Boatnerd Discussion Forum

What was originally along the waterfront at St. Clair where the Voyageur Restuarant parking lot is today? I ask because I remember going fishing there with my father one time back in 1979 and it seemed like all we did was find one snag after another nearly every time we cast out our lines. It was almost like there was some type of old wreckage or rock formations there.

There was the Langell’s yard in St. Clair, MI at the mouth of the Pine River near Palmer Park. I don’t believe it was a GLEW yard. The original GLEW yard can be found in Google Maps at the foot of Rivard St. in Detroit. GLEW was formed by Detroit industrialists in 1902 to purchase the Riverside Iron Works (formerly Samuel F. Hodge) to enter the shipbuilding business. The GLEW start-up was flush in cash ($1.5 million) from investors. Realizing that the acquired Riverside Iron Works had no expansion room for construction ways or service docks, it was announced in 1903 that GLEW had acquired an 85 acre parcel of land in the downriver community of Ecorse, MI. GLEW renamed the Riverside Iron Works facility to the Engine Works and operated the riverfront yard to @ 1912 building high quality steam engines for marine and refrigeration.

That yard was on the main river, south of St Clair, and closed in 1910. Seem to recall discussion there may be one small building from the St Clair GLEW facility that still stands as a house or outbuilding near Tashmoo Street and St. Clair Shores Blvd in St Clair, which was basically where the yard was located. If you can find a copy of the GLEW book edited by Skip Meier and Wayne Garrett and published by the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, the history is laid out in the book. Outstanding reference and an amazing research legacy from Skip and Wayne, great men and mentors, sadly now over the bar.

MHSD has at least sections of it online. http://www.mhsd.org/glew/1shipyard.pdf

Paul A wrote:From what I remember of Detroit River cruises: https://goo.gl/maps/w8UznTJPNESP16NA8

You are referring to the Ecorse, Michigan, location the poster was asking about the St. Clair Michigan location. I believe the St. Clair location closed in the early 1900s some time around the 1910-1920 time period if I'm not mistaken.

From what I remember of Detroit River cruises: https://goo.gl/maps/w8UznTJPNESP16NA8

No. Old Sanborn fire maps show that it was out of town, 1.5 miles south of the post office. That appears to be north of Bree Road, where St. Clair Shores Blvd currently is.

Fire map link:https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4114sm.g0 ... 8,1.315,0#

Nautical chart link: https://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/image ... 03_1914_LS

Is Palmer Park the site of the old Great Lakes Engineering Works facility in St. Clair? If not could anyone tell me where the site was located? Thanks in advance.