Frank E. Kirby (July 1, 1849 – August 25, 1929) was a

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in the

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

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(United States) area in the early 20th century. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest naval architects in

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history.

Biography

Kirby was a marine engineer and architech. "He prepared plans and specifications for the refitting of the Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Logan, and

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, and asa consulting engineer... of the transport branch of the Quartermaster's Department." Kirby mostly specialized in paddle-wheel and steamship design. Perhaps his most famous vessel, Tashmoo, was a paddle-wheeler launched on New Year's Eve, 1899. She was constructed by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company in Wyandotte, Mich., for the White Star Steamship Co. of Detroit. The 306-foot vessel made her maiden voyage on June 9, 1900. She would become one of the best known - and most beloved - excursion steamers on the Great Lakes. Kirby also is well-renowned for his design of the "Bob-Lo boats" - the '' Columbia'' and the '' Ste. Claire''.

Boblo Island Bois Blanc Island, commonly called Boblo Island, is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg, Ontario. The island is about long, wide and in size. The main northbound shipping channel of th ...

was a major amusement park destination for residents of southeast Michigan (and southern

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, Canada) throughout most of the twentieth century. He is also considered the father of modern ice-breaking technology. He designed the D&C Navigation Co.’s armada of stately night boats, including the City of Detroit III.

Kirby designs

* Steamer Canadiana * Steamer Chief Wawatam * Steamer City of Detroit III * Steamer City of Erie * Steamer Columbia * Steamer * Steamer Greater Detroit (1924) * Steamer Greater Buffalo (1924) - rebuilt in 1942 as a training

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

, , which trained a future

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* Steamer Put-In-Bay * Steamer Ste. Claire * Steamer Tashmoo * Steamer Seeandbee - The largest and most expensive lake cruiser at the time, later transformed into the , a training aircraft carrier that served in tandem with the USS ''Sable''. * Steamer Washington Irving

References

External links

Frank E. Kirby
(Michigan Transportation History) {{DEFAULTSORT:Kirby, Frank E. Boat and ship designers 1849 births 1929 deaths Architects from Detroit