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High upon a promontory on South Bass Island in Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, sits the Owners and Captains Quarters of the former Great Lakes Shipping Boat, The Benson Ford. The boat was built by Henry Ford and named after his grandson.

The Benson Ford was originally a cargo ship for the Ford Motor Company.

The interior was designed by Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison was a passenger. From the time it was built in 1924, the boat was used to transport coal and iron ore across the American Great Lakes.  After being decommissioned in 1981 it was left to rust for four years before the front part of the ship was removed and perched on top of an 18-foot cliff, to serve as a really lovely  home.

The ship’s forecastle was removed, and then that portion of the boat was positioned on a great piece of waterfront property, with its bow extending out over Lake Erie for a water-going effect, and then used by its owner as a vacation home.

The four-deck, 7,000 square foot getaway home is made out of the ship’s forecastle, and includes the walnut paneled state rooms, dining room, galley, and passenger lounge designed by Henry Ford for his own personal use while on board.

The ship-house was originally owned by Frank J. Sullivan, but after trying and failing to turn it into a hotel in 1992, Sullivan eventually auctioned the building to father and son, Jerry and Bryan Kaspar, who still enjoy relaxing there while taking time off from work.

It has now been modernized with a garage, a game room, a bar, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and four bathrooms. The 90-year-old US cargo ship is beautiful, as she sits there looking out over her former waterway.

This impressive getaway is large, as it includes five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a captain’s office and living room with panoramic views out across Lake Erie .

Videographer Nick James, who conducts tours of the home, says, “I love the deck on the fourth floor. It’s a great place to enjoy a cocktail overlooking the lake and the nearby cliffs, and to watch the sunsets is amazing from there. The most incredible part is standing at the helm with the way the boat hangs over the cliff. It actually feels like you are out on the open water. I love the history that remains all around the Benson Ford. In the parlor, you can just imagine Thomas Edison and Henry Ford sitting there puffing on their cigars. When you’re there, it feels as though you are stepping back in time, and that those two famed gentlemen could appear at any moment.”

An incredible beauty of a long-ago ship, still available to see.