WQLN NPR first signed on the air in 1973. On December 9th of that year, a large crowd witnessed the champagne christening of the Great Lakes Freighter, The Presque Isle. Erie Bishop Watson’s blessing was brief: “Bless this ship and all who serve her. Guide her journeys through calm and gentle waters.”
This Day in History is presented by WQLN’s Emmy-nominated weekly history series Chronicles. Available on WQLN PBS and on our TV app - Passport.