Michigan
Michigan Marvels: The ghosts of the Davidson Shipyard
Michigan Marvels: The Davidson Shipyards
Michigan Marvels: The Davidson Shipyards
Bay City — If you take a stroll through Bay City’s Veterans Memorial Park along the shores of the Saginaw River, you might see the ghosts of ships from more than a hundred years ago.
You could even be standing right on top of one of them. A shipyard that once laboriously produced wooden ships stood on the site of the park.
“The shipyard literally sits under us,” said Don Comtois, a historian with the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society.
Before the hulking shapes of the ships were lost to history, there was Capt. James Davidson, who started the Davidson Shipyard in 1873. By 1900, he was building some of the largest wooden ships ever made, according to a 1995 report by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin’s State Underwater Archeology Program.
Davidson, who was born in Buffalo in 1841, spent his 20s learning about the shipping business while working on cargo ships that moved between New York and England. By 1870, he began to build ships at sites including Toledo and Saginaw, before settling on a site in West Bay City (before the city was absorbed by Bay City in 1905).
Almost a thousand men worked on the ships in the heyday of the early 1890s, said Comtois.
The ships were built by hand. There was no automation except in the saw mills, and builders could turn out eight to 10 ships in a season.
“It would take approximately 28 acres of oak trees to build one of those big wooden boats,” said Comtois.
Even after other shipyards began to build steel hulled ships, Davidson kept building wooden ones.
“He had a love for it, I think. Like a guy who collects only ’57 Chevys. Why does he do that? He has a love for it and he has a passion. I think Captain Davidson had that passion for the wooden ships. There were still people buying them, so he kept on building them.”
In its 30 years, the yard built dozens of wooden ships, with names like Oceania, Montezuma, and Wahnapitae. The last one launched in 1903.
Davidson died in 1929 and the yard was abandoned. Several ships, like the Sacramento, sat, rotting for decades.
“When they covered this yard over, the Sacramento was covered over,” said Comtois.
“She sat here in this yard and over the years she gradually burned to the water’s edge in the slip where she was launched,” said Comtois. “She sat there and over the years, it just fell apart. In 1976 she was completely taken apart.”
Visitors to Veterans Memorial Park can see a piece of the Sacramento on display. The rudder from the 300-foot ship sits in the middle of the park, not far from the volleyball courts where the hull is buried.
“We’re literally standing on history,” said Comtois.
Many other vessels built by Davidson sitting abandoned in the river eventually burned to the waterline. When the water is low on the Saginaw River, you can see the hulls of several big wooden freighters. One of the easiest to spot is the Shenandoah, with her two boilers peeking out of the top of the water. Built in 1894, the 320-foot wood steamer eventually was abandoned in 1924 after a life of hauling various cargo on the Great Lakes.
“What we see here is history that will never happen again,” said Comtois.
dguralnick@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @davidguralnick
Instagram: @groovnick
The tide has turned in the Ohio State, Michigan football battle. After the Buckeyes went on an eight-game winning streak over the Wolverines from 2012-2019, Michigan has defeated Ohio State four-straight times since 2021. Michigan dominated in the trenches the past four seasons, and even with a much-less talented roster in 2024, the Wolverines did the unthinkable in Ohio Stadium as a 20-point underdog. Michigan went into Columbus and took down the eventual national champions, 13-10.
Ohio State went on to win the national title in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. But when the 2025 season starts up, the lead-up to ‘The Game’ will be talked about on a weekly basis. Sherrone Moore and his new five-star QB Bryce Underwood will get the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor in 2025, and Ryan Day still has to show he can get that monkey off his back. Right now, plenty of analysts all have the same mindset: ‘Can’t predict Ohio State to win that game until they can prove it can.’
ESPN’s David Hale is in a similar boat. In ESPN’s ‘100 days to college football….’, Hale predicts Michigan to beat Ohio State for the fifth year in a row.
“The Buckeyes are national champions. Last year’s team was elite, and this year’s could be just as good. There’s no reason to be anything but joyous in Columbus,” Hale wrote. “Only … the fine folks from that state up north do have something of a trump card. Michigan’s four straight wins over Ohio State make for some pretty good bragging rights, even if the playoff trophy resides at the Horseshoe. Last year’s astonishing Buckeyes loss might’ve cost Ryan Day his job had the playoff not expanded to 12 and given Ohio State a second bite at the apple. And so, when this year’s game comes around on Nov. 29, the buzz won’t be about Ohio State’s 2025 championship game win. It will be about the four straight losses, and that’s an awfully big monkey now living on Day’s back. So, we won’t be too shocked if that dark cloud looms so large that the Buckeyes stumble yet again thanks to all of the outside noise. Would the Ohio State faithful be OK with a fifth straight loss to Michigan if it was followed by a second straight national title?”
