You will soon see a vessel dating back to the 1930s call Sturgeon Bay home for critical preservation work.

The Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee announced late last week it is moving forward with a multiyear project to tow the historic railroad car ferry from Manistee, Michigan, to Sturgeon Bay’s Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for dry-dock repairs.

The move will mark the first time in 45 years the ship has been out of the water, and the organization behind its preservation has an extensive to-do list for crews. According to the group’s announcement, the underwater hull will be power-washed and sandblasted, all sea chests and underwater openings will be sealed, the propellers will be removed and stern tubes sealed, and the hull will receive two coats of a marine epoxy coating.

With the work completed, the Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee hopes to extend the vessel’s life by another 25 years.

The S.S. City of Milwaukee has been out of service since 1981, following nearly 50 years of operation on the Great Lakes. It was purchased by the preservation society in 1988 for $2 with the goal of turning it into a museum ship.

Today, the vessel is a major attraction in Manistee, serving the community as a bed-and-breakfast during the summer and as the “Ghost Ship” during the Halloween season.

The organization has set a fundraising goal of $1 million to complete the project. More information about the effort is available online.