Saw this on Boat Nerd's news feed this morning. The pictures really tell the tale - especially the one taken of the last engine orders given to the Skinner Uniflow engine. Goes to show that well built ships can last a while on fresh water...
"St. Marys Challenger 's last trip
Photographer / author Chris Winters was aboard the St. Marys Challenger on her last trip last week from Chicago to Sturgeon Bay, Wis., where the 107-year-old cement carrier will be converted to a barge. He has shared some of his images at the link below. If they look like they should be in a book, that's not surprising. Winters is author of "Centennial: Steaming Though the American Century," written about the vessel. "
http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newsthumbs ... sttrip.htm