Michigan vs. Ohio State is arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports. Duke-North Carolina, Red Sox-Yankees, and Celtics-Lakers are a few others, but you can make the argument that when the Wolverines and Buckeyes face off on Thanksgiving weekend — everyone tunes in. Which is why that should usually be a top-five game to watch every single year, right?
Not this year, according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly. In the same article as Hale predicted Michigan to beat OSU, Connelly ranked the top 10 games to watch this upcoming season. He put ‘The Game’ at No. 10 on the list. Games like Boise State-Notre Dame, Texas A&M-Notre Dame, and Montana State-Montana all ranked higher than the Big Ten powers.
“The Buckeyes couldn’t lose a fifth straight to the Wolverines … right?,” Connelly wrote.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
Michigan basketball could be hanging up a new jersey in the rafters very soon
Michigan or Ohio State: Analysts are split on Michigan football landing 5-star prospect
Joel Klatt on Michigan football’s latest sign-stealing saga: ‘Something’s coming and it’s likely very large’
For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:
FBI agents have arrested a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard accused of planning to carry out a mass shooting this week on behalf of Islamic State at a US military base near Detroit, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Agents arrested Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, on Tuesday after he traveled to an area near the Army installation and launched a surveillance drone in support of the attack plan, the US Attorney’s Office in Detroit said in a statement.
Said is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, according to the government’s 42-page criminal complaint.
If convicted, Said could face up to 20 years in prison on each count, federal prosecutors said.
The planned ISIS attack on a US Army base
According to the complaint, Said spent months planning the attack with two undercover officers posing as IS operatives. The target of the alleged plot was the Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan, about 20 miles north of Detroit.
In addition to flying his drone over the base to conduct “operational reconnaissance and surveillance,” Said supplied armor-piercing ammunition and magazines that he believed would be used in the attack, the complaint said.
Said, a resident of Melvindale, Michigan, another Detroit suburb, enlisted in the Michigan National Guard in September 2022 and was discharged in late 2024, months after he allegedly began telling undercover investigators he was “fed up with” the US, according to the complaint.
It said Said pledged loyalty to an IS leader and that he boasted about the grenade and firearms training he received while a National Guard soldier and his ability to take apart and reassemble an assault rifle with his eyes closed.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s national security division, said the investigation “foiled the attack” that Said was accused of plotting.
He was scheduled to appear in federal court on Wednesday. Court records did not indicate whether the defendant had obtained legal representation.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 13, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Daily 3 numbers from May 13 drawing
Midday: 1-7-7
Evening: 0-5-5
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from May 13 drawing
Midday: 4-6-6-5
Evening: 4-6-4-7
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 13 drawing
04-14-17-43-44, Lucky Ball: 12
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Poker Lotto numbers from May 13 drawing
KC-AS-6C-7C-5H
Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from May 13 drawing
10-20-24-26-35
02-05-09-22-26
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Keno numbers from May 13 drawing
06-07-12-14-16-17-27-29-31-38-40-41-44-46-49-59-63-67-69-70-72-79
Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lottery’s Regional Offices.
To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:
Michigan Lottery
Attn: Claim Center
101 E. Hillsdale
P.O. Box 30023
Lansing, MI 48909
For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a driver’s license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.
If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:
- Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
- Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325
- Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325
- Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
- Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
- Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325
For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.
When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?
- Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
- Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
- Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
- Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
- Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.
Turtles get helping hand from Connecticut business during nesting season
Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro calls for reform of private equity ownership of hospitals
Ex-MLB star Furcal faces felony charges in Florida
Hospital tells family brain-dead Georgia woman must carry fetus to birth because of abortion ban
This Visitor Misses Hawaii Deeply. Another Says “Never Again.'
-
Austin, TX5 days agoBest Austin Salads – 15 Food Places For Good Greens!
-
Technology1 week agoBe careful what you read about an Elden Ring movie
-
Culture1 week agoPulitzer Prizes 2025: A Guide to the Winning Books and Finalists
-
Technology7 days agoNetflix is removing Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
-
Education1 week agoUniversity of Michigan President, Santa Ono, Set to Lead University of Florida
-
World7 days agoThe Take: Can India and Pakistan avoid a fourth war over Kashmir?
-
News7 days agoReincarnated by A.I., Arizona Man Forgives His Killer at Sentencing
-
News1 week agoJefferson Griffin Concedes Defeat in N.C. Supreme Court Race