Checklist | Miscellaneous Collections