1891
1891: The lighthouse tender MARIGOLD (iron steamer, 150 foot, 454 gross tons, built in Wyandotte, Michigan) completed her sea trials on 28 February 1891. The contract price for building her was $77,000. After being fitted out, she was placed into service as the supply ship to the lighthouses in the Eleventh District, taking the place of the WARRINGTON. The MARIGOLD was sold in 1947, converted to a converted to dredge and renamed MISS MUDHEN II.
1901
1901: VENUS (steel propeller bulk freighter, 346 foot, 3,719 gross tons) was launched on 28 February 1901, by the American Ship Building Company (Hull #307) at Lorain, Ohio for the Gilchrist Transportation Company, converted to a crane-ship in 1927. She was renamed b.) STEEL PRODUCTS in 1958, and lasted until 1961, when she was scrapped at Point Abino, Ontario, the spot where she had run aground and partially sunk while being towed for scrap.
1906
1906: OUTARDE was launched February 28, 1906, as a.) ABRAHAM STEARN (Hull#513) at Superior, Wisconsin by Superior Ship Building Co.
1907
1907: JOHN H PAULY [Built-1880 US-145223 as THOMSON KINGSFORD by Riley, at Oswego, New York. Renamed: JOHN H PAULY 1886 US-145223] The JOHN H. PAULY caught fire at three o’clock at the Sickens stave dock in Marine City on August 10, 1906 and burned to the water’s edge, a total loss. She had drifted down the St. Clair River in flames, finally going ashore two miles south of Marine City. Three men were burned in the attempt to escape, but there were no fatalities. At the time of the destruction, the JOHN H. PAULY had been valued at $10,000 and insured for $4,000.(Duluth Evening Herald, August 10, 1906) Papers surrendered at Detroit, MI on February 28, 1907. Listed: \”Vessel lost.\”
1929
1929: The Grand Trunk carferry MADISON, inbound into Grand Haven in fog and ice, collided with the U.S. Army dredge General G.G. MEADE, berthed on the south bank of the river for the winter. Damage was minor.
1942
1942: The bulk carrier LEON FRASER was launched Feb. 28, 1942 at Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, MI. She was sold to Inland Lakes Transportation Inc. in 1989 and converted to a bulk cement carrier. She was renamed ALPENA on June 10, 1991.
1942
1942: RARITAN [Built-1919 US-219258 as DETROIT-WAYNE by Detroit Ship Building Co, Wyandotte, Michigan. Renamed: RARITAN-1940 US-219258] As RARITAN stranded on Seward Edge, Frying Pan Shoals, NC, February 28, 1942; became total loss.
1945
1945: SORELDOC [Built-1928 C-149460 by Swan-Hunter & Wigham Richardson, LTD, Wallsend-on-Tyne, Great Britain] As SORELDOC was Torpedoed and sank in four minutes, February 28, 1945, in North Sea, on voyage Swansea for Liverpool; fifteen lives lost.
1946
1946: HERISLE [Built 1919 US-218694 As LAKE FALAMA by Superior Ship Building Co, Superior, Wisconsin. Renamed: ANNIE MURPHY 1956 US-218694, FAIRISLE-1931 US-218694 and HERISLE-1937 Reg-U K] As HERISLE was Sunk while at anchor during gale, Gibraltar Bay, by U.S. steamer WILLIAM A. JONES, on February 28, 1946. Five lives lost. Was on voyage from Huelva for United Kingdom with cargo of phosphates and pyrites.
1965
1965: The bow section of the tanker STOLT DAGALI, broken in two due to a collision with the passenger liner SHALOM on November 26, 1964, departed New York for Gothenburg, Sweden, under tow to be rebuilt. The ship had been a Seaway trader as a) DAGALI in 1961, 1962 and 1963.
1974
1974: The rail ferry INCAN SUPERIOR (Hull#211) was launched February 28, 1974, at North Vancouver, British Columbia by Burrard Drydock Co. Ltd. She operated between Thunder Bay, Ontario and Superior, Wisconsin until 1992, when she left the Lakes for British Columbia, she was renamed b.) PRINCESS SUPERIOR in 1993.
1974: The Dutch freighter AMPENAN visited the Great Lakes in 1960 and 1961. It arrived at Busan, South Korea, for scrapping as c) OCEAN REX.
1995
1995: CHEM PEGASUS, a Seaway trader as far as Hamilton in 2012, was launched on this date as a) SPRING LEO.
Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Dave Swayze, Steve Haverty, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.
