The D&C Lake Lines

and the FABULOUS LUXURY LINERS of the

GREAT LAKES

The Great Lakes have always been one of America’s most precious and fruitful natural assets. Whether for commerce or recreation, the Great Lakes and the straits that connect them have imparted a special character upon the communities along their banks, and well beyond, too.

Step aboard and take a look at the fascinating world of steam travel in the first half of the twentieth century, when majestic luxury liners were a regular sight on this, one of the world’s great waterways. Along the voyage, you’ll meet the genius naval architect that directed their design and construction, the businessmen that commissioned and operated them, and the passengers who enjoyed the sumptuous comforts they provided to travelers.

Look back in amazement at a glittering world of steam, speed, and luxury that has all but disappeared from our lakes and rivers today — and along the way, enjoy a greater understanding of these forgotten wonders of our maritime heritage.

Chapter 2

The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company

(excerpt)

The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company, until 1950, was inseparable from Detroit in the period from the last half of the nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth. Aside from the well-appreciated services it provided to travelers and package shippers, it employed a large cadre of Detroit citizens to fulfill its obligations to its customers, and its presence could easily be seen (and felt) about town. The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company’s distinctive logo was found throughout Detroit, appearing on its docks, ticket offices, billboards, and even in its regular newspaper advertising. Seeing the company’s marvelous ships cut through local waters or hearing their distinctive whistles from the riverbanks were associative sights and sounds common anywhere that the company sailed its imposing fleet.

Furthermore, the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company, just like Detroit’s Bob-Lo Island Park, its renowned J. L. Hudson Company department store, fine automotive marques synonymous with the city, or any of its unique points of interest, thrived vividly in the conscience and memory of local inhabitants, and the steamship line’s reputation also spread far beyond Detroit’s city lines. Peoples’ thoughts of travel in general, or specific dreams of cruising on the region’s Great Lakes, by necessity conjured up the name of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company, or perhaps its nickname, ‘The D&C Line’. With a history that spanned over one hundred years, its associated milestones, anniversaries, and lore, it surely became inseparable from Detroit during the years that it plied the local waters.

To that can be added the fact that The Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company was famous for much more than just ‘being there.’ It gained a reputation for safety, comfort, and service, while its steamships, designed by Frank E. Kirby — the most accomplished naval architect of the day — made the D&C Line stand out as not just a standard bearer or even an innovator, but the ne plus ultra line of its industry.

The D&C’s far-flung route map — in the heyday of Great Lakes steamship travel — encompassed lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan with major termini in Buffalo to the east, Mackinac Island to the north, and as far as Chicago in the west — with Detroit a glittering central hub. It is with good reason that, taken together, its strikingly beautiful steamships were known as The Grand Fleet of the Great Lakes.