It is with sincere regret that we must announce the retirement of the last of the large Great Lakes passenger liners, the MILWAUKEE CLIPPER of the Wisconsin and Michigan Steamship Company.

This 349-foot steamer was built as Hull 423 of the American Shipbuilding Company at Cleveland in 1905 and entered service under the name JUNIATA as a combination overnight passenger and package freight carrier. She served, in succession, the Anchor Line and the Great Lakes Transit Corporation and during the past few years, was the last operating reminder of these two fleets. Wisconsin & Michigan purchased JUNIATA in October, 1940, and she was taken to Manitowoc for rebuilding. She emerged in 1941 as a modern day boat for the Muskegon to Milwaukee ferry route across Lake Michigan. She still carried a number of cabins for overnight passengers and was capable of carrying a large number of autos. Her quadruple expansion engines served her the entire 65 years.

But now the end has come. Operational and maintenance costs have forced the CLIPPER from her route and she is laid up for sale, at Muskegon. It is unlikely she will sail again. One by one, the grand old ladies of the lakes have come and gone, but it seemed that the CLIPPER would go on forever. Now we must bid a final farewell not only to JUNIATA and MILWAUKEE CLIPPER but to the whole era of the passenger ships that brought so much pleasure to the people of the Great Lakes region.

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