Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company

Once flown at the pinnacle of the passenger steamer City of Detroit III, this is the flag of the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company. The flag is made of blue cloth and is approximately six-feet in length with a bright white company insignia “D&C” in the middle.

The D&C Navigation Company was a trendy passenger line that ran from the late 1860s to early 1950s. Known for its luxurious rooms, dining, and entertainment, D&C began with a route between Detroit and Cleveland, but by the 1920s, had multiple boats that called at many Great Lakes ports, including Buffalo and Mackinac, allowing guests to enjoy overnight trips. The company had some of the most spectacular vessels sailing the lakes at that time. The City of Detroit III, built in 1911 in Wyandotte, Michigan, was no exception, having been named “the finest boat in the fleet.” The company slowly ceased operations and dissolved in 1951. The City of Detroit III was later scrapped in 1956.

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