Greater Buffalo

"Sunday
July 3, '38"

This is easily the most interesting ship in the Borucki picture collection--and all he has to tell is the date he took the photo? Oh, well. I can fill in the details that Rick's dad likely thought were obvious.

Greater Buffalo, shown here passing under the Ambassador Bridge, was launched at Lorain on October 27, 1923, for the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company, and made her first trip on May 13, 1925. She could carry 300 crew members and 1,200 passengers between Buffalo and Detroit on an overnight basis. Her sister ship Greater Detroit alternated on the run with her. These two Frank Kirby-designed ships were the last, largest, and (perhaps) fastest sidewheel passenger ships built on the lakes; when they were launched their construction costs were reported as $3.5 million apiece.

Greater Buffalo was requisitioned by the Navy in 1942, converted to an aircraft carrier and renamed USS Sable; she and USS Wolverine (the former Seeandbee--another Kirby design, and the other "fastest" claimant) worked as training ships out of Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago. She was retired after the war and broken up in 1948.

Borucki's Lakers

Don Barrett (aka DBs travels) has particularly liked this photo

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Great Lakes Great Lakes

Lakers Lakers

Borucki's Lakers Borucki's Lakers

Bridges Bridges

Not by Me Not by Me

Creeks and Rivers Creeks and Rivers

Monochrome Monochrome

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Greater Buffalo

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