MANISTEE — Manistee is home to the S.S. City of Milwaukee, the last remaining traditional Great Lakes railroad car ferry built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co.
The steel-hulled National Historic Landmark was constructed in 1930 to replace the S.S. Milwaukee, which sank in October 1929 during a gale, killing its crew.
The S.S. City of Milwaukee operated around the clock from 1931 until 1978, carrying up to 32 railroad cars between Muskegon and Milwaukee.
During those decades, the ship served as a critical extension of Michigan’s rail system, supporting industry and manufacturing.
After it was retired, the S.S. City of Milwaukee was purchased by the Michigan Department of Transportation, docked in Elberta and moved to Manistee in 2000, where it has been permanently docked at 99 Arthur St…