Entered service on May 25, 1943, on her maiden voyage from Sandusky, Ohio with a cargo of coal for Sheboygan, Wisconsin, for the Reiss Steamship Company (Wilmington, Delaware).
Converted to a self-unloader in 1965 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation (Manitowoc, Wisconsin). Remeasured to 33.5' depth and 9876gt/7604nt.
Converted to diesel power in 1976 by Defoe Shipbuilding Company (Bay City, Michigan).
Chartered in 1986 to the Erie Sand Steamship Co. (Erie, Pennsylvania), managed by the Erie Sand & Gravel Co. The ship was renamed Richard Reiss because Erie head Sidney Smith felt that a 13-letter name was unlucky. The renaming was accomplished by just painting out the middle initial J. The ship was subsequently sold to the Sold Erie Sand Steamship Co. in 1992.
The Richard Reiss was laid up in Erie, Pennsylvania on December 18, 2001 and then sold to Oglebay Norton Co. (Cleveland, Ohio) in 2002. The ship was never sailed by Olglebay Norton and was resold to Grand River Navigation Co. (Avon Lake, Ohio) in 2004. The ship was renamed Manistee in 2005. |