LUDINGTON, Mich. — The SS Badger set sail for its 73rd season on Lake Michigan Friday, marking another year for the last coal-fired, steam-powered ship in North America.
WATCH: SS Badger kicks off 73rd season on Lake Michigan
The ship steamed out of Ludington, drawing passengers eager to experience a piece of American maritime history.
Tom Hawley, Lake Michigan Car Ferry spokesperson, said, "For me, it's the best day of the year when we get to welcome people back on our ship."
The SS Badger first launched in 1953, originally carrying railroad freight cars across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Since 1992, the ship has carried families and their vehicles instead of railcars, helping sustain tourism in both lakeshore communities.
"The SS Badger is an iconic vessel for our community and it has a huge economic impact when the Badger starts sailing, Ludington and Manitowoc are open for the tourism business," Hawley said
As the last of its kind ever built and the last still operating today, the coal-fired vessel gives the thousands of riders who board each year a chance to experience a past era of American travel.
Chuck Leonard, Lake Michigan Car Ferry general manager, said, "It's a wonderful thing that it's going today. You know, it signifies what was once in this area."
