SS Badger Car Ferry Named National Historic Landmark

Wisconsin has a new national historic landmark, the S.S. Badger car ferry.

The National Park Service said the 64-year-old ship is an example of ingenuity. The ferry runs between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan, as it has since 1953. It began by shipping rail cars across Lake Michigan to avoid congestion in Chicago.

Jeremy Barnum, a spokesman for the National Park Service, said they believe the ferry serves as an important symbol: “A great representation of kind of that American can-do, problem-solving attitude that has helped, really, contribute to the economic development of our country,” he said.

Barnum said the designation opens the door for potential tax benefits.

“This does make it eligible for technical preservation assistance. However, the owners of the S.S. Badger do maintain their private ownership rights of the S.S. Badger,” said Barnum.

Another ferry, the Lake Express, runs between Milwaukee and Muskegon.

The S.S. Badger has come under fire from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to coal ash dumping into the lake. However, it is now in compliance with federal standards.