Ticonderoga
History
The steamboat Ticonderoga is America's last remaining side paddlewheel passenger steamer with a vertical beam engine. Commissioned by the Champlain Transportation Company, the Ticonderoga was built in 1906 at the Shelburne Shipyard on Lake Champlain.
The Ticonderoga measures 220 feet in length and 59 feet in beam, with a displacement of 892 tons. Her steam-powered engine is fed by two coal-fired boilers and could achieve a maximum speed of seventeen miles per hour. Her full crew numbered twenty-eight, and included the captain, pilots, mate, deckhands, engineers and firemen to operate the boat. The purser, stewards, freight clerk, bartender, hall boys, cook, waiters, scullion and mess boys attended to passengers and freight.
Initially, the Ticonderoga served a north-south route on Lake Champlain. Daily, she docked at Westport, New York, where she met the New York City evening train. The next morning she carried travelers and freight northward to St. Albans, Vermont. In addition to passengers, the Ticonderoga transported local farm produce, livestock and dry goods on a regular basis; and during both World Wars, ferried U.S. troops between Plattsburgh, New York, and Burlington, Vermont. She also operated on the east-west run from Burlington to Port Kent, New York, and had a brief career as a floating casino.
When more modern ferries made her
obsolete the Ticonderoga was saved from the scrap heap by Ralph Nading Hill, a devoted Vermont historian, who persuaded Electra Havemeyer Webb to buy her.In 1955, the Ticonderoga was hauled on specially laid tracks across highways, over a swamp, and through woods and fields to reach her permanent mooring on the Museum grounds.
Much of the boat's interior has been restored to its original grandeur. The Captain's quarters, dining room, and promenade deck contain furniture and accessories used on the Ticonderoga and other Lake Champlain steamboats. The Ticonderoga was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Exhibits
Restored Historic Vessel, Restoration Exhibit
[Diagrams of] Hurricane Deck • Salon Deck • Main Deck • Engine Deck
[Photo caption reads]
The Ticonderoga departing Burlington harbor.
Erected by the Shelburne Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 44° 22.512′ N, 73° 13.948′ W. Marker is in Shelburne, Vermont, in Chittenden County. Marker is at the base of the starboard gangway, leading to the bow of the steamboat, on the Shelburne Museum grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6000 Shelburne Road (US Hwy 7), Shelburne VT 05482, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker
Also see . . . Steamboat Ticonderoga. Shelburne Museum website entry (Submitted on October 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Additional commentary.
1. The Night Train from New York
The night train the Ticonderoga met in Westport, according to 1925 winter timetables would have been the Delaware and Hudson Train No. 7, that left New York’s Grand Central Terminal at 8 PM en route to Montreal. D&H No. 7 stopped in Westport at 4:20 in the morning.
Additional keywords. Ticonderoga
Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 380 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on April 14, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on October 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.