Ice fishing off the foot of Michigan Avenue, 1967. In the background is the lake freighter, Kinsman Independent, moored for the winter. Photo by Paul Redding.
According to a Buffalo News article, December 7, 2002, the Kinsman Independent, a 647-foot long "straight decker" grain hauler, will make its last trip to Buffalo with 550,000 bushels of wheat for General Mills and, when unloaded over the winter, it will be retired from service.
Low Lake Erie water levels have made the 50-year old ship unprofitable because it must haul less grain which must then be unloaded by grain scoopers. The selling price for the Kinsman Independent was $100,000 at the time of the article.
