City of Detroit III
Encyclopedia
The City of Detroit III, often referred to as just the D-III, was a sidewheeler
steamboat
on the Detroit River
and Lake Erie
. It was one of the largest sidewheelers on the Great Lakes
.
and was designed by Frank E. Kirby
. The architecture and decor were designed by painter and architect Louis O. Keil, who collaborated with Kirby on many projects. It was owned by the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
(D&C) and was launched on October 7, 1911. When it was launched the City of Detroit III was the largest sidewheeler on the Great Lakes
, until the next year when a competing steamship company, the Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company (C&B), launched the 485 feet (147.8 m) Seeandbee. The City of Detroit III traveled regularly between Detroit, Michigan
, Cleveland, Ohio
and Buffalo, New York
.
, allowing room for many amenities like salons, a palm court
and a winery to be built into the ship. One of the rooms was an opulent smoking room
called the "Gothic Room", named for its Gothic architecture
design. It was built from English oak and included several stained glass
windows.
in 1956 and was dismantled. The City of Detroit IIIs "Gothic Room" was disassembled and stored in a barn for 10 years before it was reassembled at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum
on Belle Isle
in Detroit.
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
on the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
and Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. It was one of the largest sidewheelers on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
History
The City of Detroit III was built by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company in Wyandotte, MichiganWyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...
and was designed by Frank E. Kirby
Frank E. Kirby
Frank E. Kirby was a naval architect in the Detroit area in the early 20th century. Kirby was best known for his five huge Lake Erie night boats....
. The architecture and decor were designed by painter and architect Louis O. Keil, who collaborated with Kirby on many projects. It was owned by the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company, often abbrievated as D&C, was a shipping company on the Great Lakes.- Operations :The main route was between Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio. Routes also lead to Buffalo, New York with the purchase of the Detroit and Buffalo Steamship Company in...
(D&C) and was launched on October 7, 1911. When it was launched the City of Detroit III was the largest sidewheeler on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, until the next year when a competing steamship company, the Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company (C&B), launched the 485 feet (147.8 m) Seeandbee. The City of Detroit III traveled regularly between Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
The "Gothic Room"
The City of Detroit III cost $1,500,000 to build ($ in dollars) and was ornately furnished. Forty percent of the ship's width was situated over the wheelsPaddle wheel
A paddle wheel is a waterwheel in which a number of scoops are set around the periphery of the wheel. It has several usages.* Very low lift water pumping, such as flooding paddy fields at no more than about height above the water source....
, allowing room for many amenities like salons, a palm court
Palm court
A large atrium with palm trees, usually in a prestigious hotel, where functions are staged, notably tea dances. Examples include the Langham Hotel , Alexandra Palace , the Carlton Hotel , and the Ritz Hotel , all in London, and the Alexandria Hotel in Los Angeles, California.The concept of the...
and a winery to be built into the ship. One of the rooms was an opulent smoking room
Smoking room
A Smoking room is a room which is specifically provided and furnished for smoking, generally in buildings where smoking is otherwise prohibited....
called the "Gothic Room", named for its Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
design. It was built from English oak and included several stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows.
End of service
The City of Detroit III was taken out service in 1950 when the D&C went out of business. It was sold for scrapScrap Metal
Scrap Metal were a band from Broome, Western Australia who played rock music with elements of country and reggae. The members had Aboriginal, Irish, Filipino, French, Chinese, Scottish, Indonesian and Japanese heritage. The band toured nationally as part of the Bran Nue Dae musical and with...
in 1956 and was dismantled. The City of Detroit IIIs "Gothic Room" was disassembled and stored in a barn for 10 years before it was reassembled at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum
Dossin Great Lakes Museum
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is an historical maritime museum in Detroit, Michigan. Located on The Strand on Belle Isle Park along the Detroit River, this museum places special interest on Detroit's role on national and regional maritime history...
on Belle Isle
Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
in Detroit.