William M. Black (dredge) facts for kids
William M. Black is a special kind of ship called a steam-powered, sidewheel dustpan dredge. It's named after William Murray Black. This amazing ship is now a museum ship in Dubuque, Iowa, where you can visit it!
Built in 1934, the William M. Black is one of the few steam-powered dredges still around. It's also one of only four dredges from the United States Army Corps of Engineers that still exist. Because it's so important, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1992. You can explore it as part of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.
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| History | |
|---|---|
  United States |
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| Name | William M. Black |
| Owner |
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| Builder | Marietta Manufacturing Co. |
| Launched | 1934 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Dustpan dredge |
| Length | 277 ft (84 m) |
| Beam | 85 ft (26 m) |
| Depth | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion | Sidewheels |
| Crew | 49 |
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William M. Black (dredge)
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 Location in Iowa
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| Location | Third Street at the Ice Harbor, Dubuque, Iowa |
| Built | 1934 |
| Architect | Marietta Manufacturing Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002618 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 12 April 1982 |
| Designated NHL | 27 April 1992 |
Contents
What is a Dustpan Dredge?
The William M. Black is a dustpan dredge. This means it has a special "dustpan" shaped head at the front. This head sucks up sand, mud, and silt from the bottom of rivers. It helps keep the river channels deep enough for other boats to pass.
Ship Design and Features
The William M. Black is located in the Dubuque Harbor. It has a strong steel body, about 277 feet (84 meters) long. It's 85 feet (26 meters) wide, including the big boxes around its paddlewheels. The ship's bottom is 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) deep.
The ship has three decks on top. These decks are supported by strong steel beams. This design allowed heavy equipment to be placed anywhere on the ship. The "dustpan" dredge part is at the front. Cables on each side helped hold the ship steady while it was working.
The large paddlewheels are about two-thirds of the way back on the ship. These wheels helped move the ship through the water. The powerful pump for the dredge was located near the front. It got its power from a steam engine. Today, one of the ship's paddlewheels is on display at the museum.
History of the William M. Black
The William M. Black was one of the last paddle steamers built in the United States. It mostly worked along the Missouri River. Its job was to keep the river clear for boats.
This ship had a crew of 49 people. It could dredge a huge amount of material each day. It moved about 80,000 cubic yards (61,000 cubic meters) of sand and mud daily. That's like filling 8,000 dump trucks every single day!
The ship stopped working in 1973. This was because it used a lot of heavy oil, about 7,000 gallons (26,500 liters) every day. During the 1973 oil crisis, fuel became very expensive. It was too costly to keep the William M. Black running. Now, it's a fantastic museum where you can learn all about its important work!
See also
