The SS Thomas F. Cole was a 605.6feet long Great Lakes freighter built in 1907 for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company by the Great Lakes Engineering Works of Ecorse, Michigan. The boat was named after mining mogul Thomas F. Cole. She was launched as hull #27 on January 26, 1907. She was powered by a 2,000 horsepower triple expansion steam engine which was attached to a single fixed pitch propeller. She was powered by two coal-fired scotch marine boilers. She had a top speed of ten knots. She entered service on May 26, 1907 (homeport Duluth, Minnesota). She arrived for her first load of iron ore on May 29, 1907.
On August 24, 1910 the Cole suffered severe damage when she ran aground in the St. Marys River. The Cole collided with the barge Iron City on May 13, 1913, on Lake St. Clair cutting her in two and sinking her.[1]
In April 1946 the Cole had new hopper side tanks installed. In 1947 the Cole had two new coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox water tube boilers.[2]
In 1952 the Cole was transferred to U.S. Steel of Cleveland, Ohio. In April 1957 the Cole had a new tank top installed. On November 24, 1964 the Cole had a collision with the British vessel MV Inverewe in foggy conditions off the south end of Pipe Island, on the lower St. Marys River. The Cole suffered severe damage to her bow. She later arrived at the American Shipbuilding Company of Lorain, Ohio for repairs.[3]
In 1974 the Cole was laid up in Duluth, Minnesota never to sail again. In 1980 the Cole was sold to the Western Metals Corp. of Thunder Bay for scrap. She arrived in Thunder Bay on July 31, 1980 towed by the tugs Daryl C. Hannah and Malcolm