File:Launch Of Louis R. Davidson (53402056363).jpg

John J. Lee photo card

April 6, 1912

Launch of Louis R. Davidson, first steel freighter built at Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ashtabula, Ohio

LS&MS/New York Central Bascule Bridge is seen in the background.

"Construction of the first vessel closely followed that of the shipyard itself. The hull of the Louis R. Davidson was laid Oct. 30, 1911. Just seven months later, after the Davidson made its big splash in the Ashtabula River, a newspaper article declared that “a mighty proud and graceful craft she is. Nothing has been spared to make her complete, and both her owners, builders, officers and crew appear to be eminently satisfied.”

The ship was christened by Lola Remick, with Zelma Whitney and Virginia Cheney serving as her maids of honor. Capt. E. O. Whitney, who was superintendent of the Ashtabula and Buffalo docks, and three others were aboard the vessel when she launched.

The Davidson was built for the American Steamship Co. of Buffalo. A triple expansion steam engine and two coal-fired Scotch marine boilers powered the ship, which was designed to carry bulk materials.

As was often the case with Great Lakes ships, the vessel was renamed by subsequent owners; it became the Diamond Alkali in 1932 and Dow Chemical in 1939. It was fitted with self-unloading equipment in 1932.

The first ship out of the Ashtabula yard had a long, and fairly uneventful, career on the lakes. But as was the case with many of the smaller, inefficient lake freighters in the 1970s, it was sold for scrap in 1979."