SS Milwaukee Clipper - Queen of the Great Lakes
Part-Time Explorer・2 minutes read
The historic Milwaukee Clipper, originally built in 1904 and rebuilt in 1940, has a rich history and is now a museum ship where visitors can tour its lower sections and witness ongoing preservation efforts. The ship has a significant impact on those who sailed on her and features unique elements like a dining saloon, grand staircase, and passenger amenities.
Insights
- The Milwaukee Clipper, originally built in 1904 and rebuilt in 1940, has a rich history as a passenger steamer on the Great Lakes, serving passengers with luxury amenities and unique features like the grand staircase adorned with a mural of the Great Lakes.
- Despite facing challenges like rough weather incidents and collisions, the Clipper maintained its popularity with passengers, transitioning to a summer-only ship in 1962 before retiring in 1970 and becoming a floating museum, showcasing artifacts from its Juniata and Clipper eras.
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Recent questions
What is the history of the Milwaukee Clipper?
The Milwaukee Clipper, originally built in 1904 and rebuilt in 1940, has a rich history as a passenger steamer on the Great Lakes. It was designed by Frank Kirby and launched as the Juniata, featuring a steel body and wooden upper decks for passenger comfort. Renamed in 1940, the ship continued service, setting speed records and delighting passengers on various routes. Despite facing incidents like losing its rudder and a collision in 1960, the Clipper transitioned to a summer-only ship by 1962 before retiring in 1970. It was eventually sold and transformed into a floating museum, showcasing artifacts from its career as the Juniata and the Clipper.
What are the key features of the Milwaukee Clipper?
The Milwaukee Clipper boasts various key features that reflect its historical significance. The ship's dining saloon, with a vaulted ceiling depicting scenes from the Blue Juniata song, was a highlight of its interior. The original quadruple expansion engine from 1904 remains a key feature, along with the main Lounge on the cabin deck with Warren MacArthur-designed furniture. Passenger cabins on the cabin deck offer comfortable amenities like bunks, toilets, electric fans, desks, and washbasins. The Pman Lounge on the cabin deck, inspired by rail cars, provides privacy with personal lights and air vents. The ship also features a club Lounge exclusive to passengers who upgraded their fare, offering extended lounge service in the summer months.
What amenities were available on the Milwaukee Clipper?
The Milwaukee Clipper offered a range of amenities to cater to passengers during their voyages. The ship's buffet restaurant on the cabin deck could seat 185 people and offered dishes like broiled white fish with lemon butter and spaghetti. Meals for passengers were prepared in the galley on the main deck, with 2,500 meals made daily and served cafeteria-style. The sports deck featured a children's playroom with original painted murals, a theater, and a soda Bowl that was once a casino, later transformed into a family-friendly snack area. Passengers could also enjoy the captain's table, reserved for the captain and select guests, featuring a unique setting with Micah elements.
What events led to the retirement of the Milwaukee Clipper?
The retirement of the Milwaukee Clipper was influenced by various events and factors. By 1962, the ship transitioned to a summer-only vessel, retiring from winter car duties. Rising maintenance costs, Coast Guard scrutiny, and the refusal of Milwaukee to dredge its harbor all played a role in the decision to retire the Clipper. The ship faced incidents like losing its rudder, a collision in 1960, and financial challenges with its fleet mate, the Aquarama. These factors, combined with the changing landscape of passenger travel, ultimately led to the Clipper making its final trip in 1970 and being transformed into a floating museum.
What is the current status of the Milwaukee Clipper?
The Milwaukee Clipper, once a historic passenger steamer on the Great Lakes, is now a floating museum ship. Visitors can tour the vessel, exploring its lower sections and witnessing ongoing preservation efforts. The ship showcases artifacts from its career as the Juniata and the Clipper, including models of various Great Lakes ships. The gift shop on board offers mugs and other memorabilia for visitors to take home. Despite its retirement from active service in 1970, the Milwaukee Clipper continues to attract visitors who are intrigued by its rich history and significant impact on Great Lakes travel.
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Summary
00:00
"Milwaukee Clipper: Historic Great Lakes Passenger Steamer"
- The Milwaukee Clipper, a historic passenger steamer on the Great Lakes, was originally built in 1904 and rebuilt in 1940.
- The ship has a rich history and a significant impact on those who sailed on her.
- The video explores the vessel's past, including its two distinct identities and its current status as a museum ship.
- Visitors can tour the ship, delving into its lower sections and witnessing the ongoing preservation efforts.
