Detroit and Cleveland Steamboat Line Banner

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The oil on canvas painting depicting the typical routes taken by Detroit and Cleveland (D&C) ships across the Great Lakes was originally installed aboard the side-wheel steamer Greater Buffalo when it was constructed in 1924 by American Shipbuilding Company of Lorain, Ohio. In 1942, the ship underwent a conversion to transform into the aircraft carrier USS Sable, specifically designed for training US Navy pilots in sea takeoffs and landings. The painting was carefully removed from the steamer during this conversion process, and it eventually found its way into the Michigan State maritime heritage collection through a generous donation by J.C. and Mary Lou Tunnicliffe in 2015. Today, this significant artifact is undergoing meticulous curation at the Michigan History Center in Lansing.