MV Material Service

The MV Material Service was a steel-hulled American self-unloading, diesel-powered workbarge that sank with the loss of fifteen lives on Lake Michigan^[1] off the coast of North Township, Lake County, Indiana. On March 25, 2014 the wreck of the Material Service was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Material Service prior to her sinking
History
United States
Name	Material Service
Builder	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company
Yard number	253
Launched	1929
In service	1929
Out of service	July 29, 1936
Identification	U.S. Official number 228371
General characteristics
Type	Powered barge
Tonnage	1,077 GRT[1] 736 NRT[1]
Length	239.58 ft (73.02 m)[1]
Beam	40 ft (12 m)[1]
Depth	13.75 ft (4.19 m)[1]
MATERIAL SERVICE (shipwreck)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	Lake Michigan, northeast of Calumet Harbor
Nearest city	North Township, Lake County, Indiana
Coordinates	41.738833°N 87.503833°W / 41.738833; -87.503833
Built	1929
Architect	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company
Architectural style	Barge
NRHP reference No.	14000074 [2]
Added to NRHP	March 25, 2014

History

The Material Service (Official number 228371) was built as hull number #253 in 1929, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, for the Leatham Smith-Putnam Navigation Company of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and she was on a ten-year lease to the Material Service Corporation of Chicago, Illinois.^[3] Her steel hull was 239.58 feet (73.02 m) long, her beam was 40 feet (12 m) wide, and her hull was 13.75 feet (4.19 m) deep. She had a gross register tonnage of 1,077 tons, and a net register tonnage of 736 tons.^[1] She was driven by two propellers that were powered by two 350-horsepower (260 kW) diesel engines.^[4]

She was built to carry sand from Lake Michigan to docks located in the Chicago River. Her shallow hull, and her lowerable A-frame were designed to permit passage under low bridges.^[5]