Car Ferry: Manistique - (1903-1929)

Railroad: Traverse City. Leelanau & Manistique railroad (GR&I control)

Built/Acquired: 1903. American Shipbuilding Co., Cleveland, OH. Pere Marquette took control in 1906. Then to Ann Arbor railroad in 1908 and resold to Grand Trunk in 1908.

Crossing: Lake Michigan - Northport to Manistique (then other routes)

End of Service: 1929. All hands lost near Milwaukee, WI.

Disposition: Sank in Manistique harbor in 1908. Recovered and sold to Grand Trunk Western railroad; used Muskegon-Milwaukee.

Length: 338 feet. Held 30 cars.

Type:

The Manistique was financed by the Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique railroad for the purpose of shipping railroad cars between Northport (in the Leelanau Peninsula) and Manistique (in the Upper Peninsula).

Time Line

1902. The railroad recently launched a car ferry that will be run between Manistique and Northport, connecting with the Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique railroad. [MCR-1902]

1903. The car ferry was completed in June, 1903 before the Northport docks were completed. As a result, it was short-term leased to the Ann Arbor railroad which used it between Frankfort and Manistique. In October, 1903, the ferry began service at Northport, a 75-mile trip, three times per week during the summer and less often during the other seasons.

1904. Around 1904, the ferry was transferred to a Ludington to Manistique route with the Pere Marquette Steamship Company.

1906. Pere Marquette took control in 1906. 

1906. The Manistique returned to its Northport to Manistique route which lasted until January, 1908 when the ferry sank in the harbor at Manistique. The ferry was sold to the Grand Trunk Western and moved to Muskegon for service on a Muskegon-Milwaukee route.

1908. The ferry sank in the Manistique harbor. Recovered and sold to Grand Trunk Western railroad; used Muskegon-Milwaukee.

1908. Then sold to the Ann Arbor railroad in 1908 and resold to Grand Trunk the same year.

1929. All hands lost near Milwaukee, WI.

1972. Wreckage discovered near Milwaukee. [LMCF]