Milwaukee Clipper

The Milwaukee Clipper is a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan, measuring about 361 feet long and containing various spaces designed for passengers. It was equipped with a ballroom, movie theater, and sports deck and could carry up to 900 passengers plus 120 automobiles, which moved between two car decks using an elevator system.

The vessel began service in 1904 as SS Juniata, carrying passengers between Buffalo and Duluth until regulations forced railroad companies to sell their ships. It underwent complete reconstruction in 1940 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company and received its new name.

The ship displays Art Deco style elements from the 1940s, with dance floors and entertainment spaces that show how people spent their leisure time back then. The interiors tell the story of mid-century social habits and what life was like for travelers crossing the lake.

The ship is docked in Muskegon along Lake Michigan's shore and can be reached via the local pier area. Visitors should know this is a large vessel and navigating the various decks involves stairs and steep passages.

When reconstructed in 1940, the ship became the world's first completely fireproof passenger vessel. This groundbreaking safety innovation set it apart from all other ships of that era.