As mentioned at the end of my last post, on my trip downtown last Thursday, I decided to visit a Cleveland attraction which I had not seen before... the lake freighter "William G. Mather".
This ship was launched in 1925 and continued in service until 1980. It carried iron ore, coal and stone to ports throughout the Great Lakes. It was the flagship of the Cleveland Cliffs Company and was named in honor of the company's founder and president, William Gwinn Mather. It is over 600 feet long, and for a time it was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes. However, by today's standards it is relatively small.
In 1987 the idle ship was donated to the Great Lakes Historical Society for restoration and preservation. In 1990 it was moved to Cleveland's North Coast Harbor. It was acquired by the Great Lakes Science Center and is today a museum.
A typical cabin for the members of the crew
The captain, of course, had much more spacious and comfortable quarters.
There were also a number of staterooms for guests traveling on the freighter.
Guests would include company executives, politicians, corporate clients, honored employees, and William G. Mather himself.
The guests' lounge
The guests' dining room
The galley, where meals were prepared
The Pilot House from where the ship was steered and navigated
The Windlass Room from where the anchors were raised and lowered
The enormous Engine Room deep in the heart of the ship
Here a steam turbine provided the freighter's propulsion as well as heat, electricity and water.
The Main Deck of the ship
The eighteen hatches gave access to the cargo holds, each more than thirty feet deep.
A view of the Cleveland skyline from the deck
It's amazing how you can live your entire life in a city and not visit many of the attractions it has to offer. I thoroughly enjoyed touring the "William G. Mather". Before I move to Mexico, I really should see some more of the sights which my hometown has to offer.
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