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Keith, this may be a long shot, but what about contacting someone at the Lighthouse Digest magazine? I know in the past they have posted pictures of Lightships. Here is a link to their online sight: http://www.lhdigest.com/index.cfm
Under editorial there is a drop down for write to us.
Good luck,

Thanks, Doug - I do have copies of the materials in the Dowling Collection, and Pat Labadies holdings at Alpena, and most of the other "usual suspects", as well. Unfortunately, its seems that the same half dozen or so photos of any one vessel (of any kind) are or were merely copied and traded back & forth amongst the collectors and institutions - I am hoping there is a Lightship "specialist" out there with some items they may wish to share. Detail shots are very important and those found in family snapshot-type albums are great resources for projects like mine. There were some tremendous photos of the raised wreck in September of 1915 at the Government Slip at Buffalo, and published by the Buffalo Courier. Alas, those original photos were destroyed and no copies remain at the newspapers "descendant". I am hoping someone out there may have other or similar copies? I also remember a whole series of medium sized studio photos, that sold on eBay a while back, of a smallish Light Ship moving from its Muskegon builders yard, to the lower lakes but cannot remember if they were of the No. 82 or 95. Thanks, again, for your help! Keith M Steffke

The book "Lightships Of the Great Lakes" by Larry and Patricia Wright has a couple of photo's of LV 82. They are both apparently from the Father Dowling collection. You may have these already, but in any event I like their book.

Note: I do have have some tremendous, unpublished & rare Eastern Lake Erie, Buffalo related and Lake Ontario original Light House Service related photos that I will be happy to make high quality copies of, in trade for the same of any useful items that may be out there, related to Light Vessel No. 82. Keith M Steffke

Hi, - I am looking for additional photograph resources showing the Light Vessel No.82 *Buffalo* that was the only ship to be lost, with all hands, on Lake Erie, during the Great Storm of November 9 & 10, 1913. This year is the Centennial of her loss, and I have a number of orders for custom-made models of her. I have already received copies of what is available at Bowling Green (note the photo on their website for this ship, is an error – the vessel shown is actually that of the LV No.98), GLHS and Dossin. I would, however, be interested in being pointed into the right direction of any other resources that may hold some high quality, first generation (i.e. Contact Prints) photographs of the actual ship (no models, please) that can be scanned or copied. She was built at the Muskegon, Michigan plant of the Racine-Truscott-Shell Boat Company in 1912, and I do have some of her plans. I would really like to find some construction or launch views of her, especially. Her Hull was rather unique and innovative & representative of a new and rather small class of Lightship. After she was finally raised in September of 1915 she was rebuilt over that winter at the Buffalo N.Y 10th Lighthouse district (Buffalo) depot. She went back into service and remained a Relief Vessel in the 11th District (Detroit Station) of the Great Lakes, for many years thereafter. Any help would be sincerely appreciated. I may be contacted directly at my main email Oldshipbuilder At Yahoo Dot Com. Two (2) of the models will be in ¼” = 1’ foot Builders Scale and should be as impressive as the ones I did of the Light Vessel No. 98 (photos and description are found earlier, on this discussion board) that replaced this tragic vessel. Thank you, Keith M Steffke – The Old Shipbuilder.