Step aboard the grand steamers that once ruled the Great Lakes. In this episode, we trace the story of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company — from its 19th-century founding to its peak as a fleet of luxurious passenger ships and, finally, to its quiet demise in the postwar era.

You’ll hear about moonlit voyages, the majestic City of Detroit III, legendary designer Frank E. Kirby, wartime conversions, and the final season marked by tragedy. A compelling look at the transportation network that connected Michigan and the Midwest — and what it meant to the generations who sailed those inland seas.

Read the full story at Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company: Remarkable Tales from Michigan’s Golden Age of Steam.

A production of Thumbwind Publications