Burlington Bay Horse Ferry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Burlington Bay Horse Ferry
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | in the waters of Lake Champlain, off Burlington, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1830 |
| Architectural style | Horse-powered ferry |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001384 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 1993 |
The Burlington Bay Horse Ferry is an old shipwreck found in Lake Champlain, near Burlington, Vermont. It's special because it's the only known example of a "turntable horse ferry." These unique ships were common in the United States in the mid-1800s.
This shipwreck is now a Vermont State Historic Site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. You can find its location marked by buoys in Burlington Bay, between the Burlington Breakwater and Lone Rock Point. Certified divers can even visit it!
Discovering the Shipwreck
The remains of this horse ferry were first found in 1983. This happened during a special underwater survey of Burlington Bay.
Throughout the 1980s, experts studied the shipwreck several times. A National Geographic team even explored it, and their findings were published in 1988.
Between 1989 and 1992, divers visited the site. They carefully dug in certain areas to learn more about the ship's structure. They also wanted to understand how its unique horse-powered engine worked.
About one-third of the front part of the ferry is missing today. However, there is evidence that it was still attached when the ferry sank.
How the Ferry Worked
Based on what was found, the ferry was about 62 feet 5 inches (19.02 m) long. It was also about 15 feet 3 inches (4.65 m) wide. The ship's maximum height was about 4 feet 8 inches (1.42 m). The deepest part of its hull was about 3 feet 11 inches (1.19 m).
The ferry's design allowed it to move in either direction. It had a curved front and a straight back. Its special engine followed a design patented in 1819. This patent was created by Barnabas Langdon from Whitehall, New York.
The ferry had a large, round platform called a turntable. This turntable was located below the main deck. It was connected to a gear system, which then turned a large side wheel. Horses would walk on the turntable, making it spin. This spinning motion powered the side wheel, pushing the ferry forward through the water.
