Margaret R. Goffe
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Margaret R. Goffe Built – 1862 135 ft. x 25 ft. x 10 ft. This is the first vessel that shipbuilder Simon Langell worked on in St. Clair. The Margaret R. Goffe entered service for E. Smith of St. Clair. She had a grain capacity of 18,000 bushels. In May of 1885, she was loaded with cedar ties headed south on the St. Clair River with Cleveland, Ohio as her destination. During the night, the Goffe collided with the schooner Iron Cliff just below Stag Island causing severe bow damage.
Images
Photo of Simon Langell who worked on the Margaret R. Goffe when he first came to St. Clair.
Photo of the brass plaque for the Margaret R. Goffe showing the date built and length.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
As you walked south from the “Starting Point” plaque to this location on the St. Clair River Boardwalk, the brass plaque marked Margaret R. Goffe on the boardwalk represents the bow of the Great Lakes freighter Margaret R. Goffe. The brass plaque at the Starting Point represents the stern or back of every ship included in this walking tour. By looking back to the starting point, you are able to get an estimate of the size or 131 ft. length of the Margaret R. Goffe..
Sources
St. Clair, by Charles Homberg, St. Clair Historical Commission, 2007; St. Clair Historical Museum and Research Center archives; Great Lakes Ships data base, Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Alpena, Michigan; Great Lakes Freighters by Rand Shackleton, Thunder Bay Press, 2003.