MINNESOTA - SS William A. Irvin - Duluth, Minnesota


The SS William A. Irvin is indicative of the gigantic straight decker ships that ply the waters of the Great Lakes. These ships are unique because the bridge, stateroom and officers quarters are located forward on the ship. The William A. Irvin was launched in 1938 and served as the flagship of the United States Steel corporation fleet. According to the ships website, the ship was retired in 1978 because it was too small! This ship measures 610 feet from stem to stern and for comparison, the Titanic was 882 feet long. Modern raw materials haulers on the Great Lakes average over 1,000 feet long now days. The William A. Irvin is now beautifully preserved in its own custom slip on the waterfront in Duluth, Minnesota. This wonderful museum can be toured for a small fee. There is a gift shop on board and by the time you are done with the tour, you will have a great appreciation for the dangerous job it is to be a mariner on a Great Lakes "Straight Decker" because mighty Lake Superior and her subordinate Great Lakes can be very nasty places in a storm.

For more information on the William A. Irvin, call:
218-623-1236 (Off Season - winter)
218-722-7876 (In Season)

http://decc.org/william-a-irvin/



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