- The ship's origins trace back to the Pennsylvania Railroad's steamships on the Great Lakes in 1871.
- Designed by Frank Kirby, the Juniata was one of three vessels built to replace aging ships in the anchor line fleet.
- The Juniata, launched in 1904, featured a steel body and wooden upper decks, catering to passenger comfort during week-long voyages.
- The ship's dining saloon, with a vaulted ceiling depicting scenes from the Blue Juniata song, was a highlight of its interior.
- The Juniata's original quadruple expansion engine, dating back to 1904, remains a key feature of the vessel.
- Renamed the Milwaukee Clipper in 1940, the ship continued its service, setting speed records and delighting passengers on various routes.
16:30
Luxury and Entertainment on Passenger Ship
- The main Lounge on the cabin deck welcomes passengers with a mosaic floor and Warren MacArthur-designed furniture, considered more valuable than the ship itself.
- The purser's office and baggage room are located at the forward end of the lounge, serving as primary passenger affairs offices.
- The buffet restaurant on the cabin deck seats 185 people and offers dishes like broiled white fish with lemon butter and spaghetti, popular despite its class.
- Meals for passengers are prepared in the galley on the main deck, with 2,500 meals made daily and served cafeteria-style.
- The captain's table is reserved for the captain and select guests, featuring a unique setting with for Micah elements.
- The ship's grand staircase on the cabin deck is adorned with a mural of the Great Lakes and the Clipper, reflecting its green color scheme.
- Passenger cabins on the cabin deck offer comfortable amenities like bunks, toilets, electric fans, desks, and washbasins.
- The Pman Lounge on the cabin deck, inspired by rail cars, seats 112 passengers during the day and sleeps 46 at night, offering privacy with personal lights and air vents.
- The club Lounge on the cabin deck is exclusive to passengers who upgraded their fare, providing prompt service and extended lounge service in the summer months.
- The sports deck features a children's playroom with original painted murals, a theater, and a soda Bowl that was once a casino, later transformed into a family-friendly snack area.
31:53
Clipper Ship: From Summer Success to Museum
- The ship was popular with passengers during summer, often selling out, but was less busy in winter due to Coast Guard restrictions limiting capacity to 200 in the offseason.
- Passengers could bring cars aboard, but the main purpose was to transport new cars from Michigan to Milwaukee for sale.
- On November 7th, 1947, the Clipper faced rough weather, with a rogue wave causing significant damage, leading to makeshift repairs using mattresses and lounge furniture.
- Due to the lucrative car-carrying service, a surplus military ship, LST 393, was acquired to transport additional cars alongside the Clipper.
- In 1953, the Aquarama, a larger ship with modern amenities, was introduced to complement the Clipper, offering budget travel with extensive facilities.
- In 1953, a woman was rescued after jumping overboard, followed by the rescue of the owner's dog later in the season, leading to the first mate eventually becoming the ship's captain.
- Throughout the 1950s, the Clipper faced incidents like losing its rudder, changing to a green color scheme in 1957, and a seaman found dead in 1959.
- In 1960, the Clipper collided with the Milwaukee breakwater, resulting in injuries and significant damage, requiring extensive repairs.
- By 1962, the Clipper transitioned to a summer-only ship, retiring from winter car duties, while its fleet mate, the Aquarama, faced financial challenges.
- In 1970, the Clipper made its final trip, facing rising maintenance costs, Coast Guard scrutiny, and the refusal of Milwaukee to dredge its harbor, leading to its eventual sale and transformation into a floating museum.
47:27
"Vintage ship Juniata showcases unique artifacts"
- The ship features equipment from the 1940s like the helm and telegraphs, with exceptions such as The Radars added later in her career.
- A unique piece is the radio direction finder, the original from 1904 installed on the Juniata.
- Captain Robert Prer, who started as a Dean and became Captain, threw the spatoon off the ship to enforce cleanliness in the Pilot House.
- The Captain's cabin in the 1950s accommodated brand new automobiles during winter voyages.
- The museum space on the ship showcases artifacts from its career as the Juniata and the Clipper, including models of various Great Lakes ships.
- The gift shop on the ship offers mugs and other memorabilia for visitors.
- The ship is missing its Bell, and visitors are encouraged to return any items they may have from the Clipper.
- The ship's funnel is fake and houses a fan room and generator space, with a platform where a band used to play.
- The ship's actual Smoke Stack is on the AF end of the Sund deck, with a triple chime whistle added during a 1920s refit.
- The ship's power is turned on using an inverter for exterior and interior lights, with a final tour below deck before saying good night to the ship.
