With a ready supply of lumber and a thriving port, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor offered a natural setting for shipbuilding. As early as the 1830s, sailing and steam-powered vessels were built here for lake and river navigation.
Shipbuilders were specialized woodworkers who used limited machinery to produce highly crafted vessels. One prominent local shipwright, James H. Randall, directed the construction of the steamships Lora (1882), City of St. Joseph (1883), and Puritan (1887) for the Graham and Morton Transportation Company.
Ships were built here until the turn of the 20th century. As the shipping industry demanded larger vessels, area yards turned their attention to building smaller boats for work and recreation.
(Upper Photo Caption)
Late 19th century view of the E.W. Heath Shipyard, Benton Harbor, where freighters and harbor tugs were built.
Photo: The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center
(Middle Photo Caption)
The PURITAN enters St. Joseph Harbor in the late 19th century.
Photo: The Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University
(Lower Photo Caption)
The steam freighter PURITAN, shown just after its launch in the Benton Harbor Ship Canal, 1887.
Photo: Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University
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