Home Search Links About Us Updates Login
OHIO (1903)
Photo by: Marc Piche

Built in 1903, by the Ship Owners Dry Dock Company of Chicago, Illinois as the M.F.D.S No. 15 for the City of Milwaukee Fire Department of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 1952, the vessel was acquired by the Great Lakes Towing Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Where she was renamed as the Laurence C. Turner.

In 1953, she was converted to a towing vessel, and converted to diesel propulsion. With a Cleveland 16-278A diesel engine.

In 1972, the Great Lakes Towing Company renamed the tug as the Ohio.

In 2014, the tug was phased out of active service and was "laid up".

In 2018, the tug was donated to the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio as a museum piece.

In 1977, the tug was re powered with one EMD 16-645-E6 diesel engine. With a Falk Reverse reduction gear, at a ratio of 3.571:1. Turning one, 102(in) by 72(in), five bladed, fixed pitch, stainless steel propeller. She was a single screw tug, rated at 2,000 horsepower.
(Isaac Pennock, Will Van Dorp, Paul Strubeck)


  • Vessel Name: OHIO (1903)
  • USCG Doc. No.: 200669
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted, registry
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Ship Builder: Ship Owners' Dry Dock Co.
  • Year Built: 1903
  • Length: 106.1
  • Hull Depth: 13.5
  • Hull Breadth: 26
  • Gross Tonnage: 194
  • Net Tonnage: 132
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    M.F.D.S. NO. 15, Laurence C. Turner, Ohio
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Fire Dept. City of Milwaukee, Great Lakes Towing Co., National Museum of the Great Lakes