SS Badger is History as in the Latest National Historic Landmark

[XLFD]

Is there anything more satisfying than having a writer from the Muskegon Chronicle report the news that the SS Badger has become a designated National Historic Landmark?  Home to the Badger's only cross-lake competition, the Mlive article fails to mention the government subsidized boat that docks at their port. 

LUDINGTON, MI – The historic S.S. Badger car ferry has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

The National Park Service made the announcement Thursday afternoon, Jan. 21 in a public post from its verified account on facebook.com.

"Congratulations to our newest National Historic Landmark the S.S. Badger: Lake Michigan Carferry in Ludington, MI, which was designated yesterday!" the park service wrote. "Badger is the last example of a Great Lakes rail/car ferry design, a type that influenced design around the world"

The 410-foot-long car ferry built and launched in 1952 seasonally conducts regularly-scheduled runs between its home in Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis. It is owned and operated by Lake Michigan Carferry.

A spokeswoman for Lake Michigan Carferry said Thursday night the company was waiting to receive more information before commenting on the national landmark designation. 

Congressman Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, praised the ship as an economic powerhouse as well as "a vital and historic piece of the Ludington community" in a released statement.

"Nearly five years after Lake Michigan Carferry's initial application, the federal government has finally recognized the Badger for what it is - a National Historic Landmark," Huizenga said. "This is an important victory for the hardworking families, small businesses, and communities that have relied on this Great Lakes car ferry for generations, and I am pleased it will continue to be part of their future."

The Badger is the last coal-fired steamship operating on the Great Lakes.

The 2015 season was the first year in which the Badger operated without dumping coal ash into the lake. The owner installed an ash retention system, reportedly at a cost of $2.4 million, after lengthy negotiations and a legal fight with the Environmental Protection Agency. 

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2016/01/ss_badger_car_...

[Willy]

I forgot to mention that the SS City of Milwaukee which is docked in Manistee is listed at #22 on this list  as a NHL. 

[AQUAMAN]

Yes, along with the Columbia, & St. Claire, both steam boats, the USS Silversides submarine, and Milwaukee Clipper ferry, both in Muskegon. Special thanks to Willy for the useful and informative links on NHL in the USA. We should be joining that list soon from all signals right now.

[XLFD]

There is hope for the SS Badger becoming a NHL while it's still in operational condition.  Thanks for the additional research, Willy.

[shinblind]

I wonder with  the drop in the price of a barrel of oil how much of an economic advantage  the Lake Express out of Muskegon will gain with the Badger in the upcoming season. Will they engage in a price war? Or will they use the funds to fatten their bottom line.

[AQUAMAN]

Lake Express's website only details discounts for travel on the redeye type crossings right now, 7 & 11 pm departures. It doesn't even start-up till the end of April. A lot in the price of oil can change in the next three months, either up or down, and over the summer. Going to have to wait and see on this is my guess. I wouldn't expect much further discounts though, everything else in respect to running a business is going up quite a bit these days, taxes and overhead are the main factors, along with labor. Either way, why use them if you are a Badger fan? and live in Ludington? Have you guys been on it? What's your opinion if so? Thanks.

[shinblind]

What reminded me Aquaman was an article I saw the other day about the airline industry and how most airlines hedged their bet on fuel prices going up by locking in long term contracts at a fixed price. All except American Airlines.  And now because of this American Air alone are able to take advantage of the lower fuel costs and lower prices to gain market share. 

I was just speculating how this was going to play out in the local carferry business.

Maybe Lake Express also locked themselves into long term fixed price fuel costs.

I do know that with the Obama administration War on Coal that the price can only rise in the future especially if Hillary get in and continues this effort.

Funny sometimes how something that you dismiss as unimportant or that is actually sold to you as beneficial actually has  unforeseen consequences that are in reality detrimental. 

[XLFD]

That was a good observation, shinblind.  It really should be a 'consumer's year' for the carferry business as the drop in crude oil prices is basically mirroring drops in natural gas and coal as seen in the similar graph tendencies in the one year interval here on the prices of each:  http://www.infomine.com/investment/metal-prices/coal/

This could encourage a price war, but the first salvo would likely come from the Lake Express, as the Badger is getting some free publicity of late.

[AQUAMAN]

For those that are fixed on this current low oil price, please reflect your thoughts into the future. Commodities like gold, silver, oil, coal, natural gas, and many others trade daily on the market in up and down pricing. It never stays fixed. Airline price wars are no indication of other market variables that affect our daily lives.

[jfc123]

I am hoping that this becomes a landmark, it deserves it with all of the work and people it helped bring to the area. I remember the loud whistle so early and loved putting pennies on the track to tip the trains it carried over, lol. Still have the flattened pennies, this was 40 years ago. When the Badger was in trouble years back some close to me came to its rescue and kept it going. Wish they were still around so they encourage these officials to help the real legacy of Ludington. It is not the city marinas that got this all started!

[XLFD]

It's finally official:  the SS Badger is a National Historic Landmark: 

WASHINGTON — The S.S. Badger, Lake Michigan's last remaining coal-fired car ferry and until a few years ago the target of efforts by environmentalists to clean it up or ground it, was named to the list of National Historic Landmarks on Thursday.

U.S. Reps. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, and Dan Benishek, R-Crystal Falls, made the announcement public with word expected from the U.S. Department of Interior.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/2016/02/18/ss-badger-named-national...

[jfc123]

This is GREAT news and should have been a no brainer. I don't know anyone that I have ever spoke to about Ludington that did not mention the car ferries, and I live in metro Detroit. We took a trip with my grandparents on my moms side as a kid out west, started out on the SS Badger borrowing my Ludington grandmas motorhome. Was an unbelievable trip across Lake Michigan, as elegant as a Royal Caribbean cruise I took with my wife.

Hope this is the start of good things to come in this city! A big part of the Badgers history is linked to the same great man that built Tamarac marina and Tamarac village!

Thinking that its time to make Ludington Great Again! Everyone rise up, elections are coming! Get out and vote or you cant complain!

[Willy]

Congratulations to the Badger and congratulations to it's owners for sticking their financial necks out and investing in Ludington.