Overlakes Freight Corporation

Overlakes Freight Corporation
Company type	Private
Industry	Shipping, Freight transportation, Maritime transport
Founded	April 21, 1932; 94 years ago in New York City, United States
Founder	William M. Nicholson
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Area served	United States, Great Lakes region
Products	Shipping services, Freight transportation, Terminal operations

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Overlakes Freight Corporation, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 2025

Overlakes Freight Corporation was established as a shipping agency in New York City on April 21, 1932, by businessman William M. Nicholson. During and following World War II, the firm operated Liberty Ship vessels, most of which were acquired by the War Shipping Administration for wartime deployment. Overlakes Freight Corporation functioned as a parent company overseeing Nicholson's diverse maritime and terminal enterprises, including Nicholson Universal Steamship Company, Nicholson, Erie, Dover, Ferry Line, Nicholson Terminal & Dock Company, Aqua Terminal & Dock Corporation, and the Nicholson Transit Company.

William M. Nicholson

Born on July 2, 1864, in Canada, William M. Nicholson immigrated to the United States in 1882 and obtained citizenship by 1885. He began his professional journey as a marine engineer in Duluth, Minnesota, before advancing to the role of ship captain by 1920. In 1923, he founded the Nicholson Transit Company located in Ecorse, Michigan, focusing on tugboat and barge services along the New York State Canal System. Further expanding his operations, Nicholson launched Nicholson's Universal Terminal Company in 1929, establishing docks and warehouses in both Cleveland, Ohio, and Ecorse.

In 1930, Nicholson expanded his fleet by purchasing two cargo vessels—the SS Liberty (757 tons) and SS Fellowcraft (1,640 tons)—to enhance his shipping activities. The following year saw the inception of the Nicholson, Erie, Dover, Ferry Line to operate the passenger ship SS Keystone (1,923 tons), serving ports at River Rouge and Detroit.

To optimize management and growth potential, Overlakes Freight Corporation was created to unify these businesses under one corporate umbrella. In 1939, Nicholson partnered with William F. Deane to establish Aqua Terminal & Dock Corporation, with Deane serving as president. By 1942, Overlakes Freight Corporation had acquired Nicholson Universal Steamship Company, which operated modified car carriers and cargo vessels critical to wartime supply chains.

The Nicholson Transit Company maintained a fleet of eight Type L6 Lakers that were instrumental in Great Lakes freight transport throughout World War II. This array of subsidiaries under Nicholson's direction demonstrated a comprehensive business strategy centered on integrated maritime transportation and terminal management.

Nicholson Terminal and Dock Company

Founded in 1928, Nicholson Terminal & Dock Company provides general freight transportation services with offices situated in Ecorse, Detroit, and River Rouge, Michigan. Its facility at the Port of Detroit is designated as a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ), facilitating both import and export operations. The company also operates a dry dock alongside a ship repair facility. Key collaborations include alliances with the Port of Detroit, Wayne County Port Authority, Ambassador Port Company, Universal AM-CAN Ltd., Great American Lines Inc., and Distribution Publications Inc.

Nicholson-Universal Steamship Company

Founded in Detroit in 1927 and divested in 1942, Nicholson-Universal Steamship Company operated various vessels, including the Penobscot, a laker that was converted into an automobile carrier and transferred to the US government during World War II. Among its notable incidents, the SS Senator sank in 1929 following a collision on Lake Michigan, causing substantial cargo losses. The company also possessed the Pathfinder, a Whaleback steamship that was dismantled in 1933.

Nicholson Transit Company

Since 1919, Nicholson Transit Company has been based in Ecorse, Michigan, managing a fleet of ships and tugboat-barges throughout the Great Lakes region. Significant vessels in its inventory included Lake Traverse, a former World War I Army and Navy ship acquired in 1936, alongside tugboats such as F.J. Haynes, Humaconna, Liberty, and Monarch—the latter lost after a collision in 1934. The company's inaugural vessel was the wooden bulk freighter Roumania, constructed in 1887 and scrapped by 1929. Additional assets featured the ore carrier SS Mataafa, which was converted into an automobile carrier in 1946, and the Fleetwood, built by Bethlehem Steel and requisitioned during World War II. During the war, Nicholson Transit operated the Adrian Iselin under a war charter; this ship was sold in 1961 and later repurposed as a breakwater.

Nicholson Erie-Dover Ferry Line

Launched by Nicholson in 1926, the Nicholson Erie-Dover Ferry Line provided automobile and passenger ferry services connecting Erie, Pennsylvania with Port Dover, Ontario. The fleet consisted of three ferries: Erie, Dover, and Keystone. The Keystone could accommodate up to 80 vehicles and 1,000 passengers. Both the Erie and Dover ferries were destroyed by fires in 1929, leading to the ferry line's closure two years later during the Great Depression.

Ferries:
Erie – Originally named Pennsylvania for the Erie & Buffalo line when built in 1899 at Wyandotte, MI; renamed Owana in 1903; acquired by Nicholson in 1925. Converted into a coal barge in 1934 and scrapped by 1981; measured 200.6 by 39 feet with a tonnage of 747.
Dover – Constructed by Frank E. Kirby in 1890 at Wyandotte, MI; initially served on the Sandusky route until 1919; renamed first as Silver Spray then as Dover under Nicholson ownership; destroyed by fire in 1932; dimensions were 195.5 by 30.1 feet with a tonnage of 532.
Keystone – Built in 1886 at Wyandotte, MI; formerly known as City of Cleveland and later as City of St. Ignace; purchased by Nicholson in 1929; burned down in 1932 and dismantled by 1948; weighed 1,923 tons.

World War II

During the Second World War, Overlakes Freight Corporation played an active role supporting military efforts by operating merchant navy vessels under the auspices of the United States Shipping Board. The company participated extensively in charter shipping agreements with both the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration, overseeing Liberty ships within the merchant marine fleet. Crews from Overlakes managed ship operations while US Navy Armed Guards were responsible for manning deck guns and communications equipment, ensuring vital supply lines for wartime logistics.