Postcards from the Launching of a 600-foot Freighter
Although the postcard caption above reads “Launching of a 600 ft Freighter, Duluth, Minn.,” the vessel in the image appears to be the SS Edward Y. Townsend, which was built in Superior.
Below is another postcard that also looks like it depicts the launch of ol’ Eddie T.
The SS Edward Y. Townsend was launched on Aug. 18, 1906. At the time it was the longest ship on the Great Lakes at 603 feet. Below is a photo of the launch for comparison to the illustrated postcards.
Also known as the “Queen of the Lakes,” the Townsend “was primarily used to haul bulk cargoes such as iron ore, coal, grain and occasionally limestone,” according to Wikipedia. “She was in service from her launching in 1906 to her sinking in 1968. She is best known for sinking on the way to the scrapper, near RMS Titanic, off the coast of Newfoundland.”
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Helmut Flaag
about 1 year ago