Historical: October 6

October 6, 1972: Tugs LAURENCE C. TURNER and MARYLAND arrive in Erie with the bow of the new barge under construction at Litton Industries, which had been built at Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City, Michigan. The bow was 68 feet long and 105 feet wide and would become the PRESQUE ISLE.

Historical Arrivals: October 6

Arrivals in Erie on October 6 of years past:

1949- COL. JAMES PICKANDS, with ore from Superior, arrives at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Ore Dock (now the site of O-N Mineral's Erie Operation) with ore from Superior. Later in the day the PICKANDS cleared in ballast for Duluth.

1960- PRINS WILLEM GEORGE FREDERIK, a Norwegian flagged vessel, arrives in Erie, docking at the Duquense Marine Terminal to load packaged oil for Europe. Duquesne Marine Terminal is now the site of Erie Shipbuilding.

1972- Great Lakes Towing's LAURENCE C. TURNER and MARYLAND, towing the bow for the barge PRESQUE ISLE, arrive in Erie from Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City, Michigan and dock at Litton Industries.

1990- STELLA DESGAGNES arrives at the Codan Corporation with pig iron.

2006- AGAWA CANYON arrives at the Mountfort Terminal with stone from Meldrum Bay and Bruce Mines.

PRESQUE ISLE Due in for Repairs

1000-footer PRESQUE ISLE, the tug/barge unit whose barge was built mostly by Litton Industries in Erie in 1973, is due in Erie at 0800 Friday for engine repairs. I'm not sure at this time whether she's headed for the Mountfort Terminal or Erie Shipbuilding.

Today in Erie History- Forty Years Ago

March 29, 1967- Litton Industries, based in Beverly Hills, California, announces that Erie has beat out Lorain, Ohio for its proposed ultramodern Great Lakes shipyard capable of building 1000 foot long vessels. This yard will ultimately turn out the STEWART J. CORT and PRESQUE ISLE. Although Litton's Erie Marine yard only lasts until the mid 1970s, after which the yard will lay dormant for the next decade, their yard withstands many changes on Erie's bayfront over the coming years and remains a shipyard despite many proposals to turn it into a marine museum and home for the Brig NIAGARA. The Port Authority property, beginning in the late 1980s, is home to the Jonathan Corporation, Erie Marine Enterprises, and Metro Machine. Currently the yard hosts Erie Shipbuilding, the first post-Litton tenant to actually bring shipbuilding back to Erie.

Click here to read the Erie Daily Times article from March 29, 1967, about Litton's announcement. (PDF- 3.5 MB).