Interlake Holding buys Lake Michigan car ferry SS Badger

A coal-fired ferry that carries people and cars throughout Lake Michigan between Michigan and Wisconsin has been sold.

Interlake Holding announced Wednesday that it purchased the SS Badger, The Ludington Daily News reported.

The Middleburg Heights, Ohio-based company also bought a tug-barge called the SS Spartan and the Lake Michigan Carferry and Pere Marquette Shipping companies.

“I think we’ve always been interested in the Pere Marquette and the Badger,” said Mark Barker, the president of Interlake. “We’re just excited to acquire this vessel and this operation. It is really iconic and historic.”

The 410-foot SS Badger released in 1952 and hauled railcars across Lake Michigan from 1953 to 1990. It was converted into a car and passenger ferry and was able to carry 600 people and 180 vehicles.

It has been operating between Ludington in western Michigan and Manitowoc in Wisconsin and was designated a national historic landmark in 2016.

“We’re keeping most of the employees,” Barker said. “It’s a great operation, and it’s our goal to continue that operation in Ludington.”

The SS Badger, the other ships, and the car ferry and shipping companies had been run by Bob Manglitz, Don Clingan, and Jim Anderson.

“The communities of Manitowoc and Ludington and the people have a sense of ownership in the Badger,” Manglitz said following the sale. “It was like nothing I have ever been involved with.”