Tour a Military Ship

The S.S. William A. Irvin can be found on the Duluth waterfront standing as giant figurehead in the former World War II shipbuilding slip. This floating museum features many artifacts and exhibits that give visitors a chance to step back in time to experience what life was like aboard the former flagship of the USS Great Lakes Fleet. During her active years the Irvin carried thousands of tons of ore from Minnesota and Michigan to Ohio and Indiana. There is much to see while aboard this 611 foot workhorse of the Great Lake region. The guided tour will take approximately an hour and a half and takes guests from stem to stern including a walk through her three gigantic cargo storage areas.

The tour is an awesome and informative experience for visitors regardless of age. There are quite a few ladders to climb but quests will find it well worth the effort. The experienced guides make the educational tour very enjoyable and entertaining. For example, the guides will impart little known facts such as, in addition to carrying her normal load of ore from port to port she could often be found transporting rich and influential friends, and commerce friends of the U.S. Steel magnates. These notable guests could be found lounging in splendidly decorated staterooms at her bow.

The ship was built in the latter stages of the 1930's and eventually launched into service on June 25, 1938. The Irvin launched during the period when the shipping trade was emerging from an extensive decline in the shipping business. The Irvin named after the U.S. Steel president at that time. She sailed the Great Lakes region without unpleasant incident for four decades before her retirement.

This massive artifact was retired from active service in at the end of 1978 shipping season. Although still capable of sailing the waters of Gitche Gumee trade and industry advancements resulted in her retirement. In light of the development of faster, longer ships with greater cargo capacity the Irvin was deemed obsolete in the shipping industry. Even so, the Irvin still holds the record time for unloading nearly fourteen thousand tons of ore in just less than 3 hours. This feat was astounding given the absence of modern day cargo unloading technology.

The Irvin was never considered for the scrap heap as often occurs with retired cargo vessels. Due to her prominence as a onetime flagship the Irvin now proudly stands as an important symbol of the shipping industry's past.

Whether visitors to Duluth venture on board for the informative, they'll marvel at the massive appearance of the grand ship.

So go aboard this spectacular museum and get a real look at shipping life. The ship is open for tours starting Memorial Day and continuing through the first part of October. October weekends are especially entertaining when the staff conducts haunted ship tours through the many corridors of the ships interior. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop and pick up a souvenir to home. The S.S. William A. Irvin gift shop features a large variety of nautical and collectible items.