Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I'm going to take a wild guess that Hecla's cement plant went under around the time Huron Portland got the plant in Alpena running, the dates seem to correspond. Alpena was closer to Rockport, Calcite, and H&P's own quarry. I know North American Chemical had a coal mine in Monitor Township but it wasn't open all that long. It's interesting to know how redeveloped the area is, much like where Peerless was in Port Huron.

Based on a quick review of old nautical charts of the Saginaw River and a local historical site (see links below), here is a rough historical outline of that dock area:

Hecla Cement and Coal Company formed in 1901 and purchases 1 mile of riverfront property on the west side of the river, near the mouth.

Cement plant built adjacent to slip in 1902. Produces cement from marl mined near West Branch and shale from local Bay City area coal mines.

Company reorganized as Hecla Cement Co. in December 1905. Now uses imported limestone and local shale for manufacturing cement.

1908 chart shows Hecla Cement Co. cement plant and slip.

Cement plant closes by July 1912.

1918 chart shows buildings as Bay City Homes (Bay City had several industries that sold prefabricated house kits or "catalog homes" at that time. I suspect this was one.)

Charts from 1927 through 1998 show the property as Standard Oil and later Amoco Oil. At some point a large tank farm is built on the property.

The 2003 chart is the first not to show Amoco.


Historical charts: [url]http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/search[/url]


Here is a link to historical information on Hecla Cement and Coal Company. [b]Note: the website asks to download three unsigned Java applications, which might be considered a security risk. You can cancel these requests and still see the historical information. [/b] [url]http://www.bay-journal.com/bay/1he/writings/bus-hecla-cement-coal.html[/url]

I don't believe so Brian, but I am not 100% sure. The Defoe Shipyard is just below the Liberty Bridge on the East Side. The Davidson Shipyard was across the river from the old Bay Agg site, downtown, and I believe Wheeler's was located where the Wheeler's Landing marina is now located, across the river from Defoe, on the West side.

I remember as a kid, an old Amoco tanker sitting in the slip where Bay Aggregates is now located, surrounded by a tank farm.

The Bay Aggregates dock north of Bay City on the west side of the Saginaw River did that dock use to be part of the F.W. Wheeler/West Bay City shipbuilding complex? From the air it kind of looks like the former Dafoe site with a man made dock/channel running at an angle from the river.

Brian