Ticonderoga (steamboat) facts for kids
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The Ticonderoga is a special steamboat that used large side-paddle-wheels to move. It's one of only two such passenger steamers left in the world that still has its original vertical beam engine. These types of boats were very important for moving people and goods on America's lakes, rivers, and bays from the early 1800s to the mid-1900s.
The Champlain Transportation Company ordered the Ticonderoga. It was built in 1906 at the Shelburne Shipyard in Shelburne, Vermont, right on Lake Champlain.
The other similar boat is the Eureka. It was built in California and is now a museum ship in San Francisco. Unlike the Ticonderoga, the Eureka is still floating in water.
The Ticonderoga is 220 feet long and 59 feet wide. It weighs 892 tons. Its powerful steam engine was made by hand in New Jersey. Two coal-fired boilers heated the water to create steam for the engine. This allowed the boat to reach a top speed of 17 miles per hour.
Contents
- Life Aboard the Ticonderoga
- Ticonderoga's Busy Routes and Jobs
- Saving the Ticonderoga from Retirement
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
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| Name | Ticonderoga |
| Owner | Champlain Transportation Company |
| Builder | Shelburne Shipyard |
| Launched | 1906 |
| Out of service | 1950 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 892 tons |
| Length | 220 ft (67 m) |
| Beam | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Installed power | 2 × coal-fired boilers |
| Propulsion | Vertical beam steam engine, side-paddle-wheel |
| Speed | 17 mph (27 km/h) (14.77 knots) |
| Crew | 28 |
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Ticonderoga (Side-paddle-wheel Lakeboat)
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Postcard showing Ticonderoga
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 Location in Vermont
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| Location | Shelburne, Vermont |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Champlain Transportation Company |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000797 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 15 October 1966 |
| Designated NHL | 28 January 1964 |
The Ticonderoga: A Historic Steamboat
The Ticonderoga is a famous example of early 20th-century steamboats. It shows how people traveled and transported goods before cars and trucks became common. Today, it helps us understand a key part of American history.
Life Aboard the Ticonderoga
A crew of twenty-eight people worked on the Ticonderoga. This included the captain, who was in charge, and pilots who steered the boat. There were also engineers and firemen who kept the engine running.
Other crew members took care of the passengers and freight. These included the purser, who handled money, and the stewardess. There were also cooks, waiters, and other staff to make sure everyone was comfortable.
Ticonderoga's Busy Routes and Jobs
When it first started, the Ticonderoga traveled north and south on Lake Champlain. Every day, it would stop at Westport, New York. Here, it would meet a train from New York City.
The next morning, the steamboat would carry travelers and goods north to St. Albans, Vermont. Besides passengers, the Ticonderoga regularly carried farm products, animals, and other items. During both World War I and World War II, it even helped move U.S. troops between Plattsburgh, New York and Burlington, Vermont.
Over the years, the boat also sailed between Burlington and Port Kent, New York. For a short time, it was even used as a floating casino!
Saving the Ticonderoga from Retirement
As newer, more modern ferries appeared, the Ticonderoga became less needed. It continued to operate for a few years as a boat for fun trips. However, by 1950, fewer people were using it, and its future looked uncertain.
A man named Ralph Nading Hill helped save the Ticonderoga. He convinced Electra Havemeyer Webb to buy the boat for her growing museum. The Shelburne Museum tried to keep the steamboat running. But by then, the age of steamboats was ending. It became hard to find people who knew how to operate and maintain such an old vessel.
Moving the Ticonderoga to Its New Home
In 1954, the Shelburne Museum decided to move the Ticonderoga from the lake to the museum grounds. This was a huge and amazing project!
How the Ticonderoga Moved Inland
At the end of the summer season, the boat sailed into a new, water-filled area dug near Shelburne Bay. It floated over a special railroad carriage that was resting on tracks laid just for this purpose.
Then, the water was pumped out of the basin. This made the Ticonderoga slowly settle down onto the railroad carriage. During the winter of 1955, the steamboat was pulled across roads, over a swamp, through forests and fields, and even across railroad tracks. Finally, it reached its permanent spot on the Shelburne Museum grounds.
Restoring the Steamboat's Beauty
Much of the Ticonderoga's inside was carefully brought back to its original beautiful condition. The dining room and stateroom halls still have their lovely butternut and cherry wood panels. The ceilings still show their original gold stenciling.
The barbershop, the captain's living area, the dining room, and the promenade deck now hold furniture and items that were used on the Ticonderoga and other Lake Champlain steamboats.
In 1964, the Ticonderoga was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important part of American history.
Gallery
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Plan of Ticonderoga
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Main stairway
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One of Ticonderoga's two "turtleback" boilers
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Engine controls and valve gear
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