The Shelburne Shipyard Steamboat Graveyard: Four Early Nineteenth-Century Steamboats from Lake Champlain

Author(s): Carolyn Kennedy

Year: 2015

Summary

Steamboat construction of the early nineteenth century remains largely forgotten and unstudied.  Historical records provide little detail to how construction techniques were evolving in this experimental phase of steam-powered vessels.  A survey of Lake Champlain’s Shelburne Shipyard revealed the remains of four nineteenth-century steamboats, three of which were built prior to 1840.  The four hulls were recorded for comparative study during a field school which took place in the month of June, 2014. Their unique and differing features illustrate the innovative approaches utilized by shipwrights specifically adapted to steamboats.   This presentation discusses the results of this archaeological survey, including the similarities and differences observed between these four steamboats and other contemporary steamboats.

Cite this Record

The Shelburne Shipyard Steamboat Graveyard: Four Early Nineteenth-Century Steamboats from Lake Champlain. Carolyn Kennedy. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Seattle, Washington. 2015 ( tDAR id: 434187)

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 500