Here’s one from the archives… I was out on the river a few years ago, when the Armco happend to come up upon us.
At 767 feet in lenght the ship was an impressive sight down close in a 20 foot boat.
She was built in 1953 at Lorian, OH., and lenghtened in 1974 by 120 feet.
On June 6th, 2006, she was sold by Oglebay Norton along with her fleetmates Columbia Star, Courtney Burton, Fred R. White Jr., Middletown and Oglebay Norton to the American Steamship Co. She has since been renamed and is now siling the lakes as American Valor.
I remember sitting for hours with my grandfather down at the river front watching all these classic regulars push thier way up and down the river….. I also remember sitting with him further down on Sandwich St. were they used to dismantle the retired ships into piles of scrap…I was in awe when I watched that.
I sailed on the Reserve in 1974 and the Armco for two seasons 1975 and 1976 as an oiler. It was a great experience and in impressive engine room.