Ron Bloomfield Puts Bay City Shipbuilding into Historical Perspective
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Defoe Shipbuilding Company, shown here in aerial shot with ships under construction, closed in 1976, ending a 200 year era of shipbuilding in Bay City.
Don Comtois of the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society displays burned flag from the tank ship Jupiter that burned in 1990, among many marine artifacts for which the society is seeking a building to house.
"The closing of the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in 1976 was the turning point of Bay City history -- the end of an era.
So spoke Ron Bloomfield (Right), curator of collections and research at the Bay County Historical Society, in his "Gals of the Valley" slide presentation. Ships are given female designations, he explained.
The presentation highlighted not only shipbuilding but also the rich store of underwater artifacts from shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes.
Mr. Bloomfield is current president of the Michigan Underwater Preserve Council, Inc., a statewide organization that promotes the preservation of our underwater cultural resources.
Bay County is celebrating a heritage of shipbuilding stretching back more than 200 years, he noted. Two of the largest yards on the lakes were located in West Bay City, the Davidson and Wheeler yards, and the Defoe yard briefly was located on the west side in the early 1900s.
Mr. Bloomfield spoke to an appreciative Second Saturday session at the museum, many of whom were "boatnerds," those whose hobby is watching the shipping on the river and Great Lakes.
More local marine heritage will be explored next Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society will sponsor a "show and tell" meeting at the Trinity Episcopal Church, announced Don Morin, an officer of the society.
The group is seeking a building in which to store the many marine artifacts the members have collected over the years, according to Don Comtois. Anyone knowing of a suitable facility the group may consider is urged to contact Mr. Comtois at 686-1895.
A Marine Heritage Center also is being planned by local leaders including Shirley Roberts, executive director of the Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The heritage center would be located at Uptown at RiversEdge on the river.
The 400-foot long Davidson drydock located in Veterans Memorial Park and interpretive displays of sunken vessels along the river are visible evidence of local maritime heritage, he said. While the rudder of the Davidson steamer Sacramento is on display in the park, the ship itself is buried in a former slip that was part of the Davidson yard.
Mr. Bloomfield said the three most prominent figures in Bay City shipbuilding were Capt. James Davidson, Frank Wheeler and Harry J. Defoe.
He reviewed much of the shipbuilding history, from Davidson's 1870 construction of the E.M. Davidson, a 138 foot long three-masted schooner, to Wheeler's steel bulk freighters built for John D. Rockefeller's Bessemer Steamship Company and Defoe's 170 warships for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
"From 1905 to 1976 this was one of the largest yacht and military shipbuilding centers on the Great Lakes," said Mr. Bloomfield.
Several factors contributing to the success of Bay City in shipbuilding were the fact that it is located on a huge commerce network that is the Great Lakes plus had an abundance of workforce and materials in the form of timber.
Mr. Bloomfield, who has been with the local historical society since 1993, is a certified SCUBA diver who has dived on many of the wrecked ships in the Great Lakes. Trained in underwater archaeological practices, he has been involved in several shipwreck surveys.
He is engaged in ongoing research into Bay County's maritime heritage, especially the vessels that were built here and wrecked on the Great Lakes.
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