Pere Marquette 20 1903 - 1938
City of Munising 1938 - 1973

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Built by American Ship Building Co. of Cleveland, OH as hull 419 railroad car ferry. Launched on November 14, 1903 as PERE MARQUETTE 20 for the Pere Marquette Railway. Dimensions: 338' 0" loa x 56' 0" beam x 19' 6" depth; 2,626 GRT, 1,495 NRT. Powered by two 1,150 ihp triple expansion steam engines and four coal-fired Scotch boilers.

Collided and sank the scow HIRAM R. BOND while departing Milwaukee with no loss of lives on May 29, 1905. Stranded on North Point just north of Milwaukee on December 10, 1911. Released by two tugs and the PERE MARQUETTE 17, on December 14, 1911.

In 1938, converted to an auto/passenger ferry to cross the Straits of Mackinac at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc. New tonnage: 2620 GRT, 1546 NRT and renamed CITY OF MUNISING. Converted for double end-loading in 1947. New tonnage: 2585 GRT, 1684 NRT. Ferry service in the Straits of Mackinaw ended in November 1957 when the Mackinaw Bridge was completed.

Sold along with the CITY OF PETOSKEY for total price of $160,000 to K. & K. Truck Trailer Service Co., in March, 1959, for service between Muskegon and Milwaukee. The Interstate Commerce Commission rejected application for certificate of public convenience and necessity because of competition with Lake Michigan car ferries.

The ferries were then sold to Washington Island Storage Corp. in May, 1961, for use as potato storage bin along with CITY OF CHEBOYGAN. The engines and prop were removed and in the fall of 1961, the MUNISING was moved from Washington Island, WI, to Benton Harbor, MI and unofficially renamed NO. 2.

Sold for scrap and departed Benton Harbor, MI under tow of the JOHN PURVIS and BARBARA ANN on October 1, 1973. Cleared the Welland Canal on October 12, 1973, in tow of tugs G. W. ROGERS and SALVAGE MONARCH for Quebec. Cleared Quebec along with car ferry EDWARD H. ANDERSON in tow of German tug SEETRANS I and assisted by tug JERRY G., on October 18, 1973. Passed Gibraltar on November 3, 1973 for Genoa, Italy.

Loading rail cars in Ludington.
(Don Geske collection)

Departing Manitowoc Shipbuilding with the help of the tug Manshipco, 1938
(Thomas Manse collection)

Arriving in Mackinaw City with her original bow configuration, 1940's
(Martin Bliss collection)

Stern view.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Arriving in St. Ignace, 1940's
(Martin Bliss collection)

Along side the dock.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Aproaching the ferry dock.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Unloading cars at Mackinaw City, Postmarked 1944
(Alan Flood collection)

A linen postcard view of cars waiting to be loaded.
(Alan Flood collection)

A linen postcard.
(Thomas Manse collection)

Arriving Mackinaw City by the car elevator.
(Martin Bliss & Alan Flood collection)

Winding around for the dock.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Underway the Straits with a tall ship in the background, 1940's
(Martin Bliss collection)

Underway in the Straits, 1948
(Thomas Manse collection)

A stern view linen postcard.
(Thomas Manse collection)

Arriving in Mackinaw City, July 3, 1955
(Don Geske collection)

Along side the dock in Mackinaw City, July 3, 1955
(Don Geske collection)

Arriving in Mackinaw City, August 11, 1955
(John Belliveau collection)

Backing away from the dock.
(Photo by Gordon Macaulay, Ron Beaupre collection)

A friendly wave to the passengers.
(Photo by Gordon Macaulay, Ron Beaupre collection)

Backing away and closing the bow gate.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Aerial view of the ferry docks in Mackinaw City.
Note the cars waiting their turn.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Laid up for the winter in Mackinaw City, March 1956
(Martin Bliss collection)

Postcard.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Postcard.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Postcard.
(Thomas Manse collection)

Departing the dock in St. Ignace.
(Thomas Manse collection)

Arriving St. Ignace.
(Thomas Manse collection)

A closer view.
(Thomas Manse collection)

A postcard of her profile.
(John Belliveau collection)

The City of Munising in the Straits taken from the City of Cheboygan, July 16, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

Departing the dock in St. Ignace, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

Posing in front of the windlass on the bow, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

A view of the stacks while underway, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

Posing by the emergency steering wheel, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

A full load of cars, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

Looking up at the pilothouse, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

Arriving at  the Mackinaw City dock on the City of Munising, July 28, 1956
(Don Geske collection)

A deck view of the stacks while underway, 1957
(Photo by Glendon Hynes, Tom Hynes collection)

Loading for the next trip.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Aerial view of the Mackinaw City dock.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Clearing the dock.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Aerial view of the St. Ignace dock with the Vacationland & City of Munising.
In the background you can see bridge under construction.
(Martin Bliss collection)

Laid up at the St. Ignace dock, August 1960
(Don Geske collection)

Commemorative tokens for the Mackinaw Bridge. New
(Matt Miner collection)

Tied up in Port Colborne awaiting tugs to go down throught the Canal, October 1973.
(Photo by R. T. McCannell, Martin Bliss collection)