By Suzette Lopez

On July 17, 1902, the steel steamer JAMES H. HOYT was launched at West Superior, Wis., by the Superior Ship Building Co.   Built for the Provident Steamship Company she measured 363.2 in length and 50 feet in beam.   Mrs. A. B. Wolvin had the honor of christening her.

There was considerable interest in the HOYT as she had been built with nineteen hatches, spaced on a new idea of 12 foot centers instead of 24 foot center-to-center hatch spacing.  This design was for more rapid loading of iron ore.  Her first cargo was at the Mesabi dock and broke all records for quick loading – 5,430 gross tons was loaded in two hours.   The cargo was delivered to Conneaut where the Hulett unloaders removed 96 percent of her cargo in 5 hours and 23 minutes.

In November of 1909, the HOYT went ashore on Otter Island Reef, Lake Superior.  She was abandoned to the underwriters.

By spring 1910, the HOYT has been completely rebuilt at Superior.  She was lengthened 48 feet, had new arches put in and was overhauled.

In 1926 she was sold Canadian to Paterson Steamship Company and renamed BRICOLDOC.  She sailed for N. M. Paterson & Sons from 1951 until 1968.  Then was sold to Eckhardt & Company of Hamburg who sold her to Spanish shipbreakers.  She arrived in Santander, Spain, on September 13, 1968.

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Suzette Lopez is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.

Photo as top of page:  JAMES H. HOYT leaving the Superior shipyard after being rebuilt in 1910.

Other photos:

Photo Credit:  Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.

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Suzette Lopez is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.