DETROIT (WXYZ) — One of Detroit's most beloved pieces of history is welcoming visitors again. The S.S. Ste. Claire, one of the original vessels used to carry families to and from Boblo Island, has opened its lower deck as a floating museum at Riverside Marina, 150 St Jean, Detroit.
Built in 1910, the steamship survived a fire in 2018 and now offers timed tours featuring artifacts dating back to the early 1900s. The boat does not leave the dock, but visitors can walk the deck and explore a collection of souvenirs, pamphlets, and other historical items from the Boblo Island era.
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The amusement park the boat once served closed in 1993.
Stephen Faraj, who was put in charge of restoring the vessel after his brother-in-law purchased it, said the project is deeply personal.
"Oh, 100%. Absolutely it's personal. It was personal when my brother-in-law bought it. It's personal now," Faraj said.
The 2018 fire destroyed the top three decks. Faraj rebuilt them using metal rather than the original wood.
"It was a very sad loss, especially like the mahogany foyer and everything, but outside of the mahogany foyer it was 110-year-old wood. It was extremely dry. It was non-usable, and it needed to be replaced," Faraj said.
The upper decks are still not open to visitors, but the response to the lower deck opening has already been strong. Faraj said nearly 100 bookings came in shortly after the tours were announced.
"You know, reading the comments, that's our fuel, you know, that's what keeps us doing this," Faraj said.
Among the highlights on the lower deck is a fully intact piece of the ship's original machinery.
"This is a machine that raises and lowers the anchors. This machine is also 100% steam powered with no back up so this is gonna run on the same steam that this engine runs on," Faraj said.
All proceeds from tours go directly toward the ongoing restoration. Faraj said the next phase of work includes enclosing the front and back of the boat and adding railings to the second deck.
The S.S. Ste. Claire's sister ship is located in New York. Faraj said this one is staying in Detroit.
For information on tours and pricing, CLICK HERE.
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